This restaurant really transports patrons to another place in time. Located in an alley in what was once called The Barbary Coast, Bix could easily have been a speakeasy during Prohibition, especially in light of the brisk business being done at the bar. The singer and her accompanist on piano were engaging, performing light jazz and what were affectionately known as “standards” by the WWII generation. This enjoyable dining experience became punctuated with a sultry mood and sophisticated style that was unexpected and also unforgettable. Service was excellent.
I cannot identify with 100% accuracy all the drinks in these photos except for the Bellini, which I personally ordered and nursed throughout the evening. The bartenders were flying and preparing all sorts of lively, colorful concoctions. It seemed a great place to stop by just for a drink and hors d’oeuvres. The drink in the Martini glass may be the Bix Perfect Manhattan or the Sazerac, and the Bix Rickey is the last drink based on the lime.
The caviar and creme fraiche on little pillows of shredded and deep fried potatoes would be my first pick for hors d’oeuvres. They deserve a vintage champagne, but my Bellini worked well enough. Since four come in the order, they are easy to split with your dining companion.
It was no surprise that bread was hand delivered to your plate by the waiter, and not unceremoniously set down at the table in a basket. It tasted like a sweet baguette and came with sweet butter. The salad composed of romaine lettuce with a blue cheese dressing worked nicely with the bacon and tomato, but it is not the reason to dine at Bix, but the chilled seafood might be.
The ceviche with Jalapeno and Habanero chiles was outstanding with spectacular flavor and texture, The avocado helped calm the tongue after eating the chiles, and the cilantro oil was vibrant and fragrant. Toasted corn nuts accounted for the textural contrast to the buttery fish and avocado, while herbs and micro greens rounded out the flavor profile. This made me want to start a micro green garden.
For all the romance and sophistication of the restaurant space, it seemed odd that something as common as a burger would be on the menu. Bix has elevated the humble burger by using Kobe beef, premium cheeses and serving it with a trio of sauces including an aioli and a barbeque sauce. The sauces were also well exploited by using them with the truffle fries.
The chicken hash was worth a try with its buttery Mascarpone and Sun Gold tomato “sauce”. Its mild flavor was accented by the fresh sweet corn included in the mix. The creamed spinach was everything we’d hoped and rivals any we’ve had at well regarded steak houses around town. All in all, this was a restaurant worthy of repeat visits. The bar can get noisy, but the booths under the balcony were pleasant for conversation not requiring you to raise your voice.
| 56 Gold Street Open Mon-Wed,Sun 5:30pm-10pm; Thu,Sat 5:30pm-11pm; Fri 11:30am-11pm |
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