When last we left serial restaurateur Kitty Wagner, she had just opened a bigger and better Blue Star – the Blue Star Bourbon Bar and Southern Kitchen – on 14th Avenue in Vero’s old downtown.
We liked it! A casual restaurant with live music – attracting a good number of younger guests who seemed to come primarily for the bands, the drinks and the dancing – it also had a dining area where you could enjoy a variety of creative dishes from Kitty’s “Southern Kitchen.”
But sometime last the summer, the Bourbon Bar and Southern Kitchen disappeared. Now, in the same space, we have the Blue Star Brasserie – an attractively redesigned restaurant, much more spacious, focused less on entertainment and more on Kitty’s food than its predecessor, with jazz and blues piano stylings now serving as nightly mealtime accompaniment.
So we have gone through the Blue Starfish, Blue Star Wine Bar, Blue Star Bourbon Bar and Southern Kitchen, and now we have the Blue Star Brasserie. This latest extension of Kitty’s brand sure looks like another winner.
On a recent visit, I opted to start with Prince Edward Island mussels ($12), and my husband and our companion decided to split a Belgian endive salad ($12).
The endive salad was very nice, and more than large enough to share. And the mussels, sautéed with andouille sausage, tomatoes, and red onions in a chardonnay broth, were really tasty. Hardly seems fair to complain that there were so many it took a while to get the mopping-up bread to the wonderful broth.
On a previous visit, my husband was very enthusiastic about the escargot saute –not your classic presentation, but a deconstructed dish with the snails surrounded by bacon, shallots, and slices of apple, and a square of puff pastry on the side.
For an entrée on this most recent outing, I chose the lemon thyme roasted half chicken ($22), my husband went for the sautéed liver and onions ($18), and our companion picked the chargrilled Faroe Island salmon ($24).
The chicken, served with roasted butternut squash, green beans almandine, and lemon thyme juice, was perfectly roasted, moist and tasty. My husband was equally enthusiastic over his calf’s liver, served with grilled asparagus, fried onions and a red wine balsamic glaze. And our companion loved the Faroe Island salmon, with sautéed sweet corn, tomatoes, yellow squash leeks, zucchini and red onion and fresh basil pesto.
On previous visits, we have also enjoyed the low country shrimp and grits, and the Blue Star chicken pot pie.
For dessert on this most recent outing, we shared the Blue Star’s bread pudding ($7), which was a great way to end our meal.
While in the Bourbon Bar era the Blue Star had a full bar, it now only offers a selection of craft beers and wine. The service on our most recent visits was knowledgeable and extremely attentive.
The other good news is that while the old Bourbon Bar did not take reservations, the Blue Star Brasserie does – and with Kitty in the kitchen and season upon us, you will definitely want to make them.
I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at tina@verobeach32963.com.
The reviewer dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.
