After five years, Osceola Bistro has moved solidly into the top tier of restaurants in Vero’s old downtown.
The potential has always been there.
The Osceola’s courtyard garden – with fountain and flowers – is the most attractive patio setting on either side of the Indian River lagoon. And if you prefer to eat inside, the restaurant’s dining room – with its new colorful “All you need is local” chalk wall – is as stylish as any around.
With chef/owner Christopher Bireley totally committed to fashioning imaginative dishes out of the freshest possible ingredients obtained from local farmers and fishermen, this restaurant has from the start had the potential to be a big winner.
And starting its sixth year, all the pieces – the food, the ambiance, the service – have all come together to make the Osceola Bistro one of our favorite places to dine.
On a recent weeknight, the courtyard was being used for a private party. But we were ushered to a very nice table inside, and server Kevin quickly appeared to take drink orders.
But first, Kevin mentioned one of the evening’s specials was poached monkfish. I love this ugly North Atlantic fish, which is infrequently found on menus here because it only makes it to waters off Florida in small numbers. Kevin rushed off to the kitchen to reserve it, but alas, another server beat him to the last available order.
So I decided to have the local shrimp with pasta ($29), and my husband opted for the evening’s other special, peppercorn crusted yellowfin tuna au poivre ($36).
First, though, came the starters – a choice of soups, which vary from day to day, or a house or Caesar salad.
On this evening, I chose to go with the local mushroom and jalapeno soup, and my husband decided to try the local pumpkin puree. The jalapeno added a bit of brightness that stood up well to the mushroom puree, and the pumpkin soup was velvety smooth.
We then moved onto the entrées. My Fellsmere organic shrimp were wonderful, sautéed with lemon, capers, tomato, chili flake and feta cheese in a white wine broth, and served over housemade spinach linguine.
And my husband’s beautifully prepared and presented tuna au poivre was served with a delicious peppercorn brandy cream sauce, accompanied by mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. Excellent.
For dessert, we shared a slice of house-made Key Lime pie. Sumptuous.
Our dinner – with a modest bottle of wine and no appetizer – came to $110 before tax and tip. But you can enjoy a variety of small plates here and probably come away with a tab for two in the $60 or $70 range. My shrimp and pasta dish, for example, comes in a small size – which would have been more than enough – for $24.
You can lower the bill even further, if you are inclined to dine early, by coming between 4:30 and 6, when Osceola serves the same soups and salads, and a selection of entrées from the regular menu, for $16.
As we dined this past week, our eyes kept straying to the far wall, which was covered by this large graphic done in colored chalk by Vero artist Teri Barrett. Beyond being decorative, the “All you need is local” graphic pays tribute to the farmers who provide the food that chef Bireley prepares.
This beautifully executed graphic perfectly captures the vision and spirit of this excellent restaurant.
I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at [email protected] .
The reviewer dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.
