Bonterra Blu bills itself as West Texas Nouvelle Cuisine and it certainly is new...there is nothing like it in this area. It is a chef-owned restaurant in the small town of Clyde about 15 miles east of Abilene, Texas. They are open only on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for dinner. Reservations are highly recommended as the space is on the small side and it has become very popular. This was my fourth trip in the past year. My husband loves it. The menu changes regularly because of the availability of ingredients so there is something different to try every time we have dined there.
The atmosphere is decorated with local art and the chef strives to use many ingredients from sources that are in the region. One exception would be the fresh Gulf seafood. We are far from the coast. Sometimes they have live music too. The restaurant does not have a liquor license so there is a set up fee if you bring your own wine. Non-alcoholic beverages are available; tea--sweet and unsweet, flavored lemonade and coffee.
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| Really Big Shrimp |
Now for the food! The menu is divided into small plates, salads, big plates, and dessert. Small plates are intended for appetizers but can also be good as an entree for a smaller appetite. I had the really big shrimp small plate as my entree. The shrimp lived up to their title and were fresh and very tasty. Served on top of the creole mashed potatoes. I also had a Bonterra salad. It is a romaine wedge with some AMAZING olive tapenade and fig balsamic vinaigrette. Other salad choices that evening included a caesar salad or an organic greens salad with candied walnuts and goat cheese ($2 up charge)
We ordered crawfish queso with carne guisada served with fresh tortilla chips and calamari as appetizers. I often find calamari to be rubbery and fishy but Bonterra Blu's version is delicious. The Bloody Mary dipping sauce takes it up a notch. The chef using a spice blend of his own design in almost every dish. The flavors tend to be strong so if you have a delicate palate you might find it a bit overwhelming.
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| Beef filet with creole mashers and fried scallions |
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| Lamb shanks with creole mashers and fried spinach |
For entrees, two people at the table ordered the beef filet with creole mashers and one got the lamb shanks. The filets were very high quality with a smokey flavor and the lamb got rave reviews and is one of their most popular dishes. Other starch choices are green chili hominy or sweet potato fries. Portions are generous. However, don't skip dessert.
To round out our meal we had some cappuccino and dessert. Creme brulee--outstanding!, mini chocolate creme brulee and deep fried bread. pudding. Decadent!
Expect to spend between $30-$50 a person for appetizer, entree and dessert.
205 South First Street
Clyde, Texas325.513.8548
bonterrablu@me.com
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