While our appetizer choices weren't praiseworthy, the entrees we settled on were all much to our liking.
Over the last several years downtown Westfield has undergone a major facelift -- easier access from the north, an elaborately reworked town square, and substantial streetscape renewal. As a result of this sprucing up, Westfield eateries like the School Street Bistro are likely to find themselves the subject of interest, so we decided it was time for a return visit.
As has been the case since it opened, the Bistro features Italian-influence contemporary cuisine.
A pasta listing describes choices ranging from Penne Bolognese ($18) to Seafood Cioppino ($26), while a roster of "signature dishes" includes Cedar Plank Salmon ($24), a Veal Saute ($21) with a brandy cream sauce, and crabmeat-topped Filet Oscar ($32).
The menu's "Simply Yours" page describes a steakhouse-style array of beef and seafood that can be customized with various sauces and sides.
Appetizers at School Street Bistro are familiar favorites gussied up a bit -- Gorgonzola Garlic Bread ($6), Chipotle Calamari ($9), and Crispy Coconut Shrimp ($12).
Intrigued by the menu's description of it, we chose to share a Wild Mushroom Puff Pastry ($8).
Unfortunately, the reality didn't live up to the hype. The mushrooms were mostly of the domestic button variety, and the advertised "sweet Port sauce" was a rather raw dousing of red wine. To compound its difficulties the dish also had a discernable "scorched" flavor.
Cold fruit soups can be tricky to pull off. Without top quality ingredients and the right flavor builders, the end product can end up rather bland. That was the case with the Melon-Green Apple Soup ($5) we sampled -- it was inoffensive but far from memorable.
While our appetizer choices weren't praiseworthy, the entrees we settled on were all much to our liking.
The Seafood Strudel ($27), one of the restaurant's signature dishes, was an individual phyllo dough pastry stuffed with seafood -- jumbo shrimp, whole scallops, and lobster claw meat.
A buttery, not-too-assertive Parmesan Alfredo sauce bought all those elements together, while a bed of sauteed baby spinach enhanced with nutmeg and garlic added just the right vegetal subtext.
The Bistro's version of Veal Saltimbocca ($24) was equally enjoyable, featuring high-quality veal cutlets topped with Prosciutto and fresh mozzarella. The sage flavor that's a typical element of saltimbocca was resident in a rich brown butter sauce.
Crusting food with nuts is a now-commonplace restaurant conceit that can easily be overdone, but the Cashew-crusted Pork Loin ($22) the Bistro's kitchen prepared avoided that trap. The nut crust worked well with the pork tenderloin, enhancing but not overwhelming.
We did, however, miss the promised apple cider demi-glace that was supposed to have sauced the dish. It was apparently absent from the kitchen's repertoire the evening we visited -- the pork was served "dry."
Main courses were served with buttered green beans and oven-roasted Bliss potatoes.
In addition to bread, our meals came with a house salad and a side of the restaurant's special dressing, a balsamic vinaigrette enhanced with pureed tomato.
The Bistro is fully licensed and maintains an extensive wine inventory sourced from across the globe. Bottle selections range from moderately priced to special occasion indulgences.
When it's time for dessert, the staff at School Street shows off a tray stocked with the likes of chocolate lava cake and summer berry torte.
Our made-in-house Grand Marnier Creme Brulee ($8.50 had a delicate custard texture and pleasing hint of orange liqueur flavor, while the Lemoncello ($9.50) pastry effectively brought sponge cake, raspberry filling, and lemon mouse together to form a likeable dinner finale.
We thought Fisherman's Pie ($7), a Bistro dessert specialty, to be strangely named, but we had no complaint with the end-of meal experience it offered. Assembled from sliced tart apples in custard cream and a layer of cinnamon streusel, it was the sort of sweet that cried out for coffee to accompany it.
On Fridays the Bistro opens for lunch, offering a limited menu of salads, sandwiches, and light entrees.
Name: School Street Bistro
Address: 29 School Street, Westfield
Phone: (413) 562-8700
Hours: Dinner - Tuesday through Thursday 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday 4 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Lunch - Friday only 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Entree Prices: $18 - $32
Credit cards: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Handicapped access: Accessible, with rest rooms equipped for wheelchairs
Reservations: Accepted