Bistrolls Contemporary Fusion - Coffee shop + sushi bar = huh?

Bistrolls Contemporary Fusion



Bistrolls is a relatively new place that opened up in the downtown square area. It is just west of Jake's at the corner of the square.  The place looks contemporary and hip from the outside and has a nice local vibe with really just a few tables.  The sushi bar is located right in front with a small kitchen in the back.  I think they also have a decent area to sit relax and have a cup of coffee in the back.  They got a mention in "Texas Monthly" for the Tyler/Longview area, so I thought I would give them a try.

The spread:  Well, I couldn't get a handle on exactly what this place was trying to be.  They are making a concerted effort to be a hip coffee shop with a nice breakfast menu and the coffee offering you would expect.  I think this is a local place, but the menu has more of a corporate feel.  For breakfast you can make a sandwich from a variety of different ingredients (for a price each).  For lunch you can order a sushi roll to your own specifications (again each thing you add is more $$).  They also offer a variety of "fusion" dishes ranging from lamb kebabs, dumplings, wraps, to tempura, etc.

The verdict:  I was greeted warmly and promptly.  I ordered a Korean BBQ baguette with grilled pork and it came with a side of carrot tempura.  The baguette was pretty good, the pork well seasoned and flavorful, however, the bread wasn't a baguette.  It was more of a ciabatta.  I was just expecting more of a banh mi (Vietnamese style) sandwich.  The star of the day was actually the tempura prepared carrots.  They were light, crispy and delicious.  I also had a sushi roll, and I had them prepare me whatever they wanted because I don't have an extensive knowledge of sushi.  I think I got a deep sea diver/scuba diver roll?  I'm not sure.  It was spicy, tasty and a good size for the price ($12 bucks), but I wasn't blow away with the flavor profile or with the quality of the fish.  The serving dishes were also all styrofoam, which seemed a little lazy to me.  Maybe they are a primarily take out place, but I like to eat on real plates when I sit down somewhere.  Another criticism is that I don't like places that have "build your own burrito/sushi roll/dish/etc", that is just a personal preference, I don't want to make a ton of dishes and experiment in a restaurant - I can do that at home.  I trust a chef's recommendation over my own.

Edible Tyler Roses: 3 out of 5; Worth a try, but not spectacular.  I'm not sure how they scored a spot in Texas Monthly.

Juls - New location, better than ever?

Juls



Juls is, from what I understand, a rebirth and reconfiguration of the old Julian's over in Times Square. The place is located off of 155 past Grande, pretty close to Fresh.  It is very impressive from the outside and has two sections, one side is "Juls cafe" and one is apparently just "Juls"?  Apparently Juls has an Asian themed menu and Juls cafe is concentrating on healthy food, but it is still a little unclear to me.  Althought, I am not sure of the intent of the business owners, the buildings structure and the business undertaking are impressive.  The building is very modern and has interesting nooks and crannies that make the dining experience unique.

The spread:  My wife and I ventured to Juls.  They have an extensive drink menu with some very unique draft selections - a couple of which I have never seen on draft (Delerium Tremens).  The food menu is a somewhat pan-asian themed with a variety of appetizers (edamame, pot stickers, lettuce wraps, wings, guacamole, etc), sushi/sashimi, salads, "woks" - really just stir fry, Pho (vietnamese noodle soup), fried rice, new american (ranging from shrimp and grits to korean fried chicken legs) and a variety of burgers/sandwiches (to include Banh mi - vietnamese sandwiches).

The verdict:  The menu seemed a little unfocused to me and that it was designed to try to make everyone happy, but the food I tried was very good.  We started with some pot stickers, followed by some sort of spicy tuna/crab roll, beef Pho, grilled pork Banh mi, and the Mongolian stir fry.  The steamed pot stickers were excellent, the filling just had this background herb that was just making beautiful music on my taste buds.  My only criticism is that I would have like some sort of dipping sauce to help with the initial blandness of the dumpling dough.  The spicy tuna/crab roll was excellent, it had a great sushi flavor with a very well balanced sauce and heat level.  The beef Pho was pretty good, my problem is that I have been in some of the best Pho places in Chinatown in Houston and this Pho wasn't as good, but it is still worth a try.  The broth is solid, but I would have liked to have seen more traditional offerings (tendon, meatball, etc).  The Banh mi was also good, but not great.  The bread to meat ratio was a little skewed on the side of the bread and the heat level was nearly unbearable (perhaps this was my error) - again I have had some of the best Banh mi in Houston and my standards are very high, their Banh me is good, it just isn't great.  The Mongolian stir fry was also very good, great balanced flavor that my wife really enjoyed.  The service was also excellent, very attentive and quite helpful in navigating the ambitious menu.  I very much enjoyed the eclectic draft beer selection and will be back to try more of their beers.  The noise level was a little high, but that was because there was some sort of group Christmas party happening nearby.  I think Juls would be a great special occasion place for a date night.

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5.  Ambitious menu, great service, good to very good food.

Cork - nice atmosphere and very good food

Cork Food and Drink
http://www.corktyler.com/



Cork is a relatively new place located in the Times Square Cinema shopping center off of Broadway/I-69 just south of Rice road.  The shopping center itself doesn't really lend itself to 'high end' dining, however, they have the entrance decorated nicely with modern design and a little sitting area.  Inside, they continue the modern theme with a bar area, decent dining area, and small area for live performances with some interesting modernish type art on the wall and many references to wine.

The spread:  They have an ambitious food and drink menu.  I'm not sure their theme, but they offer different kinds of sushi, small 'tapas' style plates, cheese and cured meats plate(s), a few different bowls (mac and cheese, soups, stir fry and grits), and a few traditional dishes (seafood, steak, etc).  For me, the menu was a bit unfocused and perhaps they are trying to be a tapas-sushi-wine-asian bar that serves food?  The wine list is extensive and they have a full bar with a few original concoctions.

The verdict:  I really enjoyed my experience at Cork.  The service was friendly, prompt and knowledgeable.  I tried the mac and cheese and it was the best I have had in a long time.  It comes in a bowl with spiral pasta with a bechamel-cheese sauce with bread crumbs on top with little bits of ham.  I also tried their spicy tuna roll and it was solid, but not very spicy.  The quality of tuna was good.  The charcuterie plate came with three types of cheese, a great grilled french bread and three types of cured meats.  There was a very mild soft/brie and two harder styles that offered a nice difference in texture and flavor, but none of the cheese were memorable.  The prosciutto was very good, but the cured sausage and pepperoni like sausage were both average - mildly spiced and a little bland. I also tried the ribeye which was cooked a perfect medium rare and had a nice bourbon glaze, but the cut of meat was lower grade (lots of fat and gristle).  I also tried a couple bites of the burger and it was almost amazing as my wife had ordered it medium and it came out well done.  The wine list was extensive and the bottle I split was very very good (Shatter something or other).  I also had a Cork Old Fashioned that had whipped egg white in it that gave the old fashioned a unique texture that I particularly enjoyed.  Overall, I think Cork is almost a great restaurant/bar.  I think if they trimmed down the menu some and really concentrated on quality, this would be an amazing place.  Also of note, they are very committed to having plates come out in a visually appealing manner, with nice presentation using unique plates.

Edible Tyler Roses: 4 out of 5, a great place to have drinks/wine and apps, a good place to eat.

Soju: Sushi Bar and Asian Bistro - My first Tyler sushi experience

Soju: Sushi Bar and Asian Bistro
http://www.tylersushi.com/



Soju is a Sushi/Asian restaurant located off Old Jacksonville Highway just south of Grande.  It is beautiful from the outside with vibrant colors and interesting architecture.  My wife and I rolled up at around 6:00pm and almost turned around because there were so few cars in the parking lot and we have learned over the years that if a well established place is dead during peak hours, there is always a reason.  Fortunately, as the night progressed, the place filled up to a respectable level by the end of the evening, so our initial concerns weren't warranted.

The spread:  The place looks as hip on the inside as the outside, with plenty of modern flair and various local artists works on the walls.  Most of the art really wasn't my thing, but I appreciate the effort and maybe someone else loves it.  The menu is extensive with a large drink and sushi menu.  They also have an ambitious Asian themed entrees ranging from Pad Thai, noodle bowls, rice bowls, various beef, seafood and chicken stir fries/preparations.  They really are pan Asian, ranging from traditionally Japanese to Chinese to Thai style dishes. 

The verdict:  We sat down and were handed a dirty drink menu (a sign of neglect) and my first impression of the waiter was unfavorable, so we decided to just order drinks and appetizers to see if it was worth staying.  I ordered a mojito and a spicy tuna roll and my wife got the pot stickers.  The mojito was wonderful with lots of fragments of fresh mint.  The spicy tuna roll was large and aggressively spicy - which is a surprise for Tyler.  The pot stickers were also delicious with a well spiced pork filling and a savory dipping sauce, so we went ahead with our order.  We got the shrimp and vegetable tempura, pad thai and mongolian beef.  The tempura was also excellent (crunchy outside with tender inside) with two well prepared dipping sauces.  The pad thai was very large and pretty good, but lacked any real heat.  The mongolian beef was excellently spiced with a tasty brown sauce.  Also, my misgivings about our waiter were misplaced and he turned out to be an excellent server.  Overall a very pleasant experience.

Edible Tyler Roses:  4 out of 5, not perfect, but very good.

Wasabi's

Wasabi Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar
http://www.wasabityler.com/

5617 S. Donnybrook

Tyler, TX 75703

Wasabi is a place tucked just off Broadway/69 behind Lowes/Circuit City.  When I walked into the place it looked great.  Modern design, cool looking bar, nice layout, looked clean.  I think they are trying really hard to be a sushi bar that attracts the young, hip crowd.

The spread:  They offer a nice selection of different kinds of sushi (rolls, nigiri, sashimi, etc).  They also offer more traditional Chinese style food as well: egg rolls, stir fry, noodles, fried rice etc.  I tried the wonton soup, egg rolls, lo mein, madarin kung pao, and pot stickers.  I picked up and the service was a little slow for the time of day and the crowd (I think there were 2 people at the bar).

The verdict:  Well, the entire meal was nearly inedible.  The egg rolls I ordered were actually spring rolls that were cold and underseasoned.  The lo mein was hot, but underseasoned and bland.  The pot stickers were luke-warm and underseasoned.  The Kung Pao tasted a little off, was luke warm and underseasoned/bland.  The wonton soup was STONE cold from the fridge, they must have forgot to put it in the microwave.  I am not sure if meal was just a bad night or if that is just what they will put out on their Chinese side of the menu.  Perhaps they do sushi better, but there is no way I am eating raw fish at a place that doesn't know how to cook.  I could not have been more displease with wasting my money on the food.

Edible Tyler Roses:  1 out of 5.  Only reason they get one is that their sushi might be edible.