Earlier this year, adventurous eaters were dismayed to hear that the famed El Bulli restaurant in Spain was going to close for a two-year sabbatical of sorts. Globe-trotting seekers of culinary adventure began the difficult quest for reservations at a place widely praised as the World’s best restaurant while the opportunity still existed. Much closer to home, the Center Bistro in Tempe has recently reopened after its own hiatus of two years, a pause that began unexpectedly just a few months after the restaurant opened in 2008. To be sure, the Center Bistro is no El Bulli in terms of name recognition and cutting edge innovation, but it has emerged from its break with a new chef, superior food, and better service than its first incarnation.
The Center Bistro is located at the back of the Orchid House building in Downtown Tempe, just a few pedestrian-friendly blocks from the Mill Avenue / Third Street light rail station. To find the restaurant, walk down the Sixth Street cul-de-sac and keep going to the end of the Brickyard / Orchid House complex. Turn right into a small parking lot and the Center Bistro’s entrance will be visible. By the way, that parking lot won’t be the most prominent feature forever. The Center Bistro version 2.0 has plans to convert some of the space into patio dining, an appealing development that contrasts with the City of Phoenix’s recent decision to demolish a Downtown hotel and convert it into yet another parking lot.
Inside, the Center Bistro is full of natural light, comfortable seating, and a welcoming feel. There’s a strong wifi signal available for anyone looking to get some work done between bites. Most guests sit in the main dining room, but if dining alone and feeling sociable, try the community table at the front of the house. Staff often take their meal breaks there and seem eager to talk about the food and Tempe life with diners who join them. Besides, this location offers the best seats in the house to watch new chef Nick Buchholz at work. His role is important here, because the Center Bistro has made some welcome revisions to its approach to food after two years off.
The original Center Bistro was part of a complex with a yogu studio and other businesses oriented toward wellness. That meant a menu that sometimes leaned toward raw foods and vegan preparations. There’s nothing wrong with either per se, but the results were sometimes unexpected. Hummus, for example, was an unannounced cauliflower puree rather than the familiar chickpea spread. Those types of curve balls are no longer thrown at the restaurant. Instead, the philosophy seems to be one of high-quality local ingredients prepared with care, but not needless fuss. Of course, that philosophy often comes at a price, but the Center Bistro is actually fairly reasonable compared to other lunch options on Mill.
Currently, the restaurant is serving only breakfast and lunch, so the menu focuses primarly on sandwiches, salads, and a daily soup such as a pumpkin spice with a mild curry flavor or a smooth, spicy tortilla soup. The Mill Revolution salad is mesclun greens with a honey vinaigrette. If that dressing sounds heavy, it’s actually surprisingly light and applied judiciously. Bits of dates and fresh fennel add little pops of flavor throughout. The Southwest Fusion salad uses a similar approach with berries, candied pecans, feta, and a raspberry chipotle dressing boosting the flavor of the lettuces. Any of the salads can be augmented with chicken or turkey or combined in a half size with soup or a sandwich.
Among the sandwiches, there are some non-traditional approaches with a bit of creativity. The Thanksgiving sandwich would lead one to expect cranberry sauce; instead, the roasted meat and provolone are paired with chili aioli. The nine-grain bread is a good match that adds a bit of heft and texture to an otherwise light sandwich. The fungi sandwich celebrates mushrooms with roasted ones in a combination with mozzarella, tomato, and basil. This one pairs better with ciabatta. If looking for a more substantial meal, try the chef’s daily special. Recently, it was a chicken breast over risotto with roasted Brussels sprouts, a long-neglected vegetable now finally getting some serious attention from chefs.
There’s no question that the new Center Bistro is still devoted to healthful eating, but the new approach promotes those goals through moderate portions and organic ingredients rather than health food stereotypes. There’s even room for a little decadence in the white truffled mac-and-cheese or in some of the daily dessert selections. In light of contradictory media reports, it’s now doubtful that El Bulli will reopen after its impending closure. No matter what happens in Spain, Tempe diners should celebrate the reemergence of the Center Bistro after two years in hibernation. Maybe if there’s enough daytime support, we’ll get really lucky and see the eventual addition of dinner and weekend hours.
21 E 6th St., Tempe AZ 85281
Map
(480) 491-5591
http://www.thecenterbistro.com/
That food looks delicious. I need to try this place.
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