A cozy bistro invites romance
The intimate Granada Bistro in downtown SLO is the perfect place for a date
By Kathy Marcks HardestyWhile I dined at Granada Bistro, the sight of a cute young woman adorned with artistic tattoos who sipped from a little blue bottle of Pommery Champagne through a straw, elicited a smile. She was a reminder of the engaging students who inspired my visit to this fabulous little European-style wine bar. Last May, I was invited to Cal Poly by Dr. Teresa Allen to speak to her journalism class. As it always happens when speaking to students and the teachers, I walked away better informed than when I arrived.
I still smile over one question they asked me: What do you dislike most in restaurants?” I immediately answered I hate restaurants with a dining room that’s too dark; I like to see what I’m eating. “Then don’t go to Granada Bistro!” a young woman retorted with a laugh. It ended up at the top of my list of places to check out, because the bistro came up several times during the 90-minute class discussion on restaurant reviewing. Visiting Granada Bistro at lunch, the lighting wasn’t an issue. The food, the imported wines, the friendly service by Ashley Howard and Nicki Wells, and the ambiance, were all impressive during both visits.
The first of the panini was my favorite: the spicy Latini ($10) with carnitas, pickled jalapenos, onions and cotija cheese. The earthy pork, cotija, and onions with the contrast of pickled jalapenos on crunchy, toasted Farb’s sourdough bread were really tasty. The side salad of couscous with dried cranberries, chopped cornichons, red onions, and parsley was pleasant, but dry and not nearly so appealing as the panini. The meal paired deliciously with the Robert Oatley 2009 Rosé of Grenache (Mudgee, Australia); a dry, refreshing pink wine ($8).
As it happened, Margaret Walker, mother of the bistro founder-and-owner Kimberly Walker, is a Kennedy Fitness Center member. Until then she hadn’t met me but she knew my friends well. Fortunately, I previously asked them not to give me away. We admitted that I was reviewing the bistro after finishing lunch. Margaret explained that Kimberly had just toured Europe and was in New York preparing to launch a new product, but she couldn’t discuss it until it was officially announced.
On Yelp.com I noticed most of the glowing reviews about Grenada Bistro were written by women who mentioned how romantic it is; no men wrote such things. I asked Brad, who’s single, if he would go back: “Yes, I would, I really enjoyed it,” he said. The restaurant is dimly lit at night with an antique chandelier and soy candles, the latter made by Kimberly so they’re fragrance-free and don’t ruin anyone’s sense of taste. The décor did remind me of Europe; it’s quite cozy. One thing surprised me: the Grenada Hotel, home of the bistro, will soon be demolished. Originally scheduled for July, Kimberly attended city meetings and got the date extended to December 2010. Then she’ll have to close her unique eatery. “This was her first restaurant and she loves the business,” Margaret concluded. “She definitely plans to open somewhere else. It may not be the same name but she will open another restaurant.”
You can reach New Times’ Cuisine columnist at khardesty@newtimesslo.com
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