Upscale But Casual Seafood Centric Bistro
Bradenton Beach, Florida, USA
Cuisine Style: New American
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 4/5
Dined in September 2017
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Executive Chef:
Jimmy Lopatinski
Owners:
Stephen Bishop
Ron Fuller
Anna Maria Island is one of the thousands of barrier islands off the coast of Florida, located near Bradenton, north of Longboat Key, and tucked away between Tampa and Sarasota. It is known for its beaches, resorts, and historical shops, galleries, and museums. Between Bridge Street and Pine Avenue, the small mom and pop shops sell anything you can imagine. It also has an excellent food scene as my wife and I discovered during a little stay-cation from our home in St. Pete. The Bridge Street Bistro is one of these scenes. The restaurant is located at the Island Time Inn building on the third floor with terrace views of the Gulf Of Mexico for perfect sunset dining. The first floor of the building is the Island Tiki Bar and Grill, and though valet is not offered, there is ample parking and attendants to assist you if needed.
My wife and I came in for a happy hour, walking through the tiki bar to the elevators in the back. When we entered the third floor it led to a narrow hallway up to the host stand with the bar on the right and the main dining room to the front, and the terrace beyond that. The floor was carpeted and the feel was very neutral and pleasing with an older home sense to the place, versus either modern style or nautical like several of the other restaurants around the area. Being early there were few tables sat in the dining room, with the bar being full, but as we left the dining room started to fill up with locals and tourists alike.
I would classify Bridge Street as a “New American” restaurant in a bistro-style environment. Also known as Modern American cuisine, or Contemporary American cuisine, the term refers to the wave of modernized cooking predominantly served at upscale fine dining restaurants that began in the 1980s. It is generally a type of fusion cuisine which assimilates flavors from the melting pot of traditional American cooking techniques and mixes it with foreign and sometimes molecular gastronomy components. They tend to have an innovative use of seasoning and sauces, originally based on French, and Nouvelle cuisine, and it has progressed to include elements of Asian, Latin American, Mediterranean, and other cuisines. Bridge Street follows this and other modern trends to include the practice of sustainable seafood, local seafood based out of Tampa from Local Seafood LLC and Save on Seafood based in St. Petersburg.
We started with a few drinks while looking over the main and happy hour menus, with my wife having a classic tini from their list while I enjoyed the happy hour special of $4 microbrews.
Menu:
- Appetizers
- Salads & Soups
- Entrees
- Desserts
- Happy Hour
There were about ten selections to choose from under the appetizer section from Thai curry mussels to shrimp cocktail black bean or regular island crab cakes to name a few. We had two items off this menu starting with the Ahi Tuna, thinly sliced, bright pink tuna that I hadn’t seen in quite some time. The dish came with the accompaniment of some wakame seaweed slaw, cucumber, and two house-made sauces of spicy mayo, and sriracha sauce along with an addition of wasabi paste. One good thing to know about all of the dishes is that they make their own condiments and sauces in-house from scratch.
 |
| Ahi Tuna dish |
The second item looked of great interest to me as I am a big oyster fan; my wife not so much. They have two oysters on the menu, the half shell oysters with cocktail sauce served with a selection of 8 or 12 and the second choice which I decided on being the Oysters Bienville. The Bienville is a traditional New Orleans recipe, served here with five large Apalachicola oysters made with a stuffing of bacon, shrimp, mushrooms, bell peppers, sherry, a roux with butter, Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs.
 |
| Oyster Bienville |
There soup and salad section has your regular styles of romaine salads, bistro, Caesar, and traditional Caprese along with three soup choices. Chef Lopatinski is known for preparing a wonderful lobster bisque which is one of my wife's favorite soups. When we return, that will be on our list to try. Mos of the fruit and vegetables are sourced local and fresh as possible, but they do not focus solely on organics.
15 entrees round up the menu comprised of a selection of seafood, land, and air entrees. The seafood makes up a larger portion with Grassy Key Grouper, Risotto Di Mare, and scallops Oskar to name a few. Land and air options include duck, pork roulade, steak au poivre, chicken, veal and a vegetarian selection of primavera risotto.
 |
| Picture courtesy of Bridge Street Bistro |
Dessert:
We didn’t have dessert on this visit but look forward to sampling some of their selections upon our return.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy New American Articles & Restaurants:
Alinea Highly creative new American molecular gastronomy tasting menus in Chicago, Illinois
Chill Restaurant & Bar New American Cuisine, tapas, and exotic cocktails in St. Pete Beach
Harvest Moon Café Farm-to-Fork Daily changing new American fare menu in Sonoma, California
Lobby at Twelve Boutique hotel bistro, new American, and Southern favorites at Atlantic Station, Atlanta
Moshulu New American dining on a restored ship in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Samantha’s Restaurant Mellow new American fare in North Canton, Ohio
The Mad Hatter Waterfront upscale new American cuisine on Sanibel Island, Florida
The Mill Restaurant New American fare with a southern spin in St. Petersburg, Florida
Z Grille Colorfully inspired twists on American Classics in St. Petersburg, Florida
Zinc Bistro and Bar Southwestern-inspired new American fare in San Antonio, Texas
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Bradenton Beach / Anna Maria Island restaurants and articles on Wine, Dine, and Play:
|
Florida style waterfront dining with Gulf-to-Table concepts
Anna Maria, Florida, USA
|
A Chef driven Beach-style Bistro
Anna Maria, Florida, USA
|
Gourmet organic Taqueria street food
Anna Maria, Florida, USA
|
|
A casual BBQ joint
Anna Maria, Florida, USA
|
Chef-driven seafood restaurant
Anna Maria, Florida, USA
|
Global seafood with a comfort feel
Anna Maria, Florida, USA
|
A Few Florida Favorites:
|
Casual curries of North & South with Buffet
Brandon, Florida USA
|
A Star Trek Music Experience with dinner
Clearwater / Beach, Florida USA
|
Weekly, Organic, Sustainable
Gulfport, Florida, USA
|
|
5-course American meal with a show
Fort Myers, Florida USA
|
Japanese restaurant & saké bar with sushi
Key West, Florida, USA
|
California cuisine & fine dining chain
Orlando, Florida, USA
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
|
Max Points Possible:
|
Total Points Awarded:
|
Total Points deducted:
|
Ambiance
|
10
|
9
|
1
|
Food quality
|
10
|
9
|
1
|
Plate presentation
|
8
|
7
|
1
|
Customer service
|
9
|
7
|
2
|
Alcohol and other beverages
|
10
|
9
|
1
|
Total regular points awarded
|
47
|
41
|
6
|
Total percentage - less the Bonus
|
0.872340425531915
|
||
“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
|
2
|
0
|
Total bonus percentage
|
0.0425531914893617
|
||
Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
|
0.914893617021277
|
||
Stars Awarded (see chart below)
|
0 - 5
|
4
|
**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
|
4 of 5 Stars:
91% Rating with a 2 point “wow” bonus
An Oustanding Dining Experience
|
Wine rating:
|
6 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Germany, Italy, Spain
New World selections:
Argentina, Australia, California, Chile, New York, New Zealand, Oregon, Washington State
|
Corkage fee’s:
|
No outside bottles are allowed
|
Restaurant style:
|
Conservative dining
|
Cuisine Style:
|
American, Seafood
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Gluten Free, Local, Low Carb, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegetarian Options
|
Reservations:
|
Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
|
Dress code:
|
Smart casual to Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wears flip-flops!
|
Child policy:
|
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
|
Experiences:
|
Place for foodies, Contemporary, Romantic, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Beautiful décor, Scenic views, Classy, Upscale, and a Neighborhood Gem.
|
Payments:
|
Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
|
Parking:
|
Street meter parking
|
Wifi
|
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
|
Noise level:
|
Medium
|
Smoking:
|
Nonsmoking restaurant, and nonsmoking patio
|
Patio or terrace:
|
Yes
|
Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€
|
Alcohol prices:
$9.00 USD
Bridge Street Bistro:
111 Gulf Drive South
Bradenton Beach
Florida 34217
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
|
|
Maître d or host:
|
+1 (941) 782-1122
|
Email Contact:
|
|
Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
|
Tue-Thur
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Fri-Sat
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Sun-Mon
Closed
Happy Hour: Daily
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
|
Social Media
&
Accolades:
|
|
****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
|
Highly creative new American molecular gastronomy tasting menus
Chicago, Illinois, USA
|
Contemporary-Authentic Mexican Cuisine
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
|
A Re: Start business at “Little High Eatery”
Christchurch, New Zealand
|
Other Pictures:
 |
| Picture courtesy of Bridge Street Bistro |
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
