This Bloom Hasn’t Faded

When Bloom first came to Broomfield almost 10 years ago, it stood out as one of the first fine dining establishments in the area to take on the burgeoning “new American” style of cuisine. Now, new American is being replaced with monikers like “gastro pub” but the concept remains solid, and Bloom’s interpretations of it are just as palate- and eye-pleasing as ever.

At first glance, the restaurant has an indescribably hip vibe to it. Its expansive space is tastefully decorated with curved banquettes and a calming blue palate. But as you settle in, you realize that there’s very limited pretension here. Maybe because of its location in the struggling Village section of the Flatirons Crossing mall, or maybe simply as a matter of course: people come to Bloom to socialize, to enjoy happy hour with their fantastic selection of wines by the glass, or to have a long, leisurely lunch or supper to catch up with friends.

We took advantage of the restaurant’s cuvee winekeeping system, which allows them to serve more than 40 wines by the glass and offer 21 flights of three wines each. A simple way for the uninitiated and the experienced alike to compare several wines, these flights don’t scrimp, offering fine selection at a reasonable price. My companion and I both enjoyed the “Surprise Whites” and “Progressive Whites” that we sampled.

The menu befits a new American restaurant with lots to choose from and lots of different influences apparent. The crisp calamari over mizuna dressed with a yuzu vinaigrette is a must and, like the braised duck egg rolls, represents the sort of marrying of cuisines that is often present in the dishes here. The warm Maine lobster salad was generous with the lobster and the grilled asparagus and white truffle vinaigrettes were delicate accompanying flavors. In fact, all of the salads we’ve tried have been winners, including the organic greens with Bosc pear and the chopped cobb salad from the lunch menu.

For our main course, we wanted to span the continuum a bit, and so my companion and I settled on one traditional American dish and one Asian dish. The brown sugar-braised short ribs were a triumph, with an enticing sauce and meat falling off the bone. The glazed carrots (neither too mushy nor too crunchy: unforgivable either way) and horseradish potato puree that accompanied the dish were equally well realized.

Unfortunately, the honey glazed shrimp Pad Thai didn’t live up to its promise. The honey shrimp were a lovely addition, but about the only part of the dish that had much flavor. The sauce was disappointingly bland, especially for a dish that could have, and should have, sparkled with flavor.

A single misstep in an otherwise fine meal, because the desserts soothed away any qualms I might have had with their seductive lushness. My “Bars of Sin” lived up to their name, with thick chocolate mousse covered in a chocolate shell, and my companion’s key lime tart was just as it should be: creamy and refreshing.

Bloom
Three Stars
1 W. FlatIron Crossing Drive, #224, Broomfield
720.887.2800
foxrc.com/bloom
Bottom Line: Still an excellent place for a new American meal.