After 15 weeks of battling the grueling rigors of academia, you are probably sick of your classes and the campus scene. If you are looking for a place to unwind and indulge before the marathon of studying for finals begins, Bluephies, 2701 Monroe Street, is off-campus but still close to home. Ranging from exotic salads to deli-inspired sandwiches, Bluephies hosts a wide menu with everything in between.
Upon entering the restaurant I was drooling at the amazing display of desserts, sure to get rid of my end-of-the-semester blues. What looked like a small coffee bar was to my left and a restaurant on my right. The latter had a funky design: yellow walls, colorful booths, geometric shapes and patterns, retro light fixtures and illuminated red hues. The high ceiling reminded me of a factory because of exposed ventilation, but my eyes kept wandering. The décor is like eye-candy; you just keep looking around craving for more.
The holiday decorations of garlands and lights gave the restaurant warmth. A casual eatery with a modern aura, diners’ attire spanned from jeans to dressy pants. You can wear what feels comfortable.
My party was seated in a spacious, over-sized booth. While surveying the large menu, we snacked on fresh and crusty French bread topped with a unique butter spread made of butter, cream cheese, garlic, parsley, kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes.
Even though the menu covers many genres of food, I was surprised that there were no appetizers. The selection of salads is wide and varied. There are about ten to choose from. The Yellow Fin Tuna Nicoise ($9.79) is mixed greens tossed with lemon pepper vinaigrette, topped with a grilled tuna steak, grilled red potatoes, fresh green beans, tomatoes, kalamata olives and capers.
Sandwiches are served with tasty, seasoned, crispy fries or a cup of soup. The Mahi Cristo ($9.79) is a grilled fillet of mahi that tasted very light and flavorful. The Asian Cole Slaw made the toasted sourdough bread a little bit soggy but was worth it for the extra spice. The ginger wasabi aioli, which I asked for on the side, was also spicy. Some other notable sandwiches were the Thai BBQ Chicken ($7.09), Tuscan Chicken Caesar ($6.79) and Reuben ($7.09).
An impressive selection of noodle bowls puts Noodles & Co to shame. The Pesto Chicken ($9.29) is grilled chicken tossed with Portobello mushrooms, tomatoes and farfalle in a white wine-pesto sauce. The sun-dried tomato fettucine ($9.29) was delicious. It’s sun-dried tomatoes, leeks and garlic sautéed and finished with white wine, cream and basil, tossed with grilled chicken. The sauce was thin yet still very flavorful.
A collection of tortilla dishes diversifies the menu. They offer fish tacos ($8.09), specialized quesadilla’s ($8.39-$9.59) and a variety of others. Bluephies has an extensive brunch menu that I cannot wait to try. Eggs, flapjacks, French toast, scramblers, frittatas and beignets are all available until 2 p.m.
Even if you are only craving something sweet, Bluephies has a massive selection of desserts that I guarantee are alone worth the trip. Their specialty is the Bluephies original chocolate-chip cookie dough egg rolls ($4.99). Two egg rolls are fried to order and served with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. I had never tasted anything like it. The cookie dough filling was warm and melted in my mouth.
The chocolate eruption cake ($5.49) was another one of my taste-testing team’s favorites. Large enough for two to three people, the slice of cake is infused with rich chocolate cream, folded with nuts, chocolate chips and turtle cheesecake. Chocolate curls and caramel sauce erupted from the center.
Although Bluephies exceeds walking distance from campus, borrow a friend’s car or hop in a cab because this place is worth the trip. Although I highlighted some of the unusual dishes, even diners with simpler tastes will have no problem finding something they like on the menu. When you visit Bluephies, make sure to save room for dessert. I promise this place will not disappoint. Have a great holiday break, and, until next semester, happy dining!
