Quench Bar & Bistro Is a Hidden Gem

I love finding a new, great place to eat, and that is why I really enjoyed my recent dinner at the Quench Bar & Bistro. Located at 2 Ritz Carlton Dr., just across the street from the , it is on a pretty corner, perfect for patio dining.

The bistro has an attractive, enclosed patio. The tables are covered in black linens, and the night we went, each table had a single red rose bud. There are plenty of heaters scattered throughout, to keep the area warm enough, even for those of us who get cold easily.

We were seated and then approached by our friendly waiter. When we asked to see the wine list, he told us another table was using it, but he would bring it over when they were done. We thought that was funny, but that was the only hiccup of the evening. When we did look over the drink list, it included a nice variety of wines, beer, and cocktails.

The dinner menu is Italian, and includes many items, especially for such a small restaurant. There are some interesting starters, including hot and cold trio sampler plates, which would be good to share. There is an eggplant rollatini, Insalata di Caprese, and stuffed mushrooms. My husband contemplated ordering an appetizer, but the waiter warned us that the portions for the appetizers are quite large. This was confirmed when we saw a gorgeous fruit and cheese plate being delivered to another table, which would probably have been enough for the two of us to have for dinner.

The rest of the menu boasts a page of sandwiches, including many paninis, grinders and sliders. There is a page of entrées, ranging from chicken Marsala and lamb chops served with scalloped potatoes, to Italian sausage and peppers, and an impressive variety of seafood, such as bouillabaisse, snapper Puttanesca, and broiled salmon. A final page of main courses offers a variety of pastas, to which you can add chicken, sausage or meatballs, if desired. Gluten-free pasta is available. This section also includes a pizza menu, where you can select your favorite toppings for an individual pizza.

After looking over all of our options and getting some input from our waiter who seemed to know the menu items very well, I chose a cup of the tomato basil soup and a Portobello mushroom panini on rosemary fococcia. My husband selected the Zuppa di Pesce consisting of calamari, mussels, clams, shrimp and tilapia served over your choice of pasta in a red or white wine sauce. His entrée was served with a basket of either plain Italian bread or garlic bread. Our waiter enthusiastically recommended the garlic bread, so we agreed. It was delicious, and literally covered with pieces of garlic, and butter as well as some other spices. We loved it, but were glad we had breath mints in the car.

My soup arrived next, and was beautiful. It was served with a small slice of toast in the center and was garnished with fresh basil. It was wonderful, and not too creamy, which allowed the taste of the tomatoes to come through.

The entrées  were both beautiful. The panini was enormous and wonderful with layers of fresh vegetables and buffalo mozzarella, served with pasta salad. The Zuppa di Pesce was delicious with large pieces of seafood and a flavorful sauce. He loved every bite. We were much too full for dessert, but want to come back and try the tiramisu or cannoli another time.

Quench Bar & Bistro is a great find in a lovely location. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily and is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Sunday.

I give Quench Bar & Bistro 4 Patches out of 5.