You're not cool enough to dine at the Blue Light Grill.
We're not cool enough to dine there either. In fact, we're not sure if anyone is. But if you swallow your pride, gel your hair and break out your credit card, you too can have the opportunity to join the glitterati at the hippest new addition to the Downtown Mall dining community.
Smooth, thin tables topped with sleek ashtrays rest just inside the storefront, as if to allow diners the opportunity to perform for those passing by. If you are going to dine at the Blue Light, you want everyone to know about it.
The interior contains booths and tables, with sharp abstract mural decorations and neon pink and red lights behind the bar. Cool French vocals layer smooth bass beats overhead. Stocked with fine beers and wines and haute liqueurs, the bar runs into an open kitchen at the back of the dining room. Dressed in black leather, boots and button-down shirts, the staff fits perfectly into the ultra swank milieu.
This place is just plain cool.
Blue Light proclaims itself a "raw and steamer bar" and offers oysters, mussels and clams by the half or whole dozen. The oysters ($6 for a half dozen, $11 for a dozen) are large and fresh, considering Charlottesville's land-locked location. All shellfish is served on a bed of ice with cocktail sauce and garlic aioli that are made from scratch in-house. Oysters can be ordered from four separate locations. The house oysters come from Chincoteague, Va., and the other three are from Prince Edward's Island in Canada. Shipments of huge cases of seafood arrive three to four times per week.
The lobster bisque ($7) is a deliciously smooth hot starter for a cold day. The texture is unusually appealing and is created by blending in pureed rice to the standard creamy tomato base. Generous chunks of Maine lobster are in the center of the bowl, and sprinkled dried parsley adds color.
The Blue Light Crab and Artichoke Dip ($8) is served with baguette crostini and topped with a mild white cheese. The baguette is thin and very crunchy with a hint of herb flavoring, but the dip provides most of the flavor. Thick and creamy, the dip is served hot with a layer of savory crab chunks on the bottom. Although a bit pricey, this is a relatively filling appetizer and a great one to share.
The sea scallops ($18) were a recommendation from one of the chefs, and they lived up to their praise. The scallops were delectable and quite tender, not tough and chewy as they can sometimes be. Seven scallops were sauteed in ginger butter, and pieces of ginger clung to the roasted crust. The sauteeing mellowed the flavor of the ginger and made it pleasantly noticeable but not overpowering. The scallops were served with corn salsa, a spicy mix of green, red and black peppers. The thick fried potato slices were delightfully crisp and salty.
Although seafood steals the show, there are several chicken and meat options available. For those not looking for any meat at all, the Portabello Napoleon ($14) provides an excellent vegetarian option. Chef Chris Shaner slices one or two mushrooms, depending on their size, and layers them with goat cheese and spinach. Covered in a thin, salsa-like tomato coulis, the portabello surrounds buttered mashed potatoes, creating an interestingly designed and attractive serving. As with everything at Blue Light Grill, this dish is made from only the highest quality items, and the elements blend perfectly into a wonderful entree.
For drinks, the Blue Light Margarita is the house specialty and is made with El Tesoro, Grand Marnier and Blue Curacao. The parts of the drink separate out and the bottom layer is a phosphorescently bright blue. The apple martini is evidently the hot drink to be seen with.
The Devil's Food Cake ($6)was a decent slice of chocolate cake, although not a spectacular dessert. Real whipped cream was spread between layers and the milk chocolate shavings dusted the sides. A chocolate-covered espresso bean rested on the dollop of cream on top. The cake was not overly rich, and the raspberry sauce drizzled on the plate was pretty but did little to jazz up the flavor.
The slice of pumpkin cheesecake ($6)looked a little lonely in the middle of a big white plate, but the taste makes up for the basic presentation. The helping is small but the dessert is heavenly. If pumpkin cheesecake sounds like something you might like, then you probably will. We certainly did.
Blue Light Grill opened on Aug. 27, and business has been good with Fridays being the busiest days. The restaurant seems to attract a young and hip crowd; the outdoor patio is jam-packed on the weekends with good-looking people sporting intellectual glasses and mod haircuts sipping cool-looking drinks and slurping raw oysters.
For the average University student, Blue Light Grill is not the best option for everyday dining. But the happening establishment offers an environment different from any in Charlottesville and provides a wonderfully unique experience for special occasions and nights on the town.
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