My spouse and I dined at Blue Grillhouse for an early dinner
on a Sunday afternoon in early February 2016. (We have dined at Blue many times
previously since it opened in 2002.) Blue is open for lunch on weekdays, brunch
on Sundays, and dinner daily. Reservations are available by telephone or via
the Open Table reservation system. Blue is owned by the Paxos restaurant group,
which also operates Melt and Torre at the Promenade Shops in Center Valley.
Blue also operates an event center (adjacent), which can hold large groups of
50 to 500 people); additional smaller event space is available upstairs from
the main restaurant area (for smaller groups of 12 to 50 guests). Years ago,
this restaurant location was occupied by the Candlelight Inn, but there are
absolutely no vestiges left of it. In addition, a few years ago, the restaurant
experienced some devastating flooding, but all has since been repaired, and it is
actually better-looking and designed than ever before!
Blue Grillhouse is an upscale steakhouse and wine bar
located in Bethlehem Township near the Farmersville Road exit of Route 33. The restaurant
is gorgeous, even before you enter the doors. Lovely brick pathways, an outdoor
raised fire pit, gas-lit outdoor lanterns, and , a koi pond greet you as you
approach the front door. Inside, the foyer and hostess area feature a two-story
vaulted ceiling that allows in lots of light and is decorated with tall plants.
A coat check is available from the hostesses. Off to the right is the large bar
area, with at least 18+ comfortable bar stools. The bar area also contains a
few tables as well as a lounge area in front of a beautiful gas fireplace. A
small private dining room is located at the rear of the bar area. Behind the
hostess stand is the wine cellar, which is also visible from the main dining
room. The main dining area is split into two parts, one of which contains many
windows that overlook outdoor foliage and the koi pond. The main dining room features
lovely wood accents that provide an elegant and classy environment for your
meal. The restaurant also offers patio dining in warmer weather. The patio is
covered by a roof, and has its own bar and televisions. Heaters are also
available, so the restaurant utilizes the patio as long as they can. Plenty of
on-site (complimentary) parking is available.
We shared the crabcake to start, which was accompanied by a
remoulade sauce and a tiny green salad. The crabmeat was tasty, nearly all lump
crab and very little filler; years ago, Blue offered two crabcakes as an entree,
and although the quality/taste were not quite as good now as we remember then,
it was still very good. (You can probably order a double appetizer portion as
an entree if you so desire.) For entrees, we ordered the short rib (accompanied
by baby carrots and pearl onions) and the scallops (set atop a bed of fresh spinach
accented with a bacon and golden raisin vinaigrette). Both entrees were
delicious, particularly the scallop dish, and we loved that the fresh spinach
wilted/cooked slightly from the warm of the scallops combined with the
delicious vinaigrette. We also shared a side of the Lyonnaise potatoes, which
were thinly sliced skin-on potatoes topped with grilled onions. For dessert, we
enjoyed their hula pie, which is vanilla ice cream atop a chocolate and
macadamia cookie crust and topped with chocolate ganache with a side of house-made
whipped cream. The dessert is much too large for one person, although you could
attempt to eat it yourself! Our only disappointment was that we were not
offered any bread and butter, because in the past, Blue had offered a
tremendous bread basket.
We were happy with our meal at Blue, and the menu contained
additional items for which we plan to return. We just wish that Blue was open
for lunch on Saturdays, because that is the time that works best for us.
Update February 2017:
July 2019:
