BAY STREET BISTRO

WORDS Tara Crutchfield PHOTOGRAPH Amy Sexson

When James Rawlins worked at the Antiquarian Restaurant some twenty years ago, he had no idea he’d one day run his own downtown Lakeland eatery in the same Studebaker Building space. His food industry origins go back to a restaurant his family owned in Utah when he was a kid. From there, he moved around Hawaii for several years, where he got to experience an abundance of fusion cuisine.

After “a lifetime of working in restaurants” and his time at The Antiquarian, Rawlins left the restaurant industry temporarily. “The Antiquarian ended up going bankrupt. I put in a bid and got it out of bankruptcy court and opened my own place,” he said.

BONJOUR! BAY STREET BISTRO

When he first opened Bay Street Bistro in 2010, Rawlins aspired for a similar Antiquarian vibe, “a nice little simple place.” He brought on a chef he had previously worked with at Mario’s Italian Restaurant, Kevin Smith, who remains part-owner and executive chef of Bay Street Bistro today. “He’s got a great passion and […] a lot of talent,” said Rawlins of his executive chef.

“When we started out, it was more Italian than French, to be honest,” he said. Over the years, the Bistro’s French-Italian fusion offerings have shifted to about 80 percent French cuisine, according to the owner. Their menu is filled with French fare like Escargot in a garlic and white wine butter sauce and Seafood Vol-au-vent made with shrimp, scallops, and blue crab in a garlic cream sauce served in a puff pastry. Dishes including their Bruschetta and Pasta Primavera add an Italian flair to the menu.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Rawlins said. “The end product now isn’t exactly how I envisioned it when I opened it.”

The restaurant was doing well and setting monthly records pre-pandemic. When COVID-19 hit, Bay Street Bistro, like many other establishments, closed temporarily and created a paireddown takeout menu. Though they continue to feel the strain of supply chain disruptions, the Bistro’s solid staff, consistency, and PPP loans helped them carry on.

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“As we go into this season, we’re right back to having great numbers and feeling like we’re where we were before COVID hit,” said Rawlins, who described the restaurant business as “tough in the best of times” and certainly more so when navigating a global health crisis.

LA CUISINE

Bay Street Bistro is open for dinner service five nights a week. Ambient lighting, rich red table linens, and art-adorned walls lean into the restaurant’s cozy, night-on-the-town feel. Rawlins works to keep the Bistro’s atmosphere relaxed. “I want people to take as much time as they want, to enjoy their time. I don’t want people to feel rushed.”

The Bistro’s main appeal is from-scratch, thoughtfully plated dishes composed of high-quality ingredients. “We put a lot of money into the quality of the food product we use, and it shows on the plate,” said Rawlins. “We do everything from scratch. We hand-make our own bread and pesto. Our salad dressings are all made from scratch. We reduce our own balsamic vinegar into a glaze. We hand-make all our desserts. […] It’s better quality, and I think people appreciate that.” Most menu items are gluten-free, and with everything made-to-order, dishes can be adjusted to dietary restrictions or preferences.

Frequently ordered at the Bistro, Rawlins says, are their seafood dishes. “We get excellent scallops, excellent seabass, and salmon.” Bay Street’s Wild Salmon, which can be prepared with one of their six ‘Fresh Catch Preparations’ including Piccata, Asian, Blackened, Braised Spinach, Bronzed, or Mediterranean, is noteworthy. We tried the pan-seared salmon with a Mediterranean topping of toasted pine nuts, capers, garlic, bruschetta, and spinach, served with a creamy parmesan risotto and sauteed broccoli. The flavors were fresh and bright, with a crispy sear on the fish that made a second (and third… and fourth) bite compulsory. Chef Smith did not disappoint.

Another menu-mover is the Beef Wellington – a prime cut of filet mignon with Dijon, mushroom duxelles, and prosciutto, wrapped in puff pastry, served with a red wine reduction.

You’ll want a glass of pinot noir or Malbec to pair with your Wellington, of course. Bay Street Bistro has quite a wine selection. The wine menu is a curated contrast of delicious niche wines and a hearty stock of recognizable brands like Caymus, Nickel & Nickel, and Stags’ Leap.

And for dessert? Guests love to gnash on Bistro’s Lemon Blueberry Cake, Crème Brule, Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache, and Almond Cheesecake – all made in-house by Rawlins.

Dinner reservations are encouraged at this bijou bistro. The small space tends to fill up quickly, so call ahead or make reservations on the OpenTable app.

Bay Street Bistro 211 E Bay St, Lakeland (863) 683-4229 www.baystreetbistro.net FB @baystreetbistrofl IG @baystbistro