The Blue Bicycle

What do you envision when you hear the name The Blue Bicycle? I expected a cute, cozy diner with country charm. Either that, or perhaps something with a sports theme. When we arrived, I thought our GPS was lost, confused, broken, playing a trick on us or perhaps mad at me for some reason. It had directed us to what appeared to be the employee parking lot in the back of a mall. However, we knew we were in the right place because we spotted “The Blue Bicycle” positioned by the entrance, surrounded by wildflowers.

Over time, this conveyance had become more rust than anything, even though a few patches of blue still peeked through. Okay, so country charm it is.

Surprise! Inside I was welcomed into an upscale, modern bistro. Perhaps one of the best ways to describe it is casual dining with a touch of class. This is a great meeting place suitable for business lunches or special event celebrations. With a full bar and eclectic menu, there is something for everyone.

The restaurant recently changed ownership. Previous owners are still overseeing the transition to make the change as seamless as possible. A new menu is in the works, leaning heavily on staff influence. For example, one member of the kitchen staff has already created her very own vegetable plate which is already included in the current menu. The sandwich of the day changes periodically, based on popularity and availability of ingredients. When a change is made, it will be posted in the on-line menu.

Josh Mundy has been with The Blue Bicycle for 15 years, working as a server, bartender, sous chef and is now the new General Manager. When asked if he planned to make many changes, his reply was positive and very smart. Rather than changing things simply because he can, he plans to add new things gradually. His decisions will be based on the ability to help enhance all the things already working so well for the business.

In a casual conversation about our plans to eat at The Blue Bicycle, it was strongly recommended we try the Blue Cheese Chips. Although we were a bit skeptical, the local executive who suggested them was certain we would love them. After much discussion, we decided to try them. The result? Let’s just say I now have a new favorite appetizer preference. Enjoy them as a first course or choose from assorted toppings to make it a meal.

For the entrée, one of my companions ordered the duck with peach sauce (the sauces change seasonally) served over rice with snap peas. Another had beef tips in a tomato sauce marinade over pasta. I chose the tenderloin served with thinly sliced fingerling potatoes and fresh green beans. Everything was delicious!

One of the dessert options was peach crisp. It was so fresh, we had to wait for it to finish baking. As is our habit, we order different desserts, taste and compare the attributes of each. The warm, well it was actually hot, crisp was delicious, but the true showstopper was the key lime pie. Crunchy coconut had been added to the crust which sat atop a light raspberry swirl on the plate. The pie filling was tangy, creamy, sweet and quite refreshing on a hot afternoon. I now have a new favorite to add to my list of desserts. I see a pattern forming here.

One of Josh’s ideas is the addition of a Sunday brunch beginning in September. We’ve been given a sneak peek at the brunch menu, and it looks amazing. My only regret is living so far away, I won’t get to visit there as often as I would like.

Key Lime Pie

Graham Cracker/Coconut Crust

9 oz graham cracker crumbs (approx. ½ box/ 14-15 crackers)

3 oz. sweetened coconut meat (approx. 1 cup)

3 oz. sugar (1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp)

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

4 oz butter, (1/2 stick) melted

Toast the coconut in a hot oven until lightly browned (about 5 minutes). Combine all the dry ingredients and then mix in the melted butter. Press into two 9” pie tins and freeze until ready to use.

Filling

2-9” graham/coconut crust lined pie tins

12 large egg yolks

56 oz Sweetened condensed milk (4 cans)

12 oz Key Lime Juice (1 ½ cups)

Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare the pie tins lined with crust. Combine the yolks with the sweetened condensed milk first, then whisk in the lime juice. Pour into two prepared pie shells. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool to room temp then refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving. Garnish with raspberry sauce and Chantilly cream.

Submitted by Josh Mundy

The Blue Bicycle General Manager

Enchilada Bake

Ingredients:

8-12 flour tortillas (corn does not hold up as well)

2 cups cooked protein: shredded chicken, pork or ground beef (leftover taco meat is excellent!)

8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese, a handful left out for topping

8 oz. shredded Mexican blend cheese

1 can (28 oz.) Las Palmas Medium Green Chile Enchilada Sauce

1 can (7 oz.) diced green chilies (NOT jalapenos!)

Ground cumin to taste

Instructions:

Grease a 9x13” baking pan. Preheat oven to 3750. In a medium bowl, mix some of the sauce with the protein you are using, 1/2 the can of green chiles, a dash of cumin and most of the sharp cheddar cheese. It should be slightly saucy but not runny. Spoon a thin layer of sauce onto the bottom of the pan, spread out evenly to prevent tortillas from sticking.

Tortilla Layer: place 2 tortillas on the bottom of the pan, cutting or tearing another to fill the empty spaces. Spoon enough sauce to cover the tortillas. Place 2 more tortillas on top, again filling any empty spaces.

Filling Layer: add 1/2 the filling mixture, spread evenly. Repeat double layer of tortillas. Spread remaining filling. Cover with a third tortilla layer. Empty remaining sauce into pan. It might look like too much but trust me–– it’s going to be amazing!!

Cover with foil. Bake at 3750 for 20 mins. Remove foil and discard. Top with as much cheese as you like. (I have found that sharp cheddar produces much more oil than others, so I put the majority of it inside the filling and use a Mexi-blend for the topping.) Add remaining green chiles. Reduce heat to 3500 and bake 15 minutes. Check for bubbly sauce and cheese. Continue baking for 5-7 minutes at a time until desired crispiness of the cheese is achieved.

Submitted by Lela

Strobell, Fine Art Consultant at Benjamin Walls Gallery

A note from Lela:

This is a recipe I developed over time as my dinner prep time dwindled. Instead of making my own sauce and rolling the individual enchiladas, I stack the tortillas and filling. Then I drench it in pre-made sauce & cheese. Using 2 layers of tortillas with sauce in the middle results in a glorious noodle-like texture. Delish! I love Tex-Mex flavor and gooey cheese, so this is one of my go-to’s when I’m ready to use the oven. Serve with rice, beans, chips, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc.