As excited as I was to check out Firefly, I started to worry when I read something that mentioned plaid being incorporated into the décor. “Plaid” is something that conjures up visions of bad window treatments and scary couches haunting a lot of interiors on those Why Isn’t My House Selling? kind of shows.
But I should have known not to question the style savvy of Marija & Vesna Madunic. They know exactly what they are doing, and their subtle use of a very mod plaid motif in the dining room only serves to contribute to a very comfortable, low-key atmosphere that many may find even more appealing than the restaurant’s previous design.
On the evening Scott and I went, both dining rooms and the bar were busy, even at an early hour. This was good to see, because I never felt the always-awesome Bjonda was as full as it should have been. We settled into the Skylight Room which, aside from a large flat-screen television, hasn’t changed too much.
Naturally, my husband thought the "added entertainment" was a great addition, but personally, I have a hard time liking these distraction-inducing items in hip restaurants. Still, I was very happy sipping my “Firefly” mojito made with passion fruit puree while checking out the revamped menu and stealing a taste of Scott's Kentucky Tea (Jim Beam bourbon, lemonade, and iced tea).
Appetizers ranged in cost from $5-$13 and included spicy meat samosas, grilled pizza, and a Rioja Soup made from avocado, cilantro cream, and corn tortilla crisps. Entrees such as the Pineapple Jerk Chicken and Beer Braised Beef Brisket (Try saying that five times really fast!) ran a reasonable $14-$22 and featured a variety of meats from the smoker and wood-burning grill which can be accompanied by two sides and your choice of sauce.
While I was tempted to try something new, I’m sorry to tell you I caved to tradition and ordered a plate of my favorite Micro Burgers and frites. This trio of tiny burgers came with different toppings and were just the right size to sate a small appetite.
While I admit I adored Bjonda, I think my checkbook may be even more infatuated with the reasonably priced Firefly. None of the flavor or style has been sacrificed, and with lower-priced items available, I can now afford to indulge in visits to this place much more often.
My husband and I went to Firefly last Saturday. LOVED IT. I had the pizza and two Firefly mojitos. Excellent food, great atmosphere.
I've never been to Bjonda, but I'm loving Firefly. I'll be back!
Deb
Posted by: Deb | July 13, 2007 at 04:28 PM
Must See! The Sunday brunch is also a treat! Go Chef W
Posted by: john | July 28, 2007 at 12:49 AM
I loved the fondue and pomegranite martinis that bjonda had, so i went to try firefly out on two diffent occasions, and sorry to say I will never go back.
The food and the beverages were exceptional, but the service was poor. There were two servers, sending each other back and forth from our 4 top, several times, obviously fighting over who would take our table, and who was cut for the night and could go home. I have worked in the industry for a long time, and its wasn't hard to pick up at all. We finally ordered drinks and hors d'oeuvres, and it took over an hour to get garlic fries, 3 fondue's and a caesar salad. We sat with anticipation, never were asked to order entrees-after we asked to keep the menus so we could do so, he took them later without one word. He didn't check back on us once, until the manager came by, and we told him what was us up. After that the server was on us, but it was too late. THe manager offered to buy us a 6th appetizer, but we passed, and the server asked as well, but we were done.
After all that, and offering to buy us something, they didn't say a word or take anything off the bill. I wasn't looking for a freebie-but just an ounce of admission on their part to redeem themselves.
Posted by: jules | August 14, 2007 at 09:24 PM