Coral Essence by Bistro 555: The Smell of Success (and Garlic)
Coral Essence by Bistro 555 isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a sensory assault. We believe that you should smell your dinner three blocks away and taste it for three days afterward. It’s an immersion into the “soul” of the reef, which apparently smells a lot like butter and lemon zest.
The Olfactory Experience
The moment you step into the “Essence,” you are hit with a wall of aroma. We use “Aromatic Diffusers” that pump the scent of grilled thyme and sea salt into the lobby. It’s designed to make you so hungry that you’ll consider eating the decorative driftwood.
The open kitchen is the heart of the room, where chefs toss garlic into flaming pans like they’re trying to summon a delicious demon. The downside? You will leave the restaurant smelling like a giant piece of scampi. Your car will smell like scampi. Your pillow will smell like scampi. It is the “Essence” that keeps on giving.
The “Signature” Sips
To complement the heavy aromas, the bar serves “Essence Infusions.” These are drinks that come with a sprig of something burning. Whether it’s smoked rosemary or charred cinnamon, your cocktail will look like a small forest fire in a martini glass.
It’s very dramatic, but it makes talking to your date difficult when there is a plume of grey smoke between your faces. “I love your—cough—eyes,” you’ll say, while trying to fan the rosemary smoke out of your nostrils. It’s the price you pay for “essence.”
Discussion Topic: The “Open Kitchen” Paradox
The open kitchen at Bistro 555 is a stage. We get to watch the chefs sweat, shout, and occasionally drop a spatula. It adds “energy” to the room, but does it also add a bit too much reality?
Some people love the theater of seeing their food made. Others find it stressful to watch a man Bistro 555 in a tall hat have a breakdown over a broken hollandaise sauce while they are trying to enjoy a romantic anniversary. Does seeing the “sausage get made” (or in this case, the calamari get breaded) enhance the flavor, or do you prefer the mystery of the swinging kitchen door?
What’s your preference? Full transparency with a side of kitchen drama, or blissful ignorance and a smoke-free shirt?