Casual yet elegant in design, Laurus Bistro in Blackhawk Plaza invites families to dine on authentic European favorites prepared with the freshest of ingredients. This commitment to freshness is felt the moment you enter Laurus’ open and airy dining room and extends into the menu which changes daily based on local availability. Neutral walls, brown polished floors, and vibrant prints of vegetables and fruits hang in the dining room.
Morroccan lanterns hang from the ceiling conjuring up images of the south of France. Guests can opt to dine at the Chef’s table facing the open kitchen, in the main dining room, or on the large unny patio. Laurus is designed to meet the needs of those looking for a place to meet for a business lunch, a special dinner, dinner with the family or just to catch up with friends for a drink after work. And don’t forget about their Monday special, with purchase of a bottle of wine you receive two free movie tickets to Blackhawk Theatre.
Restaurant owner, Matthew Silverman’s career is as diverse as it is interesting, especially considering that he is only 31 years old. Starting as a musical prodigy and evolving into an Executive Chef
working for top restaurants and resorts in Las Vegas, Silverman has cooked for some of the world’s leading celebrities. He has been profiled in multiple publications and on various television programs, but ultimately it is Silverman’s creative abilities and “focus on the food” that keeps customers coming back for more. He is the Executive Chef and Co-Founder of Verve Hospitality Group, which maintains multiple restaurants including Coa and STOMP as well as Laurus in the Blackhawk Plaza.
On our recent trip to Laurus we sat in the dining room. From the moment we were seated the service was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. Our dinner commenced with a white bean hummus. A unique twist on a classic appetizer, Laurus chef individually peels each chickpea giving the dip a fluffy much smoother texture. Truly a delicious way to start off your lunch or dinner. Other great starters are the Caesar salad wrapped prosciutto as well as the crab cakes with terragon cream and roasted peppers. Laurus crab cakes are a great lighter option as they are pan-seared, not fried. Of all the starters featured on the menu, the absolute standout is Laurus’s signature soup; the truffled cauliflower bisque with sweet corn-pancetta relish, chili oil and fresh chives, truly a heavenly invention and sinfully decadent.
Our next course contained two wood-fired flat breads. We’d have to say they are true standouts, we can’t pick which one we like more. Marissa prefers the caramelized onion with gorgonzola, basil pesto, spiced walnuts, salumi tuscano, and basil, while Anthony thinks the grilled mushroom with portabella cream, fontina, goat cheese, white truffle oil and wild herbs wins. What we both agree on is how well they both went with our Skylark, Orsi Vinyard Pinot Blanc from Mendocino County.
Wine expert Zubin Desai helped us with all of our pairings for the night. He is on his way to becoming a sommelier with one test under his belt so far. And I must say he really has fun with his pairings, giving us a Boont Mendocino beer with our bisque and Caesar salad and a cocktail called the Bradshaw—a delicious martini made with casa noble single barrel tequila with our pasta dish. The taglietelli pasta with braised wild boar bolognese, truffle pecorino, nutmeg and opal basil was spectacular and we will be returning to Laurus soon to enjoy this entrée again! If you had to pick a last meal we would both tell you to get down to Laurus and order this ASAP.
All the entrees on Laurus’ menu are mind blowing, on our “most wanted” list would have to be the crispy free-range half chicken with truffle honey mustard glaze, cavatelli “mac and cheese” and broccolini, the wild coho salmon with hercot verts, fingerling potatoes, rhubarb chutney, pea shoots and harissa and the bouillabaisse with muscles, clams, shrimp, halibut, calamari, scallops and saffron broth, which we both agree could also be a great starter to share with the table! With so many amazing options on the menu it may be difficult to choose. Based upon our experience you cannot go wrong with any of the entrees.
This review would not be complete without mentioning all the extraordinary desserts Laurus has to offer. The tiramisu cappuccino with chocolate genoise and mascarpone cream is absolutely remarkable
and a standout on the dessert menu. Although, we also enjoyed the chef’s selection of gelato. Samplings included four wonderful complimenting flavors; their signature Laural leaf white gelato, stracciatella, Mexican chocolate, and both our favorite, the raspberry.
With the weather getting better we encourage you to check out Laurus and enjoy an amazing meal on their picturesque patio—We found the dining experience to be memorable, filled with excellent
food and world class service.
www.laurussf.com, (925) 984-2250. 3483 Blackhawk Plaza Cir., Danville.