301 Bistro, Bar & Beer Garden

301 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

 

301 Bistro has not always been a restaurant and bar: historically, it was a stop on the railroad for passengers. It was renovated and turned in to various restaurants and bars before it finally came into its current identity. The history of this building permeates as you walk through the entrance and to your seat. The lighting plays well with the aromas of all of the delicious dishes that were being served. This historic atmosphere is elegant yet still relaxed enough one does not feel out of place if they are not used to dining in nicer restaurants.

 

A feeling of privacy accompanies each table, which is perfect for date nights. The placement of the tables are more spread out than what is seen at most restaurants. This is responsible for the feeling of privacy given to each table. I like this because ambiance and experience can easily be ruined by overhearing your neighbor’s entire conversation. The privacy you feel almost allows you to forget that there are people at the surrounding tables.

It proves to be very difficult to seek out a Swiss restaurant in the United States’ because of our lack of a Swiss food market. Access to German cuisine was readily more available and because Switzerland has a German-Swiss region and culture, I decide on a restaurant that serves German dishes. 301 Bistro, ends up being perfect to sample this cuisine. This restaurant also end up perfect to bring my mom to. She is a much more selective eater than I am. Their menu has a great variety, so that pretty much anyone can find something they will enjoy. They have dishes for those wanting to try something new, chicken, burgers, salads, pasta, and so much more. The variety is very impressive.

 

While there, the service was perfect. My mom and I were able to get a table right when we got there, without any sort of wait. I do not think you could ask for a better server than we had. She had individualized drink suggestions to our likes and a very charismatic personality. With this being said, these dishes and the experience are meant to be enjoyed not hurried, so I would not go there expecting a quick twenty minute meal. That would take away from the experience. Everything came to the table in a timely manner and was plated beautifully. Even my mother’s burger was plated like a master piece to how you would normally see a burger and fries arranged on a plate without any sort of thought.

 

We started our meal out with drinks and the Charcuterie and Cheese Board. The board consisted of a few cheeses, which I thought to be perfect for my cuisine, along with prosciutto and a savory salami. The platter was garnished with artichoke hearts, grilled zucchini, olives, pickled onions and tomatoes. The board was served with an amazing dipping sauce that went well with absolutely everything.

 

For my entree I ordered the Wienerschnitzel, which was a tender breaded veal cutlet served in a sweet wine demi-glaze. It was plated with andouille mash potatoes and sautéed spinach. I was pleasantly surprised. This was absolutely phenomenal and cooked to perfection. This was my first time trying veal and could not believe how flavorful it was! I was really surprised by just how tender it was. The demi glaze meshed the flavors of the veal perfectly with the mash potatoes. These mash potatoes were heavenly. I do not usually like spinach, but the spinach was even pretty good. It was cooked to where it still maintained some substance and was not the complete mush I tend associate spinach with.

The dessert selection left a little to be desired. With only a slice of carrot cake, a gluten free chocolate cake, and a lava cake, the dessert menu lacked variety and sophistication. We ended up ordering the Lava Cake. It was very bland and could have been better. Maybe if we would have picked something different, we would have liked it better. I definitely would not come here if your main concern is your dessert selection at the end of your meal.

 

Our meal at 301 Bistro was not only a success, but a great cultural experience that allowed me to sample German-Swiss cuisine. I was able to try a food I had never tried before, and ended up loving it. The service was great. The ambiance and environment were perfect and exactly what I would want to accompany this meal. If my only complaint was the dessert, which was not really a stable to the meal, then I would say everything went amazing. I will definitely be going back, trying other things on the menu, and giving this as a restaurant suggestion to my friends.