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ED HITZEL’S
Restaurant Newsletter
Review by Nina Soifer,
January, 2006
Talented, expert staff at Collingswood’s
Water Lily
provides dining experience best described as
beautiful.
COLLINGSWOOD—The main
business district in Collingswood is
brightly lit with white lights that outline tree branches and shops along
the avenue. It is below freezing, and although the streets are sparse with
holiday shoppers, a festive aura abounds. Through a loudspeaker perched up
high, Elvis croons holiday tunes as we walk to Water Lily Bistro across the
street from where we park.
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When something is this luscious, I don’t want it to end.
Eventually it does, but my taste buds will always remember it.
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It is nineteen degrees,
and the warmth of the entryway that the restaurant shares with its
neighbor feels good. Lush seasonal greenery and poinsettias decorate the
building, the advantage of it side-by-side location to florist.
We are the first
patrons to arrive. The staff seems delighted to see us, and does
everything possible to ensure our comfort.
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The maitre’d
offers our choice of tables. We pick an intimate
booth in the attractive, mid-size dining room.
The décor has a graceful
quality that soothes us on this frigid night. A color palette of earthly
green and burgundy throughout sets off the lacquered wood tabletops and
upholstered wooden chairs. Above us hangs a long canvas painted with
vibrant water lilies, one of several adorning the wall. Directly across,
the painting reflects back from a strategically placed wood-framed mirror
of equal length, which opens up the room. Accented by modern light
fixtures, contemporary styling with traditional nuances, such as the
life-sized stone warrior that stands in the foyer, creates a lovely, warm
environment.
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The menu marries French
and Asian cuisine, a sophisticated combination with Chinese, Japanese and
Thai influences. It is not particularly extensive, which I find appealing
because it makes choosing an easier task. It lists classic items prepared
distinctively such as grilled veal chop with Asian pear Madeira
demi-glace, macadamia nut-encrusted crab cakes
with creamy lime dressing, and grilled chicken breast in a Thai curry and
fresh basil sauce.
Our server carries a
lighted votive candle to the table and suggests a cup of tea to warm up
($2). From a choice of jasmine, black leaf, chamomile, or green, we
select fragrant jasmine, delicate and delicious.
Our meal begins with a
basket of warm rolls served with a ramekin of butter and two outstanding
appetizers.
Crispy oyster tempura
($9) is probably on par with the best fried oysters I have ever had.
Nestled on a bed of greens, four huge panko-crumb-coated
oysters are golden brown, crunchy and absolutely greaseless outside, soft
and succulent within. Lemon aioli drizzle adds a hint of citrus that is
welcome but almost unnecessary they are so good.
Equally delicious are
handmade Fuji
apple and pork gyoza ($6). Carefully pinched,
bottom-browned dumplings filled with light, ground pork faintly seasoned
with apple have a present-but-subtle sweetness. Mellow soy sauce for
dipping provides just enough salt without overpowering the mild pork
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Water Lily
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What we
like best:
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Tempura
oysters
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Fuji apple pork gyoza
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Seafood special with ginger and
vodka sauce
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Scalloped potatoes
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Grand Marnier soufflé (although it
was more a mousse)
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Coffee & cappuccino
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Our servers
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Décor
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What needs improvement:
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The filet mignon could be a tad
more tender
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More homemade desserts
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After
a brief respite, our server brings the next course. She proudly presents
each plate as though she delivers culinary treasures that she knows we will
enjoy. If that is her intent, she is right.
Delicate
flavors unfurl with each spoonful of the soup du
jour: shrimp with leeks and saffron ($6). This puréed soup is made without
dairy and has velvety consistency. Even though we find little trace of
saffron, we savor every drop until it disappears. The shrimp and leeks
perfectly complement each other.
The
smoked duck breast salad ($9) has lots of thin, pink, tender slices of
smoked duck breast served on top of baby greens with slivers of jicama, all gently tossed with soy-balsamic
vinaigrette.
It
is a meal in itself, so we nibble a bit then ask our server to wrap it to
go. She is happy to do so and keeps it in the refrigerator until we are
ready to leave, a considerate touch that doesn’t happen often enough.
In
between courses, she constantly refills water glasses, clears soiled
cutlery, and replaces our knives from a cloth-lined tray, essential details
that are naturally expected in a fine eatery but sometimes overlooked. Not
here.
Other
people have arrived and settled in. We watch plates mounded with aromatic
food pass by.
Shrimp
pad thai and wok-sautéed vegetables with roasted
garlic basil sauce smell superb and will surely be considered next time,
and next time we’ll be sure to bring a bottle of wine since Water Lily is a
bring-your-own establishment.
For
dinner I have one of four special entrées, the seafood medley ($28). Salmon
fillet, jumbo shrimp, plump scallops, and lobster tail stir-fried with
haricots vert, julienne red and green peppers,
shitake mushrooms, leeks and plenty of fresh ginger bathed in a
tomato-vodka sauce explodes with aroma and assertive spice, yet the main
ingredients remain unscathed by the prevailing zest of ginger and hot
pepper. Served with rice, it is a wonderful mix, expertly cooked.
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My companion is equally pleased with the pan-seared filet mignon
($26) glossed with pinot noir and pink peppercorn sauce. The meat,
ordered medium temperature, leans ever-so-slightly to the tough side, our
only quibble but hardly a reason to complain. The uncomplicated opaque
sauce consists mostly of pinot noir speckled with whole peppercorns which
goes well the beef tenderloin.
The piece de resistance is the scalloped potatoes that accompany
the filet. A thick wedge of sliced buttery potatoes layered with a few
yams and cream is caramelized on top and tastes heavenly. I consider the
dish a special treat and this adaptation couldn’t be better. When
something is this luscious, I don’t want it to end. Eventually it does,
but my taste buds will always remember it.
We cap the evening with grand marnier
soufflé ($6), made in-house, which turns out to be more like a mousse but
excellent nonetheless. The fluffy, creamy confection is crowned with an
orange twist and laden with orange liqueur, a spirit my companion usually
doesn’t like, but he can’t get enough of it here.
The Bindi triple chocolate mousse cake
($6) starts with a skinny layer of chocolate cake topped with white and
milk chocolate mousse glazed with dark chocolate ganache.
For an out-sourced dessert, this one gets high marks although it doesn’t
stand up to authentic homemade.
At this point, we expect nothing less than first-rate coffee
($2.50), and we get it. My companion drinks regular, and I have a frothy
decaffeinated cappuccino ($3.50), both terrific.
There are two servers
on duty tonight. They work separately but help each other when needed, so
we never feel neglected. The service top-notch without pretension. Due to
the weather, it’s not a busy night, but I suspect that the same will be
had by all at any time.
Water Lily Bistro bas
many facets brought together by a talented, expert staff in the front of
the house and in the kitchen. We feel it in the ambiance and taste it in
the food.
It takes about forty
minutes to drive to Collingswood from
our home, a short distance to go for a great meal and well worth it.
As we exit, my
companion’s comment sums up our dining experience in one word. Beautiful.
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Just the Facts
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Name: Water Lily Bistro
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Address: 655 Haddon Ave., Collingswood,
NJ 08108
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Phone: 856-833-0098
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Website: www.waterlilybistro.com
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Liquor License: No
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Credit Cards:
Visa, MasterCard, American Express
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Between you and me: Water Lily is
as lovely as its name implies.
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Rating:
Food: 9, Service: 8.5
(See the bottom of page for food
and service rating information.)
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