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Valentine’s Escape

By Gee Sharp

The hustle and bustle of Christmas is long gone and the interminably long, cold days of January have taken their toll on the psyche. Valentine’s Day offers a multi-faceted celebration and an altogether good excuse to get out of the house and have some fun. Coming up with a special destination for the Valentine’s meal can cause some serious headache, so make your reservations in advance, and consider trying Brentwood’s Mére Bulles.

The English translation of the French “Mére Bulles” is “Mother Bubbles,” and refers to the grandmother of the restaurant founder, Rodney Wise. “Mother Bubbles ran a post-war bodega in France,” says Mére Bulles owner Steven Smithing. “She was never far from the kitchen or her ubiquitous glass of champagne; thus her grandchildren called her ‘mére bulles.’”

The restaurant was moved to Maryland Manor, a restored historic home once part of a 400-acre thoroughbred saddle horse breeding farm, in June 2001.

The ambiance at Mére Bulles is apt to leave you feeling like you’ve been somewhere special, perfect for setting the mood on Valentine’s Day. You will be able to choose from the regular dinner menu, which has an emphasis on upscale American cuisine and fine steaks, or from a prix fixe menu, priced at $54.99 per person. 

Executive chef Josh Werle and general manager Christopher Smithing, brother of owner Steven Smithing, work as a duo in the kitchen and will offer the Valentine’s meal Feb. 12 to 14. Mére Bulles is featuring all bottled wines at fifty percent off retail pricing through March, 31.

“Making something that a guest truly enjoys is what it is all about for me,” says Christopher Smithing. “We want our guests to be totally satisfied and happy.”

Steven Smithing adds, “We hope guests will feel they have been a part of a special holiday evening. We really want all of our guests to feel they have received great food, a good value and a memorable experience.” 

Happy Valentine’s Day, and bon appetite.

The prix fixe option offers the following choices:

Appetizer
Seared Diver Scallop
Chef’s special preparation

Classic Shrimp Cocktail
Large gulf shrimp, cocktail sauce

Maryland Farms Crabcake

Country ham remoulade

Soup or Salad
Charleston She Crab Bisque

Spinach and Warm Goat Cheese Salad

Bibb Salad with Bacon and Blue Cheese

Entrée
Filet of Beef Tenderloin Oscar
Center cut filet with bearnaise sauce, lump crab, asparagus and mashed potatoes

Phyllo Wrapped Chilean Sea Bass
Sea Bass with shrimp and scallops, tomato artichoke buerre blanc with spinach

Seared Alaskan Halibut
Tomato & Spinach risotto, sautéed vegetables, white wine pomodoro sauce

Encrusted New York Strip Steak
12-ounce cut encrusted with black peppercorns and ground coffee beans. Served with haricot verts and blue cheese-horseradish potato cake

Shrimp and Grits
Buttermilk and goat cheese grits with creamed country ham and fresh spinach

Dessert

Mére Bulles Carrot Cake

Flourless Chocolate Decadence

Berry-Tini