Starving Students.

A7

Jackie LeBlanc and Matt Cormier

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Friday night. 8 p.m. Stomachs are growling. Jackie and Matt can't agree on where to grab a bite to eat. They decide to head downtown and check out the Blue Door. They didn't have reservations, but they still got in, and were ready to put their food to the taste test. The Blue Door is situated at 100 Regent St. in Fredericton.

Jackie's verdict:

Thankfully, it's not very often I feel like I'm living in a Sex and the City episode. I'm not usually as neurotic as Carrie Bradshaw and my girl friends aren't normally as promiscuous as the fab four. But once in a little while, something in Fredericton will trigger that Sex and the City moment, and I'll swear I'm an extra on set.

This was how I felt at the Blue Door last week. It wasn't really the company, the service or my extended circumstances that made me feel like I was in Manhattan. It was just the atmosphere.

The Blue Door reminded me of every fabulous restaurant in which my TV pals ate. It was stylish, packed, and had an amazing list of cocktails.

I decided to start my evening as the girls would, and I ordered a cocktail. I opted for my favourite, a purple haze ($7.50). I think their version of a purple haze is a martini. It was quite potent. But it tasted amazing, so I sank it back all the same.

For my main course, I ordered a lobster and fiddle head linguini ($24). What's not to love about lobster and fiddle heads? They're Maritime favourites! When my meal arrived, I was surprised at how spicy the meal was. I must have overlooked that part in the description on the menu. I usually like a little spice, but I did feel this was a bit over the top.

The Blue Door serves bread while you're waiting, which is always a charming treat when you're starving. I must have filled up on bread because I was full halfway through my main meal. Disappointed, I picked out the lobster and fiddle heads and left a pile of noodles behind.

Although the atmosphere at the Blue Door was fabulous, I wasn't overly fond of my meal. For $24, I should have wanted to take my leftovers home. This time, however, I couldn't bother myself to ask for a take-out container.

I must say, though, that the service was good. The servers were tag-teaming and serving us water from both sides.

I'll go to the Blue Door again. I'll just make sure to ask the servers if the meal I choose is spicy.

I give the Blue Door a 7/10.

Matt's verdict:

After writing these reviews for so long, I've amassed a rather substantive pool of opinions from people I've met around town. I welcome them, because they allow me to gain some added insight into the restaurants we frequent. Amidst the list of Fredericton dining dives, few places have proven to be as polarizing as The Blue Door. The Blue Door is one of those places everyone in Fredericton seems to have an opinion on, be it favourable or less so.

One of the main reasons I've never chosen to dine at The Blue Door is precisely because it's only ever mentioned to me in extremes. It's easier to review a place when you're not sure what to expect, not so much when you've had a couple dozen people give you their fortunate or unfortunate experiences. Still, we decided it was about that time.

We entered The Blue Door on a busy Friday night. The to and fro of staff and diners seemed to be at an apex, and the layout of the downstairs made it rather difficult to maneuver. Despite this, we were approached for seating in very short order, and led to the upstairs dining area where there was just about the same amount of breathing room. One can hardly fault a place for being successful, of course. We did worry that our meals might suffer as a result, but the wait would give us time to examine our surroundings.

And, there was plenty to examine. The restaurant's decor dabbles playfully within an urban nightlife concept, with textured art pieces lining the walls. It was dim and stylised with an eye on modern palates and designs. I found it rather refreshing "" an interesting departure from what we've come to expect in fine cuisine type restaurants around town.

With a handful of waiters and waitresses at our disposal "" or at least in our general vicinity "" we began perusing the menu in only the most proper sense of the word. I hadn't eaten anything since the dawn (of man), due to bad day-planning on my part, and was intent on finding something that would entice every last taste bud.

In the end, I plucked out one of the daily specials, and soon found myself staring at a plate of seared duck ($23).

I'll admit that one of my main reasons for choosing duck was simply that it's such a rare find. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, mostly because I've rarely ordered duck at a restaurant. The dish came with a risotto side, which turned out to be a perfect complement to the dark, seasoned duck. The meat of the matter was salty and seasoned, cut into slivers, and really quite delicious overall.

I should note that, being a daily special, seared duck will likely not be on the menu should you choose to fly south to The Blue Door. This is a shame, because the flavourful dish was worth the wait.

Meanwhile, I continued to enjoy the ambiance of the restaurant, but the layout made everything seem rather crammed. The abundance of patrons didn't help alleviate the strain, either. Nonetheless, I do believe The Blue Door is worth trying out, if only because of the unique atmosphere contained within. It could easily serve as a backdrop for a meeting of the minds, and probably as a scene in an evening for two, though maybe not during peak hours. All in all, I offer The Blue Door an above average 8/10.

Cheers.