Restaurants: Reeling 'em in at Blue Point

A pitfall of this line of work is the constant expectation of innovation. Or at least reinvention. So when a tradition-minded restaurant such as Blue Point comes along, the knee-jerk response can be to knock it for the very qualities that make it appealing. That would be a mistake.

Owners John and Margaret McDonald have operated their original Blue Point in downtown Wayzata for more than 20 years. Theirs is a success story because they've adhered to a long-term strategy of warm hospitality, tried-and-true food-and-drink and reasonable prices. That the couple are replicating that same business plan in a second location should come as a surprise to no one.

No, Son of Blue Point isn't breaking any new ground. But it's a welcome addition to the neighborhood. The address is best described as quirky, the lobby of one of those vacuous glass office towers that have sprouted at Interstate 494 and France Avenue S. in Bloomington. This particular tower, perched at the edge of an industrial park along the freeway's frontage road, feels a little forlorn. Step inside its vast, impersonal lobby, and the building feels as if it needs the Blue Point a lot more than the Blue Point needs it.

Chef Patrick Donelan, a longtime Blue Point veteran, concentrates on familiar, crowd-pleasing cooking. The results are often quite appealing. Halibut was crusted with crunchy pistachios, pan-seared into sigh-inducing succulence and accented with shades-of-autumn yam and pumpkin flavors. A gorgeous slab of terra cotta-colored salmon, so moist and rich it melted in my mouth, its skin blackened to taut crispness, had a just-right smokiness.

Pink, velvety tuna received a not-unexpected Asian treatment, with sesame, tamari and ginger embellishments, but it worked; ditto a similar treatment for grilled mahi mahi. Crab cakes had a marvelous crisp exterior and plenty of sweet crab punch. There's a fine shrimp cocktail, and a nearly foot-long walleye sandwich was distinguished by perfectly fried fish and a bright swipe of coriander-infused aioli.

Small, admirable details -- a vibrant cole slaw, well-made skin-on French fries, a Caesar that actually tastes like one, a Minnesota rarity -- are often overshadowed by curious choices. Oysters are pristine and lovingly presented, but for a restaurant named for a bivalve, there's a disappointingly paltry selection, just three widely distributed choices.

A juicy New York strip, which boasted a bold, beefy flavor, was ordered medium-rare but arrived so bloody my first instinct was to check for a pulse, yet Littleneck clams were steamed into rubbery oblivion. Another not-quite-there dish: fish and chips, where light and moist cod was weighed down by a ponderous batter and served barely lukewarm. Love those fries, though.

Service is right on the money, a top-down effort that no doubt starts with the McDonalds and general manager Lorin Zinter.

Another definite highlight is the work of pastry chef Nicolas Gonzalez, who distinguishes himself not just with a fine bread basket but also with understated, skillfully crafted classic desserts. A puff pastry apple tart hits all the right fall-colors notes. Best is a chiffon-style Key lime pie. With its mouth-puckering citrus bite and dollop of thick whipped cream, it embodies the restaurant's core value that simple and steady sometimes steal the race.