BLUE WIND GOURMET
Address: 22803 Gunston Drive, California, MD 20619
Blue Wind Gourmet was another restaurant on my radar to try, having seen their menu online as well as driving by the restaurant often while running errands in town. It wasn’t until the weekend before the holiday break that I stopped in with my two friends Mike and Tina for a quick lunch.
When you first walk in, the ordering counter is in front of you, with copies of their menu and a poster mounted underneath with some pictures of their various sandwiches, soups, wraps, and salads. The selection was very extensive, and I was hard pressed to choose what I wanted. Mike and Tina had been to the restaurant multiple times, and consistently talked about the cajun catfish sandwich (which I tried during my following visit, and it certainly did not disappoint). I eventually stuck with the chicken, avocado, basil, and mozzarella sandwich, while the two of them got the cajun catfish.
There are two areas where you can choose to sit after placing your order: one has more of a “deli” feel with the white tile floors and sits opposite from the sandwich making counter, while the other side is a little classier with carpeted floors and the walls lined shelves filled with wine and whiskey bottles. We ended up sitting on the wine side, where there are 6 or 7 tables arranged semi-closely. The only downside of that side of the restaurant is that if people start to talk pretty loud, it can be hard to even hear the person sitting across from you (which happened during my return trip).
Our sandwiches were brought to our table in no time, and I got to work on my chicken basil avocado. The ciabatta was toasted very nicely, the grilled chicken had some nice zest, and the basil/mozzarella cheese pairing was on point. The avocado slices gave the sandwich a little smooth texture, but I felt like it was missing something. Luckily, the cajun catfish sandwiches came with their remoulade sauce, and Tina had some extra and gave it to me. I spread it on the sandwich, took a bite, and that was exactly what it needed. But remoulade sauce or not, the chicken basil avocado is still a solid sandwich choice to go for.
Blue Wind is a quick stop right off of Three Notch Road and a great place to get some lunch or dinner. Their numerous menu options are sure to satisfy a variety of appetites, and the quality of the ingredients (and final product) certainly keep me going back for more.
Let’s now take a look at the Blue Wind Gourmet Dish Spotlight. Asterisks (*) below mark my recommended dishes.
** Cajun Catfish Sandwich **
A fillet of catfish, seasoned with Cajun spices and grilled, topped with melted Pepper Jack cheese and avocado slices. Served with a side of Remoulade sauce and pictured here on focaccia bread.
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** CAM Sandwich **
Grilled chicken breast, avocado slices, fresh basil leaves, and melted mozzarella cheese. Pictured here on ciabatta bread.
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** Garbage Sandwich **
Turkey, ham, BBQ pork, mozzarella, Swiss, cheddar, bacon, all topped with BBQ sauce. Certainly a winning combo.
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And finally, here are my rankings for Blue Wind Gourmet:
Food: 5 / 5
Lots of menu options, food made with fresh ingredients, and deliciously satisfying end results. What’s not to love?
Atmosphere: 4.5 / 5
I find the restaurant’s storage of the wine and whiskey bottles help to elevate the atmosphere of the dining area. Like I mentioned above, that side has a bit of a lower ceiling, so sound definitely amplifies if people start to talk loud.
Service: 4.75 / 5
The food comes out very quickly, and the staff are friendly and helpful. Even with a large number of people there the second time I went, the kitchen was able to keep pace with the orders.
Price: 4.5 / 5
I think the pricing for the sandwiches are very reasonable (and they come with a bag of chips or a side salad).
Overall:
18.75 / 20
(94%)
Categories: Maryland, Restaurants
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