Bloom

All signs seem to say they are open. At noon today, the security at the front door would not let me go to the restaurant, yet I could see the dining room (the other side of the front lobby) with a few customers in it. Security checked with a security supervisor, then surmised that it's only open for staff and students (Covid I would think). Mixed and frustrating messages both online and on the property! I also tried calling beforehand and only got voicemail, which did NOT state the restaurant was closed to the public. We have eaten there in the past and found the actual food served to be exceptional. You need to go in expecting very inexperienced service (this is a training venue), to then reap the rewards of very good cuisine. I just wish the management would make an effort to get their messaging to the public fixed.

My wife and I went to Bloom to celebrate our anniversary. We didn’t know what to expect, but found it to be a special evening. Our waiter was a brand new student and was learning how to service the guests. He made some mistakes but everyone was in good humour. There was an instructor present who gently guided the students. We were surprised with a special anniversary dessert. The food was very good and well presented.

We dined at Bloom this evening. The restaurant is designed well and feels very elegant. The servers and cooks are all students in the culinary or hospitality program at Conestoga College. You can see that they are trying their best but they are new to everything. The prices are very inexpensive. $21 for 2 courses or $25 for 3 courses. I ordered the tuna ceviche for the appetizer and Cornish hen for my main. My husband ordered the Bibb salad and ricotta gnocchi. All in all, the food and presentation is very good. I found the appetizers had a few too many flavours but that’s just my opinion. My husband ordered the 3rd course which was a dark chocolate tart. It was lovely! If you are open to trying new things and would like to support the students, be sure to book a reservation for this student-run restaurant.

Our group of 10 had dinner at Bloom last night, which was the first night I believe for this semester of students. While there were service issues during previous visits, this time the service was impeccable. The quality of the food is always fantastic, a great value, and last night was no exception. Everybody was extremely impressed with their meal! A snafu with the reservation was more than made up for by the extremely personable and generous manager. Compliments to the students and the manager - and we will be back for sure!

Our local Business Association recently had dinner at Bloom and we were thrilled with the great food and service we were provided. Thumbs up to Conestoga College and their Culinary Program for training their students to such a high standard of efficiency and determination to make our dinner arrangements so memorable. Please keep up the good work and we look forward to the new building and venue that you will move into.