Restaurant Review: Restaurant Without Borders

Known more for its stately historic homes and quiet sidewalks than its burgeoning dining scene, the North Main Street neighborhood and its resident eatery, The Bohemian Café Restaurant and Bar, could have settled for simply offering decent food from an especially quaint section of town. Instead, the restaurant, located on the corner of West Stone Avenue and North Main Street, fills a much-needed niche for discriminating diners everywhere, and it does so with aplomb.

The restaurant shares a space, and a degree of ambience, with Horizon Records. It’s perfectly lit, neither too dark nor too bright, with artsy suspended light fixtures. Dark wood and a contemporary neutral color palette are livened up by old album covers and punchy modern art, along with an eclectic soundtrack of mostly jazzy, lounge-y music. The music can be a smidge too loud on occasion, but overall, The Bohemian has that funky-but-broadly-appealing thing down pat, counting as regular patrons a rare mix of students, retirees, and everyone in between.

If the ambiance seems too au courant for those accustomed to more traditional surroundings, fear not. Chef Tripp Yeargin broadens The Bohemian’s appeal with an international menu that draws on years of worldwide food sampling and recipe collecting. On our most recent visit, we started with a complimentary plate of hummus, olives, and warmed pita and opted for the Chef’s Choice cheese plate—with Cahill Porter Irish Cheddar, Italian Three-Milk Rocchetta, and Double Dragon Welsh Ale Cheddar with Mustard Seed—served with water crackers and a garnish of dried apricots and cranberries. Our favorite was the Double Dragon, though all three were beautifully presented.

Main courses include sandwich plates and pastas, curries, and several specials. But the more interactive option is to select a protein (steak, chicken, shrimp, tofu, salmon) and then a preparation style: Bohemian, Moroccan, Singaporean, or Caribbean. Last time, my companions and I opted for a steak Bohemian, chicken Moroccan, and shrimp Mediterranean.

The steak was tender and grilled as requested, served with a side of buttery white-wine sauce, house-made chips, and a green salad. The shrimp came slightly charred and tender, atop a bed of orzo in a delicate sun-dried tomato pesto and accompanied by crispy grilled asparagus. It was light but completely satisfying. Moroccan chicken, rubbed with North African spices and grilled, came tossed with roasted yellow and green squash and couscous, with dollops of harissa chile and yogurt sauces. The effect was exotic and piquant but not palate-burning.

The chef also shows a deft hand with complex curries from many regions of Asia. The multi-dimensional flavors typical of this cuisine can be difficult to master, but Yeargin does so admirably and I’ve enjoyed his culinary forays to Malaysia, Indonesia, and India. Unusual pastas are also well worth trying. One recent evening, my dining companion ordered the night’s special seafood pasta, a successful marriage of orecchiette, shrimp, crawfish, roasted red peppers, and caramelized onions in a kicky cream sauce.

A menu such as this risks being disappointing in its execution—it’s hard to offer so many different cuisines and do them all well. But The Bohemian accomplishes its goal with nary a misstep. Sunday brunch is eminently popular, and not just because no one else in the neighborhood serves it. You’ll find a good balance of breakfast and lunch dishes, along with a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar and mimosas by the glass or carafe.

For the cocktail-hour crowd, two bars serve up everything from Belgian ales to Shiraz blends to classic martinis. The beer menu is particularly notable, with a number of international, craft, and high-gravity varieties. Wines are mostly Californian, on a relatively small but well-chosen list.

On my visits, every server has been friendly, prompt, and attentive, without hovering. They are well-versed in both the menu particulars and the merits of each wine and beer, and have proven completely unflustered by any of my questions.

We suggest snagging a table on the small, plant-bedecked patio, which offers yet another escape from the ordinary and provides a welcome departure from Greenville’s everyday dining scene.