Nowadays, you need to do something pretty special to your new lounge or bar to make an impact in downtown St. Petersburg. With the recent openings of Mandarin Hide and Ruby's Elixir, along with the many other established beer or martini spots, the 'Burg is chock full of options for people who want a stool and a beverage.
At first, it seemed like Vue would just be another place in the middle of the pack. The black and red and lacquer interior was nothing new — seemingly drawn from an inspirational photo of Devo circa 1985 — although the big windows provided a show for the drinkers once night fell. There's food, which is definitely a plus since many of the latest watering holes do without it in favor of a more strict drinks-only philosophy. Even so, Vue just didn't seem to have anything to add to the scene.
Maybe that's because people were (and still are) waiting for the outpost of Vue that will open at the top of the Bank of America building, with panoramic views across downtown and the Bay. That is impressive, a service that no one else in the area can offer. Just, well, not yet. And the bar in the sky can't exactly benefit its streetside cousin.
Recently, though, first-floor Vue has added something that might give it an edge: outdoor seating in the dramatic covered corner courtyard in front of the lounge at Central Avenue and First Street. That al fresco area is bordered by low black couches covered with red vinyl cushions, along with tables surrounding the large square planting bed in the center of the space. It's pretty, architectural (thanks to the stories-high vaulted roof) and smack dab in the middle of the downtown scene.
Sadly, the other thing that sets Vue apart from some of the recently opened lounges in the area — the food — is not nearly as special as the courtyard. Vue's menu is largely limited to sushi, along with the subsidiary Japanese sundries that go along with it, like wakame seaweed salad, miso soup and dumplings. The soup and salad are fine, as are the standard pork dumplings, but Vue's decision to add cheddar cheese pasta pockets to its repertoire — dumplings that look and taste just like the frozen pierogies you can buy in the store — is a bit suspect.
Sushi should be the star of the place, but it isn't. Although the quality of the salmon is outstanding, the tuna is grainy and bland and the eel is unevenly cooked. Rolls could save it — after all, maki are much better finger food to soak up a sake bomb or pomegranate martini — but they are poorly constructed, the gummy rice more lopsided than cylindrical, with fillings that range from chaotic to unexciting. Vue recently added a version of banh mi to go along with its lunch service and add variety to its dinner. Basically a Vietnamese take on a sub sandwich, banh mi usually consists of French bread that's stuffed with pickled veggies and herbs, roasted or grilled meat and some sort of savory sauce.
Vue's version manages to check off all the usual ingredients, without ever accessing the grace and power of a good banh mi. There are just a few tart veggies stacked on top of meat that ranges from salty and spongy pork to chopped beef that would be more at home in a Philly cheesesteak, and no herbs to cut the heavy mayo-based sauce.
That banh mi illustrates the fundamental problems that are inherent in all of the food here. Vue seems to pay attention to food solely as a convenience for people who might be partaking in its Thursday Ladies Night or Sake Bomb Tuesdays, merely an adjunct to the drinks and style of the place. And, considering the quality of the food, the only people who will be eating at Vue are folks who are too settled to bother walking the half-block necessary for a better nosh.
And, since that food is one of the things that sets Vue apart from other local spots, you're left with the New Wave interior design and that big, and admittedly impressive, courtyard.
By all means, go to Vue if you want a fine drink, you like to sit outside and watch the people go by, and you're already full or plan on eating elsewhere. Or bide your time until you can try the bar in the sky.
This article appears in May 5-11, 2011.