Registry Bistro in Toledo Review

Registry Bistro is a fine dining and cocktail bar experience in downtown Toledo. This is one of my boyfriend’s and mine favorite places to come due to the rotating seasonal menu and romantic atmosphere.

The building of Registry Bistro is a historic and beautiful hotel. The name comes from how back in the olden days of hotels you would sign a registry.

Inside, you’ll find that it’s much more than just a restaurant… There are also private dining rooms and a ballroom. They cater large-scale events like weddings and shows. The ballroom is such a large and beautiful space that it can be arranged to fit any event. Additionally, the ballroom has become home to the Toledo Jazz Orchestra’s Black and White Series, where guests can enjoy jazz combos along with their meal on select dates. The building also includes the River House Arts Gallery which exhibits contemporary art in all media by emerging, mid-career and established artists from the Great Lakes region and beyond. The upper floors of the building are homes and studios belonging to local artists.

The restaurant, however, was the star here. We walked in through beautiful French doors. The space was well-thought-out, yet still didn’t lose a cozy charm. I felt like I was no longer in current day Ohio, but rather like I stepped back in time to a restaurant of years gone by.

The night we went was over Valentine’s Day weekend. It was fairly busy, but I had made a reservation a few weeks prior. We only had to wait about 10 minutes before being seated.

The names on the cocktail menu were Valentine themed, which was very cute. I settled on the Love Potion No 9 cocktail. ($8) It had Vodka, Passion Fruit, Elderflower, and Hibiscus Bubbles. It was floral, yet sweet, and the passion fruit flavor lingered on the back of my tongue, becoming sweeter the longer it did.

We pondered over the appetizers and main menu. Each dish sounded unique and mouthwatering.

We ordered an appetizer called Butchers Board with Accoutrements. ($18) This consisted of Wild Boar Salami, Bresaola, Pig and Fig Pate, and Elk and Blueberry Salami.

We’re both pretty adventurous eaters, so we dove right in without hesitation. The Wild Boar and Elk Salami were gamey as expected, but they were also wonderfully salty with a hint of smokiness. The pate was creamy with just the right amount of sweetness from the fig.

All the food we ordered could have been pictured in a magazine, and our main entrées were no exception. I ordered the Slow Roasted Moroccan Lamb Shank with Jeweled Basmati Rice with Pistachios and Roasted Almonds. ($28)

It was chef’s kiss.

The lamb slid off the bone. It was so juicy and tender. The Moroccan spices added fragrant, savory, and sweet notes. The rice and nuts were a nice compliment to the lamb, adding a satisfying crunch but not overwhelming the flavor of the meat.

My boyfriend ordered the Duck Confit Pot Pie with Roasted Winter Vegetables and Forest Mushrooms. ($28) I cannot comment on how it tasted because I didn’t try it, but the way my boyfriend was carrying on across from me, you would think he died and gone to heaven. He was very satisfied with his choice, and so was I.

We couldn’t just leave and not have dessert, so we both ordered one. I got a Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Trifle with Salted Toffee, Frangelico Spiked Chocolate Cremeux and Hazelnut Cake. (8.50)

I’m a huge sweets person, and this dessert elevated what I thought a good dessert was. It was everything you would want if you love chocolate. The soft and spongy cake, the slight bitterness of the dark chocolate and saltiness of the toffee and hazelnut rounded out all the flavors perfectly.

My boyfriend ordered a dessert of more sophistication, which was a Preserved Cherry and White Chocolate Tart with Luxardo Cherry and Double Chocolate Ice Cream. (8.50) I did try this and it was also amazing. The Cherry was bright and tart, which paired well with the white chocolate.

One can never go wrong with double chocolate ice cream.

Everything together melded perfectly and was a delight to end the meal on.

Registry Bistro will always be a special place for us and we will go there again I hope sometime soon. I can’t recommend it enough.

If you want to try Registry Bistro for yourself, here’s some info.

The Executive Chef and co-owner is Erika Rapp. She studied at the Culinary Institute of America. Her travels and her exposure to world cuisines influenced her to create wonderfully eclectic and artfully crafted modern dishes. The menu is inspired by the changing of the seasons in Northwest Ohio and the regional cuisines of America.

Though Registry Bistro is a fine dining experience, feel free to dress casually. The Chef and workers want you to feel comfortable. The customers are what elevate the unique atmosphere. People come in hockey jerseys before going to a game at The Huntington Center, which is right across the street.

I believe the pricing is more than fair for what you get. With our meal, we had drinks, an appetizer, and desserts, all totaling to a little over $100.