Description
Olav and Melissa Peterson, the husband-and-wife team behind Bittersweet, worked hard to give the old gas station that houses their restaurant new life. Olav built a menu that uses classic French technique to showcase high-quality ingredients. His tight board changes with the seasons, makes use of many parts of the animals he buys, and draws from the patio gardens that surround the building whenever he can. He's a perfectionist, too, constantly tweaking dishes and making changes to his list, constantly trying to make everything better until he gets it right -- then he scraps it completely and moves on to the next season. Melissa was in charge of the remodel, and she took her design cues from Olav's food, channeling an artisanal blend of old world and modern aspects. The two intimate, high-ceiling dining rooms seat a total of sixty people at tabletops meant to resemble European butcher blocks. Plush, hide-covered chairs sit in the foyer, old maps and Melissa's artwork adorn the walls, and both sides of the restaurant feature an indoor-outdoor fireplace. But the best seating of all may be on those patios.
