Bleu Bear Sushi, Bedford, TX — Restaurant in Bedford

First, Frank is a delight. If you're lucky enough to have him as a server, you'll enjoy his sense of humor and his quiet way of giving you what you need before you ask. He's witty, welcoming, and passionate about good food. He's one of those rare servers that make your experience memorable and unique--he's the type of person that you feel like you've made a new friend once you've finished. We were lucky to have him. (This was very important to me as I had just flown in from Minnesota, and I was dining with my best friend; I only get to see her once or twice a year, so every minute is special.) Thank you, Frank--you're good people, and you made our night. As for the absolutely fantastic, decadent, fresh raw and cooked rolls, this restaurant was the best I've had in years, if not ever. I'm not saying that lightly, nor am I exaggerating; I eat Japanese cuisine frequently. I've been to Texas several times, and this is our new, number one spot. We began with the miso soup and salad. Both were perfect. The miso had generous amounts of tofu and seaweed topped with fresh green onions--all surrounded with buttery dashi; it arrived quickly and was fresh and steaming hot, just the way I Iike it. A must-have. The salad was absolutely lovely and so crisp--a summery blend of arugula, baby tomatoes, thinly-sliced radishes, and a generous amount of citrus-ginger dressing. Both starters were flawless. You can't go wrong with either one. We ordered and highly recommend--without any reservations or criticisms--the following rolls: Snow White Maki, lobster, and California. The Snow White's spicy salmon is perfectly softened and complemented by the sweet and sour from the cranberry balsamic sauce, a surprising, unique, and to-die-for highlight. A mid-fatty tuna at the top and truffle oil at the base envelop and blend into the sweet and sour notes, giving a balanced, light--yet savory--and FANTASTIC, original experience. If this roll's flavor were a season, it'd be early autumn, which is the best time of year in Minnesota. The lobster roll was plated perfection. From the perfectly-cooked tempura lobster and rice to the slightly- spicy, mayonnaise-based sauce to the fresh tobiko, we couldn't get enough. The tempura was light and airy, barely hugging the lobster. Hat tip to the chef--the oil must've been perfect temperature for that to occur. All of the flavors blended into a savory lobster explosion, and the plating was next level--with the lobster's tail serving as a crown on top of this royal roll. So yeah, we obviously inhaled it. Finally, we had a "basic" California roll, but the extremely fresh ingredients made this roll far from basic. From the perfectly-firm avocado and snow crab to the crisp cucumber, don't miss out on this one. This is the freshest, most perfectly-done California roll I've ever had in my entire life. Again, no exaggeration. You might think that because you've had a California roll elsewhere, you've had them all, but you haven't if you haven't had Bleu Bear's. In fact, I think it's ruined me. I know nothing will compare, and since I live about 1,000 miles away, I'll be drooling until I visit again next year, all while skipping all other California rolls until I can return. Once Frank found out our penchant for sushi, he said we absolutely had to try the salmon n apple in truffle and soy sauce. He went out of his way and brought us a generous sample, and it was beyond superb. The apple was a subtly-sweet variety with medium crispness that complimented the fats in both the salmon and truffle/soy oil exceptionally well. It was topped with cilantro micro greens, which brought all the sweet and savory together with a sudden burst of citrus and originality. An absolute must-try. If you've made it to the end of this review, thank you. If you're going to Bleu Bear soon, I'm both happy for you and jealous.  And if you see Frank, tell him we said hi from Minnesota....

Decided to check out this place nearby because I didn’t want to take the long drive all the way to Dallas tonight. I live in Irving and there honestly isn’t that many great places there. With that being said Bleu Bear is definitely legit and top notch. Honestly the food quality and even prices can compete with top places in Dallas. It’s sort of surprising since the the area and exterior of the restaurant I didn’t expect to be blown away like that. Would come again for sure.

Service - Nancy was a great server, explained everything we had questions about and she even brought out samples of stuff the restaurant was experimenting with. Very attentive. Only observation I would make is they fire everything all at once (which is a good or bad thing depending on your preference) so if you want things coursed out you may have to let them know first.

Food - No doubt amazing, we had oysters, lamb chops (great flavor and tenderness), the Wagyu gyoza, Hamachi Kama, chicken karaage, negi toro roll, chirashi don and some special dishes like salmon sashimi wrapped over apple and unagi with peach puree (my favorites). Ended with a delicious Green tea tiramisu. Quality of the food reminded me of my trip to Japan recently. A funny yet very impressive thing is their presentation is alot better than some of the high end Japanese restaurants I’ve been to in Dallas.

Overall 10/10, I will come back for...

This is my new favorite place in HEB, just get here! From the moment we stepped foot inside, I felt as if I was about to have a special dining experience.

We sat out on the patio, it was a beautiful evening and while it was public, it was still intimate. We started with the calamari and it was cooked perfectly (it’s easy for places I’ve been to ruin it, but Bleu Bear cooked it BEAUTIFULLY!) served with a sweet chili sauce that complimented it nicely.

The sushi we selected included a roll topped with snow crab and Philadelphia roll…BEST I’ve ever had and I’ve consumed sushi in some of the best restaurants in the US.

The rice was perfect and combined with the fresh fish and ingredients, melted in my mouth. We almost ALWAYS take sushi home because we are too full (to us, rice was always overcooked) and this time…we ate EVERY SINGLE PIECE. In addition to being delicious, it was not too filling at all and we appreciated being full but not uncomfortable.

And the dessert, just do it. The green tea ice cream and brownie was delectable.

Bottom line: get here. Try the things. Support the local business. Eat well. Eat fresh. Know your food experience is going to be EPIC. Bring your friends. Tell everyone. Keep coming back. You’re welcome. Thank you for coming to my TED...