Firefly Bistro - A Delightful Discovery

I've been in Pasadena, California, for my first face to face meeting in my new position as district superintendent for Hawaii United Methodist churches (it doesn't start until July, but the bishop is asking me to come to meetings now).

I was treated to a welcome dinner at a New American restaurant called the Firefly Bistro: http://www.eatatfirefly.com. I had no idea what to expect. It was a delightful discovery.

The restaurant is basically a space with a permanent canopy so it gives you the impression of what I imagine a wedding reception in the gardens of a Greenwich, Connecticut, mansion would be like. It's really a cool looking space.

But the food is outstanding. The Zagat Guide had mixed reviews, but the dozen or so of us who were at the meal just loved it.

The appetizers we tried were excellent: warm olives with a fennel and oregano salad, marinated blue cheese, and confit of dried tomato; Spicy Butternut Squash Doughnuts with toasted walnut-madras curry dip and oregano honey. That curry dip was so good, that even after the appetizer plates were cleared, we kept the ramekin of dip to spread on our bread.

There were four entrees that we tried and I got a taste of each. One person got the Chinese BBQ Pork Chop with scallion-ginger pan seared potatoes and marinated bean sprouts - it was fine, but it was the kind of food that my wife makes better. There were shrimp and grits, a classic Southern dish, which was good. I had the Slow Roasted Lamb Shank over buttered parsnips, charred shallot gremolata, parsnip chips, and red wine lamb reduction - it was very good, if a bit too much of a vinegary taste at times.

But the star of the show was the Pecan Coated Catfish over sweet potato-Andouille hash, with firefly collard greens, and mustard pan sauce. The fish was cooked perfectly and the flavor was great. Even better were the sweet potatoes and greens - they had a nice spicy kick to them that I just loved.

Appetizers in the $9-11 dollar range, with entrees from about $17-28. The catfish dish was among the least expensive at $17.50, so definitely a winner on all counts.

Grace and aloha,

Tom

P. S. the restaurant was suggested by the Rev. Jim Conn, who is retiring this year from active ministry. For the past few years he has served as the urban strategist and the director of new ministries for the United Methodist Church in our area.

Before that, he was the pastor of the Church in Ocean Park, a ground breaking ministry in Santa Monica for 19 years. A truly unique church, it was on the cutting edge for attracting very unchurched people with an extremely untraditional style of services.

Jim initiated a dozen social service projects and community organizations and also served on the City Council and as Mayor of the City of Santa Monica. His groundbreaking vision and ideas have placed him as one of the most influential progressives the Los Angeles area has ever known.

On top of that, he is one of the most delightful human beings I have ever known (his wife, Susan, is great as well - she frequents farmers' markets so how can you not love her?). He is certainly an example of a practitioner of religion who can be effective without being dogmatic, rigid, and judgmental.

Thanks, Jim, for showing us for so many years just how it is done!