Restaurant review: In Bloom, Paso Robles

Paso Robles’ growing wine scene comes with an infusion of fresh new restaurants. Perhaps the freshest is In Bloom, located in the Paso Market Walk. It offers a creative take on California cuisine with a sophisticated yet fun vibe.

In Bloom continues to up its game after receiving a recommendation in the Michelin Guide’s 2022 California edition within a year of opening. Executive Chef Kenny Seliger and Executive Sous-Chef Ron Frazier let locally sourced ingredients shine in artfully plated hyper-seasonal dishes. 

Examples are grilled Pacific sea bass with a vibrant pea and basil puree and a charcoal oil infused with sweet-smoky ancho chile, and a melt-in-your-mouth mustard-marinated Snake River Farms Kurobuta pork chop with house-made pickled veggies and sauerkraut.

To order, put yourself in Seliger’s capable hands and opt for the 6-course tasting menu, or lean into the restaurant’s shareable plates. The often-changing menu might include dishes such as the addictive fried mushrooms from local farm Mighty Cap Mushrooms, punched up with pickled tomatillo, pepper-miso, and mint; and the Wagyu New York steak with chimichurri and Big Sur sea salt.

Seliger displays his gift for layering flavors and textures in everything from the just-picked salads and vegetables to the perfectly executed pork terrine, served with mustard pickles and grilled sourdough bread. A standout dessert is the sumptuous brown butter panna cotta with crunch from a crumbled graham cracker topping.

Sip an inventive cocktail or choose from the list of more than 300 Central Coast and European wines curated by Chris Haisma, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Nicole. Chris also spins vinyl on the house turntable.