Review from the Greensboro News & Record: Print Works Entrées make visit worth it By John Batchelor Go Triad Restaurant Reviewer Published April 24, 2008 Print Works Bistro is the restaurant in the new Proximity Hotel, another initiative from Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels. The property has been recognized in such august publications as the New York Times architectural section for its attention to green construction and practices. The interior of the restaurant looks bright and billowy, a function of tall windows plus cream-colored floor-to-ceiling drapes hung throughout, sectioning off various dining areas. Upholstered chairs are not only attractive, they are comfortable, too. In addition to the main dining room, I found seating in the bar and on the terrace especially inviting. Quality and pricing from the wine list adds to the attraction. Warm, crusty bread is wrapped in a napkin closed with a clothespin. Some members of my parties found this amusing; others did not. Shortly thereafter, an amuse bouche is served. Smoked salmon mousse created a nice way to start the meal. Print Works Bistro 702 Green Valley Road Greensboro 379-0699 Overall rating: *** Hours: Lunch: 11:15 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday; Brunch: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Dinner: 4-10:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 4-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Bar open later. Reservations (OpenTable.com) and call ahead seating accepted Sanitation grade: A (98) Credit cards: Visa, MC, AmEx, Disc ABC permits: All Appetizers: $7-$12 Salads: $6-$8 Soups: $5 Entrees: $10-$21 Desserts: $4-$6 Theme: True bistro cooking. Comfort food. Handicapped accessibility: All seating on entry level. Kid friendly: Separate children's menu not available, but accommodations will be made. Healthy choices: Not identified on menu Most recent visit: April 6 Food: *** Entrees very satisfying, but I wish more appetizers were offered. Ambience: **** Light and billowy. Service: **** Well informed and efficient. Value: *** Entrees at or below the $21 mark. Restaurants are assigned ratings of Not Recommended, Acceptable, or * to ***** The appetizer section of the menu strikes me as rather limited. I only found two items appealing. Mussels ($10), a serving of about 20 in the shell, tasted pleasantly fresh and garlicky. House Cured Salmon ($9) came with capers, diced red onion, and chopped hard boiled egg, with a fresh dill and mustard sauce, along with toast points. Members of my parties also tried three salads, each lightly dressed in a pleasant toasted walnut vinaigrette. Salad Roquefort ($6) augmented mixed lettuces with chunks of quality cheese. Roasted Beet Salad ($7) surrounded bibb lettuce with red and yellow sliced beet slices, joined by a crouton covered with melted Roquefort cheese. Salad Frisee ($8), as its nomenclature suggests, is based on frisee lettuce - frilly in appearance, slightly bitter in flavor - with bacon, poached egg and croutons. Onion Soup ($5) is served in a small, hot iron bowl; the broth is loaded with sweet onions, covered by melted emmentaler cheese. Main courses turned out to be rewarding. I would characterize these as true bistro fare, almost comfort food. A Cheese Burger ($10) produced solid beef flavor, augmented by good cheddar cheese (emmentaler and Roquefort are available as well), served with flavorful, crisp fries, presented in a paper cone. Pan Roasted N.C. Trout ($19) "Grenobloise" is enhanced by brown butter, capers, and lemon, served with sautéed spinach. Chicken Paillard ($16) is pan seared with shallots, the flavors sharpened by preserved lemon. Sautéed spinach comes alongside in a small black iron skillet, bearing pieces of garlic, almost caramelized. Coq au Vin ($18) is the Sunday night special. This featured a French cut breast in a broth richly flavored with mushrooms. Mashed potatoes soaked up that flavor, joined by carrots. A crisp-cooked skin, dry-rubbed with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and thyme encased tender Duck Confit ($19). The mellow flavor of the bird blended especially well with the accompanying small skillet of Dauphinoise potatoes. I liked all of those entrées. I liked them quite a lot, in fact. But two meats would draw me back in particular. Grilled Lamb Loin ($19) produced a solid depth of natural flavor, extended by Charmoula sauce (tomatoes, lemon, paprika, garlic, cumin, cilantro, and mustard). Green lentils, onions, and carrots completed one of the most well-rounded conceptions I have encountered among local restaurants in a long time. Steak Frites ($21) is based on hangar steak, seared perfectly, just a little firm (appropriate for the cut), exuding deep beef flavor, enriched with herb butter. Crisp fries made a welcome repeat appearance. Although each entrée includes vegetables, should you simply desire more, side orders are available for $3. Brussels Sprouts did not come with one of the particular entrees we ordered, so I got a side portion. These are sautéed in butter, and I was glad I made the extra effort. We tried one dessert. Pot de Crème Duet ($6) is a dual composition of chocolate and vanilla custards, richly flavored and creamy textured. Bart Ortiz, chef and operating partner, is self taught. His father owns Tex and Shirley's restaurant, a Greensboro institution. He started cooking as a child, then spent time in France. He began professionally as a line cook at Lucky 32 12 years ago. His approach emphasizes fresh, local ingredients whenever possible. Manager Martin Hunt has also served as general manager of Green Valley Grille. He has been with Quaintance-Weaver for almost nine years. I look forward to many happy returns here. John Batchelor is a freelance contributor who has been reviewing restaurants for more than 20 years. You can reach him at P.O. Box 20848, Greensboro, NC 27420 or send e-mail to jbatchelor@excite.com