Best Bites: Bones’ Ba Mee

Chef Frank Bonanno isn’t exactly known for dreaming up health food (ahem, Mizuna‘s lobster mac and cheese and Osteria Marco‘s carbonara pizza). The menu at Bones skews similarly with butter-soaked lobster ramen and steamed buns stuffed with pork belly. That said, I almost always find a lighter option in the ba mee, the ever-changing vegetarian noodle bowl.

In fact, it’s in this dish and the soba bowl (the contents of which also change regularly), that I find some of Bonanno’s most imaginative creations. On the current menu, the ba mee (pictured) is a springy carrot-ginger purée with asparagus, shredded bok choy, vegetable broth, lime mascarpone, and spiced peanuts. The broth is elegant and satisfying and—for a soup bowl—I’m impressed with the range of textures brought on by the quartered asparagus, julienned carrots, paper-thin fennel, al dente noodles, and, of course, those peanuts. Best of all, even with eating most of the entrée I didn’t feel weighed down or stuffed.

Bonus: Bones is a fantastic spot to take the kids, just go early.

701 Grant St., 303-860-2929