Steve and Cheri Helt have owned or managed three Bend restaurants since they first partnered in opening Zydeco on South U.S. Highway 97 in 2004.

They’ve learned something from each of them — and they have combined all of those concepts into their new restaurant, Bistro 28 at the Athletic Club of Bend.

Bistro 28 opened in January, replacing longtime local favorite Scanlon’s, which closed late last year. More casual than Zydeco, the Helts’ flagship restaurant in downtown Bend, Bistro 28 offers diners a choice of shared small plates or full dinner entrees in a variety of seating areas, along with an extensive but approachable wine list.

“It’s not a one-size-fits-all restaurant,” Steve Helt said.

Zydeco, a fine-dining establishment with many Southern- and Asian-influenced plates on its menu, offers that same bill of fare upstairs in The Loft, a private wine and social club. From 2005 to 2010 the Helts also owned a tapas-style bistro in St. Clair Place, “28,” which they sold within a year after Zydeco moved to Bond Street in 2009.

But they kept the trade name — a “recurring luck number” for the couple, according to Steve. And “when the Athletic Club came to us about redoing Scanlon’s, it became apparent that it was a good opportunity for us to bring back ‘28,’” Cheri Helt explained.

West-side kitchen

The new space, Cheri Helt said, is fashioned as “a neighborhood kitchen” mainly for residents of Bend’s west side. “It’s not really intended for tourists, but for the people of Bend who have supported us for many years,” she said.

The Helts said they want Bistro 28 also to welcome Athletic Club members just finishing a workout. “We’re combining all of the things we’ve done that have been successful,” Cheri added. “You can come for a glass of wine and sit on a couch, or you can sit in the dining room or by a fireplace.”

As far as the menu goes, “there is no one genre,” said Steve, who is executive chef. “The concept doesn’t come from just one direction. Instead, there is a full range of menu items from different cuisines. This is a true classic bistro, with a variety of styles that flow.”

Steve created the kitchen around a wood-fired rotisserie grill. Cheri, meanwhile, designed the front of the house to feature a bicycle-chain chandelier commissioned from Los Angeles. Alchemy Design Studios, owned by Dave Elliott of Bend, contributed a trio of “Wheels” panels. “Up until about a year ago, I was racing road, cross and mountain bikes,” said Steve. “So it was our idea to meld bicycling with the club, which is about competitive fitness. It’s a good fit for what we are doing.”

Service issues

Zydeco is known for its impeccable service, enforced by a rigid staff training program. In two recent dinners at Bistro 28, I found the same effort and enthusiasm from this new service staff — but a few kinks that must be ironed out.

One or two hosts greet dinner arrivals, who enter directly from the Athletic Club lobby. Patrons may choose to dine in the lounge, the main restaurant or the sports bar to the right of the entrance. On both of our visits, we opted for the spacious dining room, which offers private tables and booths along with family-friendly common tables.

Table service was prompt and welcoming, servers introducing themselves and delivering water and fresh bread with menus. The attendants were well-acquainted with menu items, providing direction in deciding what to order.

But pacing needed work with regard to delivery of those orders. In particular, when our party of three came for dinner one evening, our salads were delivered before we were close to done with our appetizers, but we waited for what seemed an exceptionally long time for our entrees.

Dinner for three

That said, the food was good, if not always “to die for.” Our threesome started with Zydeco’s signature dish, barbecued shrimp (seven of them) on grit cake, and with artichoke heart-and-corn fritters accompanied by a honey-jalapeno dipping sauce.

Two of us had salads. Mine was a mix of peppery arugula greens with squares of cantaloupe, shaved prosciutto and tangy chive vinaigrette. My regular dining companion had a Boston Bibb salad with dried cherries, toasted hazelnuts, shaved Pecorino cheese and apple-cider vinaigrette. Both were delicious.

My entree was fresh Alaska-caught halibut with broccolini spears. The fish was slightly overcooked and didn’t retain the moisture I would have liked. Worse, the lemon risotto on which it was served was overly salty. I pushed it aside and focused on the halibut and greens.

My companion ordered a duck confit pizza, prepared on red sauce with mozzarella cheese and arugula. She liked the flavor, but she felt the portion of duck could have been more generous.

Our guest, visiting from overseas, went for all-American chicken and waffles: a breaded and fried breast and thigh with two thick waffle squares, served up with bacon gravy and Sriracha aioli. He was delighted. A tropical cabbage slaw, tossed with apple-cider vinegar, was blended with coconut milk and a bit of shredded coconut.

Return visit

My companion and I returned a week or so later to check out Bistro 28’s meats. But we started with seafood, sharing an appetizer of smoked trout dip. Whipped smooth and silky, piled high and topped with chives, it was served with a dozen crispy lavosh crackers. I’d recommend this starter as a fine alternative to more commonly seen crab-artichoke dip.

My friend’s boneless, dry-aged ribeye steak was quality beef, but because it wasn’t evenly thick, it was not uniformly cooked. Some of the meat was prepared medium-rare, as she had requested; other parts were more well done. She did enjoy the less-cooked meat, along with mashed potatoes, halved Brussels sprouts and a gravy with thinly sliced mushrooms.

My center-cut pork chop was tasty if not as tender as I would have liked. Marinated with lemongrass, drizzled with an olive oil-and-garlic pesto, it was served with sauteed kale and sliced fingerling potatoes.

For the moment, Bistro 28 serves dinners only — although Steve Helt allowed that lunches might be added in summer. For now, they are available (along with breakfast) at a casual cafe counter in the main club area.

But he pointed out that the Athletic Club offers Bistro 28 diners a special amenity even if they are not club members: babysitting, available until 9 p.m.

“Even non-members now can make reservations to have their kids babysat while they’re eating at 28,” he said.

— Reporter: janderson@bendbulletin.com