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Bliss replaces old beer-bar with class, ambiance

After 13 years of the same food and atmosphere, Geronimoz' Restaurant and Bar, nestled at the end of University Boulevard, was growing stale.

In need of a facelift, the restaurant - through the efforts of previous owner Ron Yaeli and new partner Ray Flores - has become Bliss.

The new restaurant offers deli-style food and a sizable liquor bar along with those famous breadsticks and other holdovers from Geronimoz'. It is an appealing blend of a deli, bar and dance club in a sleek, modern atmosphere.

The interior is undeniably blue. The walls are painted a variety of shades, with the chairs and tables to match, creating a cool, soothing ambiance. The design is simple, urban and polished. It is east coast stylish, unlike anything Tucson has to offer.

Starburst lights hang from the ceiling and a line of televisions are mounted above the bar, on which the patrons can watch sporting events.

Bliss, 800 E. University Suite 104, feels hip and resonates with class, and does so without trying. Its classiness is not unintentional either. Bliss will be enforcing a dress code of no hats, T-shirts tucked in, and no tennis shoes or sandals at night.

While the ambiance is simply divine - complete with single word, new age musings on the wall like "harmony" and "simplicity" - the food is hit and miss. Most of the menu consists of deli sandwiches made with Boar's Head Meats and Cheeses and are in the $5 to $8 range.

The salads are still delectable, and the Geronimoz' calzones and burgers still have a place on the menu. Moreover, the portions are still large as ever.

Some of the changes, however, are questionable. The Tamales 'n' Papas ($6) are overly spicy, covering up a bad attempt at Mexican cuisine. Also, it oddly combines the dish with mashed potatoes and gravy.

In fact, the mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese side dishes are largely out of place with many entrees that are themselves much better.

The Big Ragu Calzone ($7.95), for instance, or the European Vacation sandwich ($6.50 for black forest ham, crushed pineapple, grilled red onion, teriyaki and swiss cheese) will appease any starving-college-student appetite.

Also, in the don't-miss category, Bliss offers a delightful dessert, dubbed French Kisses ($4.95), which consists of French toasts wedges served with ice cream and two dipping sauces.

Being a new restaurant, Bliss still has to work out some of its kinks. The service, in typical Geronimoz' fashion, is slow, which could be attributed more to a kitchen staff unused to a new menu than the wait-staff.

At night, Bliss becomes a dance club. The dance lights are turned on, the TV monitors feature graphics or a sneak peek at the downstairs dance floor, and a row of tables are removed from the restaurant. While there is no smoking or dancing upstairs, the downstairs has all the club-goer needs.

Bliss offers the stylish class that Tucson desperately needs. Once it emerges from this shaky first course, the rest of meal promises to be a most appetizing experience.