SHAKE+STIR: BULLE
Hosted at Bulle
Lauren Barisic, Lisa Catalano, Laura Thompson, Kathy Stypula, Davita Miller, Tom Miller, Amber Contino, Karen Gill, Dalia Assad, and Sara Jarrar
Seven courses and seven cocktails make for an ambitious tasting menu. At Bulle, however, the experience proved to be less about quantity than progression. For the latest installment of Shake+Stir, CVLUX gathered at one of Fresno’s newest restaurants for a culinary exploration where each dish was thoughtfully matched with its own libation, allowing food and drink to play equally important roles throughout the evening.
There is an unmistakable sense of intention to dining at Bulle. Familiar ingredients appear in unexpected forms, classic techniques meet decidedly contemporary presentations, and cocktails often echo what is happening on the plate without simply duplicating it. From garden-fresh tomato and cucumber to Wagyu, caviar, coconut curry, and locally grown white peaches, the seven-course menu unfolded as an exercise in contrast, balance, and, above all, discovery.
The husband and wife team behind Bulle is Tom and Davita Miller. “For me, Bulle is deeply personal. Even our three-bubble logo represents our three sons, so there are pieces of our family and our story woven throughout the restaurant. I wanted to create an atmosphere with its own identity—one where people want to dress up, have a cocktail, celebrate, connect over dinner and make a memory. I wanted Bulle to feel special from the moment you walk through the door.”
That same sense of intention extends beyond the menu. As the tastemaker behind Bulle, Davita approached the restaurant’s interiors with a distinct vision for how the space should look, feel, and ultimately make guests feel once inside. The result is an environment that balances sophistication with an energy that feels anything but stiff.
“When I envisioned Bulle,” Davita reflects, “I wanted to create a space that felt elegant, intimate and completely transportive—somewhere you could walk through the doors and, for a few hours, feel like you had stepped outside of Fresno and into a beautiful European-inspired setting. Every detail was intentional, from the lighting and textures to the warm finishes, artwork and intimate seating. I wanted it to feel sophisticated and luxurious, but still warm and inviting.” For Tom, Bulle represents an equally intentional vision from a hospitality perspective—one centered on creating a restaurant with its own point of view while continuing to elevate the local dining landscape.
Editorial Director Lauren Barisic and Event Director & Producer Laura Thompson of CVLUX were accompanied by Lisa Catalano, Kathy Stypula, Amber Contino, Karen Gill, Dalia Assad, and Sara Jarrar for an encompassing taste of Bulle in one of the areas that can be sectioned off for private events. Lou Gentile’s Flower Basket set the table in vivid color with elongated, low-profile arrangements of bright green moss, sculptural arched foliage, plummy calla lilies, and fuchsia orchids. Guests went home with Sierra Nut House’s signature toffee and chocolate-covered walnuts. Modern Press Paper Studio elevated each place setting with custom menus and coordinating place cards printed on pearlescent taupe paper.
The opening course captured summer in its simplest form. Bulle’s Tomato Salad brought together basil, cucumber, almond, and Parmesan in a presentation that allowed the produce to remain the focal point. Cucumber and tomato kept the dish cool and refreshing, while almond introduced texture and Parmesan provided the savory finish needed to ground all that garden freshness. “This pairing tastes just like summertime,” remarked Dalia, referencing the cocktail that arrived simultaneously. “The toasted almonds add a nice crunch, which was unexpected and delicious.”
The Garden Wisp extended those flavors directly into the glass. Mijenta Tequila and Condesa Gin form an unexpected dual-spirit base, joined by basil, cucumber, white verjus, lime, and coriander. Herbaceous and citrus-forward, it felt almost like a liquid continuation of the salad. The presentation adds a final bit of theater, with delicate bubbles floating atop the drink that burst to release a subtle veil of smoke. “This is actually our most popular cocktail,” Tom admitted. The cucumber and basil created an obvious bridge between the two, while the verjus and lime supplied enough acidity to keep the combination bright.
Things became decidedly richer with the Surf and Turf Tartare. Egg yolk jam brought a luxurious creaminess to the meat and seafood, while pimentón added warmth and crispy chips supplied the necessary crunch. It is the kind of dish that relies heavily on texture—the richness of the tartare and yolk against the delicateness of the chips makes each bite slightly different depending on how it is assembled. “I appreciated the unconventional interpretation of this land and sea pairing,” Sara shared. “And the full-length potato chips could be addictive.”
Sunday Service was enlisted to cut through that richness. Tequila, Aperol, ginger, lemon, and muddled cucumber come together for a cocktail that is at once bitter, spicy, citrusy, and cooling. Aperol lends its familiar bittersweet character, while fresh ginger adds a subtle bite that helps reset the palate after each taste of tartare. The cucumber keeps everything easy-drinking despite the decidedly savory course alongside it. “I’m into anything with tajin,” Karen marveled. “This was a surprising combination of flavors that checks all the boxes for me.”
Perhaps the most visually anticipated course of the evening was the Raviolo al L’Uovo. One oversized raviolo encases ricotta, herb spinach, and a whole egg yolk beneath a layer of pasta, surrounded by cream sauce and Parmesan foam. Once pierced, the golden yolk spills into the surrounding sauce, essentially creating yet another component right at the table. The result is rich without feeling one-dimensional, with spinach and herbs offering freshness amidst the abundance of ricotta, egg, cream, and Parmesan. “I love that this is dish fuses Italian and Californian flair, and that it isn’t heavy,” Amber admired.
Fittingly, Bulle paired one of the evening’s most luxurious dishes with its Signature Martini. Belvedere 10, Gin Mare, Silvio Carta Servito Bianco Vermouth, and Meyer lemon olive oil comprise the cocktail, which arrives finished with caviar. The briny pop of the roe against the clean, spirit-forward martini is striking on its own, but even more interesting alongside the raviolo. Salinity cuts through the pasta’s creaminess while the Meyer lemon olive oil lends an aromatic quality that keeps the pairing from feeling too weighty. Sara couldn’t help but admit, “There are so many decadent components here and yet they all come together so harmoniously.”
The Halibut shifted the menu in an entirely different direction. Coconut curry served as the foundation for the fish, accompanied by fire-roasted pattypan squash, sesame seed, mizuna, and arugula. There is richness here, but it comes packaged with freshness and spice. Peppery greens sharpen the softer notes of the coconut, while fire-roasted squash contributes a touch of smokiness. “As someone who really enjoys curry, I appreciated the masterful balance of spices and textures in this dish,” Karen offered.
No cocktail could have been more appropriately named for the pairing than the Fire Dancer. Shakara 12-Year-Old Thai Rum is mixed with lemongrass, pineapple, ginger curry, coconut, lime, and Aleppo pepper, essentially taking the flavor language of the plate and translating it into liquid form. Coconut and curry connect the two immediately, while pineapple and lime brighten the rum and Aleppo pepper leaves just enough warmth lingering at the finish. “The rum is fun!” Dalia exclaimed. “I was surprise by how well the fish couples with it.”
Australian Wagyu marked the deepest and most savory point in the progression. Black garlic and porcini amplify the beef’s natural umami, while beurre rouge lends richness and acidity to the plate. With an ingredient as inherently decadent as Wagyu, restraint matters, and the accompaniments serve more to deepen the beef than distract from it. The tenderness of the meat was not lost on Lisa. “It melts in your mouth, and I appreciated that the classic potato and veggie sides were anything but typical,” in refence to the potato souffle made with blue cheese and the delicate seasonal vegetables.
The Huntsman Old Fashioned did exactly the same. Shiitake fat-washed Four Roses Single Barrel makes up the cocktail’s foundation, joined by flamed house bitters, black walnut, and Demerara. The result is dark, earthy, and wonderfully layered. Mushroom notes in the drink pick up the porcini on the plate, while black walnut and Demerara complement the caramelized qualities inherent in both bourbon and beef. “This is a cold-weather cocktail. It’ll warm you right up!” Amber observed. This is not a pairing intended to cleanse the palate—it unapologetically deepens it.
After Wagyu and bourbon, Peaches and Cream provided a welcome reset. Presented as shaved ice, the sixth course returned the menu to something delicate and refreshing. Its icy texture alone made for an intriguing transition out of the savory portion of the tasting, while peach brought the menu firmly back to summertime in the Central Valley. “This is amazing!” raved Kathy. “I could eat every bite of this dessert. The crust is incredible!”
Local white peaches also star in the Peach Sake White Negroni. Roku Gin is combined with the fruit, house sake vermouth, and Luxardo Bitter Bianco for an interpretation of the classic Negroni that drinks much lighter than its familiar red counterpart. Peachiness comes through without pushing the cocktail into overly sweet territory—the Bitter Bianco makes sure of that—while sake vermouth contributes another layer of delicacy. “Serving peach with peach might sound redundant on paper, but I think it works here because the two expressions are so different,” Lisa observed. One is cool, soft, and dessert-like; the other botanical and bittersweet.
Mignardises offered one final collection of small bites before the evening came to its close. Traditionally designed to provide a last taste of something sweet without committing diners to another full dessert, these petite confections were especially appropriate following six preceding courses. “A little chocolate at the end of a meal is always welcome in my book,” Laura divulged. “The bite-size nature of these makes it feel indulgent but not overpowering.”
The Chocolate Espresso Martini brought Santa Teresa Cacao Cask Rum together with local espresso, Tin City Chocolate Love, chocolate bitters, and French pomegranate grenadine. Coffee and chocolate supply the depth expected from an after-dinner drink, yet the pomegranate prevents all that richness from becoming too predictable. Cacao notes in the rum reinforce the chocolate while espresso delivers the unmistakable roasted finish that has made this cocktail category practically synonymous with prolonging a good night. “Liquid dessert is always fun, and this is no exception,” noted Kathy.
By the end of the tasting, it was difficult to separate individual favorites from the experience as a whole. That progression is ultimately what made this Shake+Stir at Bulle so compelling. Great pairings are not necessarily about making food and drink taste alike. Sometimes they contrast. Sometimes they reinforce. Occasionally, as was the case here, they reveal something in one another that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. Seven courses later, that may be Bulle’s most memorable ingredient of all: surprise.
Features Contributor Elisabeth Ross
Event Director & Producer Laura Thompson
Photographer Don Dizon
Florals Lou Gentile’s Flower Basket
Favors Sierra Nut House
Stationery Modern Press Paper Studio
