We went to Brix this past Saturday. I had noticed a good review in the paper and thought I would give it a try. It was average all the way around. I think for the same price range you could get a much better meal at Ciao Bella or Campiello.
The Newspaper and all the “professional” reviewers say they go and visit the restaurants multiple times and taste many options on the menu in order to give the restaurant a fair evaluation. My philosophy is…If the restaurant screws up the first time I go, it will be a long time until I revisit. If I revisit and they still don’t have it together then I am not coming back. Period.
Let’s just say it will be a while until I return to Brix.
I began my meal with dirty silverware. Luckily we were seated at a table for 4 because there were 2 more options for me. We ordered the Black Mission Figs as a starter. I also tried their Chardonnay/Pinot Grigio Blend. It was OK. The figs were fine and so was the Prosciutto di Parma and gorgonzola. A bit boring in presentation.
Next we had the Beet and Arugula Salad and the Artichoke Bisque. The salad was very good, but they served it in a very awkward bowl. It was difficult to get the first few bites out with out getting salad everywhere.
The artichoke bisque was also good, but it seemed odd that they would serve a dish that does not pair well with any wine. Since the name Brix comes from a wine term, one would think that maybe this was not a good idea. Wine was not the center of attention at BRIX. It was kind of an after thought. The list had a few interesting selections but it was pretty predictable. Like the Opus One, Dom and Duckhorn Merlot. Yawn. All presented in the wine list without any vintage shown.
On to main courses. I had the Sea Bass Special. It was fine. It was striped bass not sea bass. It was served skin side up and it was awkward to eat since I needed to remove the skin. The potatoes were good, the sauce went well with the fish. I will forget about this dish in a week or so.
The smoked duck risotto was very good though technically over cooked. I am not going to fault them on this one. I think that the average Brix diner would send it back if it was properly cooked al dente. Just speculating. Flavors were nice and I did enjoy the smell of truffles. I like a nice White Burgundy with fish. I tried the Bouchard. The waiter actually corrected me when I ordered it and told me how to pronounce it the wrong way. He also recommended the most expensive dishes on the menu. Good thing I didn’t ask him to bring me a nice bottle of cabernet…I would have had to drink down one non -vintage bottle of Opus One! Still laughing about no vintage designation at a restaurant named after a wine term.
Save your money on dessert.
I think the most disappointing thing about Brix was that the menu just was not inspiring at all. I had a hard time choosing dishes because there wa s nothing that really excited me. If you do not want to eat beef or veal, you are kind of S.O.L.
I am going to give them a few more months and try them again when they have been at it for a while.
3 responses so far ↓
Pip // September 25, 2006 at 12:08 pm |
I’m interested to hear how similar the menu is to Ciao since that’s where the head chef comes from. Keep in mind that the owner of Brix also owns the restaurant/”public house” down the block – McCoy’s.
From your review, it sounds like the same results only sort of Italian. What was the decor like? When it was Mojito, the restaurant was beautiful and physically interesting with the wine storage all the way to the ceiling.
Daniel and I almost went this weekend, but I wanted to hear what you had to say first. Of course, we’ll go, but as before I will not expect superior anything.
johngolden // September 25, 2006 at 2:49 pm |
The menu has some similarity in style to Ciao Bella’s. There are a few items that are almost exactly the same. I think Ciao Bella has more range in their menu. They certainly do a better job with fish and have more options.
The inside of the restaurant is nice. They kept the basic Mojito layout but they changed some of the surfaces.
Rusty // September 28, 2006 at 2:47 pm |
Very interesting review, my husband starts working there in the kitchen tomorrow evening, I’ll give him a heads up on the wrong fish – that will totally chap his hide.