We chose Brick and Brine to celebrate a very special Anniversary!
Brick and Brine provided us with an absolutely phenomenal dining experience!! Our dinner stretched out over a nearly 3 hour time period, but felt like it flew by at the same time! Never rushed, but intentional and SO enjoyed!! Our waiter was fabulous and made sure that our every need (and want!) was met. He went over and above for us and we loved every moment!! I wish I had gotten his name to mention here!
We started our evening browsing the cocktail menu. The offerings are vast! We ordered two different kinds of old fashioned options, always a favorite! One had very unique twist and arrived on fire/smoking! The drink continued to have a smoke effect, but this did not highly alter the flavor! It was delicious and fun! "It adds drama" is how our waiter put it, and he was right! :) It was called "Fire House No. 4".
Next we perused the appetizer section. The choices were excellent and we landed on the meatballs, going off of recommendations and previous experience! For meatballs, they were indeed quite delicious but if I'm being completely honest I don't think I'd choose them again. I would venture out a little more. The scallops came highly recommended by our waiter. Also highly recommended was the steak tartare!
After our appetizer we ordered a wedge salad. This was wonderful! It mimics what you'd traditionally expect from a wedge salad - this one served with multiple small wedges of iceberg lettuce - but the toppings elevate so nicely! Bleu cheese, the most delicious marinated tomatoes, pickled red onions, and the best, most flavorful chunks of bacon! This was a favorite!!
It was finally time to decide on entrees. This was tough! There are many choices I'd like to try and we will definitely be back to try some more. Because this was a special meal and we had heard very good things, both of us ordered the ribeye steak. This is a large piece of meat that arrived with mouthwatering presentation. While the flavors were most definitely evident of a quality piece of meat, I would personally not choose this exact entree again. The meat was well cooked, and done to my requested level, but arrived not very warm. I like my food hot and while I acknowledge that a fine steak presentation likely requires a rest time, my own opinion is put off when I feel like my food is in any way on the cold side. I did not complain about this - and it doesn't affect my rating, but it is worth noting and something I'd like to know when making a decision for ordering!
Other entrees that I saw coming out around me that I am SO very interested in trying on a future visit were the fried chicken (WOW! The presentation on this dish is NEXT level!) and the salmon! Everything I saw coming to nearby tables looked quite stunning and I'd quite honestly like to try each dish from their menu! ;) This place is quality, it is very evident!
We paired our dinner entree with two side items. The side items are large, intended to serve multiple people. We chose the crispy fingerling potatoes and the Brussels sprouts. Both were perfection! We loved them! The Brussels sprouts had SO much flavor! Even the leftovers the next day were so delectable!
We finished our meal with the most exceptional dessert! It was a hard decision but we chose the Chocolate Hazelnut Flourless Torte! AMAZING! It was served with an orange creamsicle ice cream which sounds like a strange accompaniment for these flavors but it fit so very well with the dish. The hazelnut crémeux on the side was also exceptional - just a really great dessert, all around!
Alongside our dessert we ordered an elevated espresso that was absolute perfection! One of THE best dessert cocktail beverages I have ever had! I highly recommend this either as your dessert or as an accompaniment! So, so good!
Even though there were a couple of things during this meal that I personally would not choose to order again, everything was still superb! I can't choose any less than five very deserved stars!! This was such a great experience at a very fine, local, Kalamazoo restaurant!!
Be prepared to spend some five star dollar amounts, but also be prepared to receive a five star, not just meal, but entire experience!! ;) read more