The Brick

The first time I went to The Brick it was for live music. It was late at night, I had already eaten dinner, and on the TVs above the bar they were showing a movie in which a number of clowns were committing murder. It never occurred to me that The Brick served food. That was several years ago and I have never been compelled to return and dine, despite rumors of good sweet potato fries and a biscuits & gravy bar. That is until the VB project took us there last night (serendipitously on their 2 for 1 burger night). The server informed us of their special for the evening and let us know that we could substitute a veggie patty on any of the burgers. It was as though she had read our minds - like she knew we were interested in veggie burgers. Or, if not that, she at least seemed to have an awareness of the existence of vegetarianism - and that's always a good thing to find in a restaurant.

It turns out that The Brick is not only aware of vegetarianism but serves vegetarian food, too. The menu includes an entire section (with 7 items!) labeled Veggie Options. You can also have a veggie patty on any of the specialty burgers from the other side of the menu. I tried to order "The Pubby" burger - which has been "served at this location since 1967" - but they were out of the requisite onion rings so I didn't. (It's just as well since the traditional Pubby of 1967 would have been very different from my version with the veggie patty replacement and the bacon omission.) Several appetizers and salads on the menu are also vegetarian and I would guess that if you went on a Thursday for Pizzas and Pitchers for $5, you could probably get a veggie friendly pizza.

They have a full roster of fun to go along with their menu - Karaoke on Monday, Taco Tuesdays, and Trivia on Fridays. Oh, and of course there's "KC's only Biscuits and Gravy Bar" served on Saturdays. Is it too much to hope for to find good vegetarian Biscuits and Gravy (outside of Eden Alley's awesome brunch, that is)? I don't know, but I'd be willing to go check out brunch at the Brick, if for no other reason than because I love the name - "Brickfast."

Oh, and did I mention the Fluffernutter or the Dream Twinkie? Yes, their menu offers a Fluffernutter which I would order in part because I think it would taste good, but also because ordering a Fluffernutter at a restaurant is not something you get to do everyday. As for the Dream Twinkie ("lightly-battered and deep-fried Twinkie drizzled with chocolate sauce") ... well ... let's just say that dream is not the word that pops into my head at that description. So, I'll opt out of that dessert. But I will say, it's nice to see a place that pays attention to breadth in their menu and has some fun, too.