The decor is minimalistic; a dark interior that reminds someone of sinking within themselves. When you walk in you reach the bar, just a small counter, excessive bottles to give you comfort that any cocktail you need can be thought up. Couples surround every corner. This is a place for intimacy. A place for secrets to be told and for each person to learn a little bit more about the person they invited into this quaint space. The menu is a desired option. There are options and surprises and everything is very approachable.
Start with some warm rolls and salted butter ($4): keep it simple. Move on from there with a salad; the broccoli with lentils and feta ($9) will make you wonder why broccoli was always so frightening as a child. It’s creamy and earthy with the feta and feels like an old french woman is in the back picking the ingredients right from her garden in the south of France. Everything is so beautifully rustic.
The potatoes and chevre ($6) are a perfect dish for sharing. Meticulously-cut potato wedges stacked on a cloud of rich goat cheese is everything you could want in a side plate.
For dinner, the wild boar bourguignon ($16) melted in my mouth and reminded me to start a Sunday dinner tradition; it spoke to me of family and tradition and gathering around a table to share bounty.
The grilled trout with squash and lemon sauce ($17) was the fishiest, strangest preparation I have had in recent memory and it is not for the faint of heart. People looking for bold, river flavors will be pleased. Many people, however, want fish but hate the idea of tasting actual fish: This dish is not for them.
The pear tart ($7) is a wonderful way to end the meal; sweet, but not overly so, with house-made wafer cookies so light they’ll disappear into your mouth perhaps quicker than you’d like. They’re delicious.
In regard to what’s left, the chef has done this thing of incorporating classic, rustic French cuisine with other Mediterranean flavors and local ingredients. It follows it’s own path: no one is doing exactly what Bar Brigade has thought to do.
At the end of the night you’re in a neighborhood that is reminiscent of an old world style of living that is hard to find. Familiarity, classic dishes with well, thought out ingredients and a vibe that reminds you of being home.
