Brix Wine and Cheese

my husband and i have been wanting to go here for the longest time. we finally got a sitter and ventured over after having dinner. it was probably 1130ish (pm) when we arrived. there was an older couple who seemed like regulars and a group of about 5/6 girls there. there was only one person working but he was wonderful. he seemed knowledgeable about wine and which cheeses go with it. i ordered moscatto the 9 oz glad i believe and my husband ordered a red wine, i can't remember the full name. we also ordered prosciutto, cheese, crackers, apple slices and almonds. I really enjoyed this place. I'm 26 and would highly recommend Brix for a first date/date night, girls night out or if you're looking for something besides a loud bar or nightclub scene with annoying drunk people. I love this place! I'll definitely be back!

My friend and I were toying between Neo and Brix after an event downtown last weekend, and since I have been to Neo several times (you can check out my reviews on their Yelp page) but had never been to Brix, we decided on the latter.

For a Friday night around 9pm, it wasn't too crowded. There were two bartenders behind the counter, one of whom I am assuming was in training, as the other kept whispering things for him to say to us (i.e. when he asked if we had been here before, and I said no but my friend said yes, the other bartender reminded him to say "Welcome Back" to my friend "and Welcome to Brix" to me). It was a little odd, but they were both super friendly, especially the trainee. He remembered our names from our IDs, and referred to us as "Miss S_____ and Miss M______" throughout the night, which was a quirky but personal touch we appreciated.

The trainee brought us menus and explained our options, including the sangria special. My friend asked about a particular wine and he offered her a free sample. I decided that I wanted beer (I'm lame), but they were out of Michelob Ultra Light and all the other domestics except for Bud 55, which I ended up getting. I know it's a wine bar, but if you offer beer selections, you should have them, especially on a Friday night.

Their prices are pretty reasonable...6oz glasses of wine start at $7 and go upward from there, which is pretty comparable to the next door neighbor Neo, and my Bud 55 (or my Michelob, had they had it) was $3.50. We didn't even look at the cheese menu because we just wanted a drink, so I can't really talk about that.

When we went to pay, the main bartender, who was in the back room most of the time we were there, came over to take our check and seemed confused....we had a beer and a glass of wine, and our total was I think $13...There was $3.50 in cash (the price of the beer) and a credit card, and so she came back and was like "I don't get it..." in a little bit of an off-handed manner. We explained that the cash was for the beer and to put the rest of it on the credit card. Neither of us thought it was that complicated. I don't know if she thought the cash was supposed to be for tip, which I left separately afterward.

Overall it was enjoyable...aside from the out-of-stock options and a few awkward moments, the staff was friendly and never rushed us even though we were there at least an hour. I'm not sure if I would go back, only because Neo is right next door and offers more light snacking options.

Allow if you will a moment during which I might confess to you a personal fetish of mine. It lies beyond a like or desire, it is that which fills my days with longing and anticipation. It is sweeter than mornings dew, and draws more peaceful a days ending than cool sheets and a newly fluffed pillow. It is wine and cheese...

Simply put, night finishes best with cheese, aged sausage, wine, and love. So you might now appreciate how excited I was to learn of a new wine and cheese bar in St. Chuck.
My wife and I went there day before last. A long travel week left me missing my soul mate, and eagerly wanting to slip into a glass of wine and relax with some perfectly ripened cheese. But alas,,,,,,it was not meant to be.

Great location, absolutely perfect for grade A unique. Unfortunately, someone forgot to give the decorator the address. There are SO many awesome design ideas. How about racks of wine lining the walls (empty bottles of course), oak stave wine barrels, pictures of the rolling hills of vineyards, something to give the place the feel of wine and cheese. Rather it felt like a downtown bar, a nice one, but a bar nonetheless.

The wine list was unique. I drink a lot of wine, and there were several on it I did not recognize. The opens were lined up against the back of the bar plugged with rubber vacu-seal corks; one can choose between a 6 or 9 oz. pour, or the bottle. I would suggest that measuring the 6 or 9 oz. pour of wine with a OXO kitchen measuring cup in plain sight of your customers is tacky. If that is your portion control, I don't want to know.  Nor do I want to watch you fill my water glass at the same tap used to wash the dishes.

The cheese lay in a heap at the end of the bar in a Tupperware container, more tackiness, and the Blue Goose deli bags were in plain sight, apparently housing prosciutto or the like. After three attempts at ordering cheese which they were out of, we settled on our trio. The server carefully cut, plated, and served us our portions. The cheese was good, but so is what I get from the local market. The entire evening lacked the pizazz we were hoping for. And don't pull the crackers out of a box...

The server was cordial and friendly, the place clean, but it is nothing more than a bar which offers cheese and meats. What a huge disappointment when it could have been so much more.  

So my search for a offering of wine and cheese to help close out stress filled weeks continues. For now, my home stash will suffice, and I will continue to befriend those who are better connected in the cheese and wine world than I, to offer up the occasional gem.

And why you might ask, don't I open my own Wine and Cheese bar. Simple, I would eat and drink all my profits.