Brick Oven

   There’s a hot new restaurant in Southwest Topeka, with a lot of the heat being produced by its namesake brick oven. The Brick Oven Courtyard Grille recently opened its doors on Wanamaker Road in front of Heritage Bank to large crowds eager to taste the experience of this upscale eatery.
   The moment you pull up to this beautiful glass and stone building you know you are in for a treat, and while walking up to the front entrance you can’t help but notice the three large fire caldrons adorning the fabulous outdoor patio.
   Upon entering, TK Magazine’s secret restaurant review crew was immediately impressed by the classy décor throughout the restaurant. We were greeted by a number of welcoming Brick Oven hosts eager to whisk us away to begin our much anticipated dinner.
   After settling in, we began to scour the menu to decide on our dinners for the evening. The menu offers a very large selection, including a wide variety of salads, pasta, chicken, steak, seafood, and even Kobe beef! Finally, we spotted the availability of barbecue grilled on the brick oven.
   We started with Chicago Style Spinach and Artichoke fondue. We were all very excited about being able to order fondue—something none of us had ordered at a local restaurant before. When it arrived, we agreed we were a tad disappointed in its presentation. Although very tasty, the fondue was missing a little something—namely, the fondue pot! In truth, this dish was really just Spinach and Artichoke dip and garlic bread.
   When dinner arrived it all looked fabulous. The chefs take great care with the presentation of the main dishes. The Swordfish was served on a real cedar plank – truly an excellent choice for the seafood lover (on a separate trip, one of us enjoyed the Sea Bass, also served on a cedar plank and very hot and tender). Overall, each of our secret diners were pleased with their meals (though one described his prime rib as merely average in taste). However, as we were about to discover at Brick Oven they save the best for last…
   To finish our meal, we decided to go for the gusto and ordered their Berries Chocolate Dream. The official TK Magazine analysis of this delightful and beautiful dessert? “Oh mama!” Picture a sculpted bag crafted with Belgian chocolate, filled with white chocolate mousse, and topped with fresh berries and whipped cream. Although a bit pricey, it was well worth it and plenty for our party of five to share.
   At this early point, you can tell that Brick Oven is new and going through some start-up pains, but we think Brick Oven is a keeper and a delightful place to meet for business or for special evenings with your significant other.