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"When you graduate from high school, or cele ate an anniversary, we want to be the restaurant you come to," Inzer said.
Dolan is focusing on high-quality ingredients—locally sourced whenever possible— and will plan his menu based on what he can get.
“A degree of everything we'll serve is and new, even to me,” he said. “A degree of everything is coming with me from everywhere I've ever been throughout my career.”
A chicken liver and truffle mouse, for example, is his interpretation of a dish he learned from internationally recognized French chef Jacques Pépin.
Dolan's menu will change twice a season, roughly every six weeks. “That's really how things come into season. If I'm only changing the menu four times a year, I will have missed things at the peak of their season,” he said.
“This region has a great bounty. Most regions have their niche. Here, there are rolling fields, the Bay five minutes away, and the ocean an hour away. Obviously it's a great place to be. You can't go wrong.”
On the crab and corn chowder I mentioned yesterday, Dolan says he is excited to work with local silverqueen corn, which he says “has a very short season, and can’t be used when it isn’t perfect.” He’s also excited to work with both Choptank Sweets and Choptank Salts oysters, as well as other local seafood.
“Rockfish—I love it, but I actually prefer bluefish. You can get striped bass anywhere in the area,” he said.
The restaurant's proximity to courthouse square is also appealing to the owners.
“Every day, I talk to locals who are so excited for something to come in here. I hear it every day,” said Fairbanks, who is also the chef of the partnership's catering operation, Capital Culinaire. With Brique providing a foothold on the Shore, the two intend to expand their catering operations on this side of the Bridge.
Matching the menu, the wine list will be eclectic and full of reputable bottles, but Inzer and Fairbanks don't intend to have a 300-some-odd-bottle wine cellar. The wine list will be joined by a list of craft and micro ewed beers, emphasizing those ewed locally.
“We aren't looking to be a Bud or Miller Light tap house,” Inzer said. “That's not our interest.”
Inzer and Fairbanks, familiar with Mills Fine Wine and Spirits due to their other restaurant, the Kitchen at 137 in downtown Annapolis, have talked with its owners about hosting wine dinners. They'd also invite involvement from Cassinelli Winery & Vineyards in Church Hill or Eastern Shore Brewing in St. Michaels for future events.
“We're all about getting local people involved,” Fairbanks said.
In news that should be appealing to the lawyers at courthouse square, Brique will also serve eakfast.
“It would be a waste of space not to [serve eakfast],” Fairbanks said. “Our eakfast menu won't be competing with diners, but you'll recognize everything that we're serving.”
Dolan is looking to hire a sous chef before the restaurant's grand opening, which is currently planned to happen between 10 days and two weeks of today. I'll file another entry when they schedule an official opening date.
