Eating In: Dr. Granville Moore's Brickyard
Dr. Granville Moore’s Brickyard officially opened its doors this weekend, and with much avail. Located at 1238 H Street NE, this Belgian influenced pub has a great deal to offer, which was obvious with the number of people who showed up for the “soft opening.” Chris Surrusco, formerly of Rustico’s in Alexandria, is a proprietor and the beer connoisseur. He had estimated about 50 or so covers each night and was pleasantly surprised to see those numbers more than doubled. Unfortunately for us, we didn’t head up that way until the end of the weekend and were unable to get a few items from the menu. We’ll have to try our luck at their official grand opening in September.
The kitchen is led by executive chef David Nugent, who was the Chef de Partie of The French Laundry in California before relocating to the D.C. area. The menu is simple; a perfect match with the entire feel of the pub. Half of the menu is dedicated to Mussels (Moules) and Fries (Frites) served with a variety of sauces. The mussels come with 5 different choices of preparation, from Belgium Tripple with toasted garlic, to Smoked Bacon with leek, parsley and cream, and to preserved lemon with black olive and harissa broth. The Frites come with a choice of 6 different dipping sauces which range from roasted garlic mayo to sea salt and malt vinegar to “Dijonaisse.” The other half of the menu’s offerings include Mushroom Risotto, Croque Monsieur, and Seared Scallops with bacon and corn ragout, to name a few. As for the beer selections, there were many to choose from (currently approximately 55 Belgian selections), so we required recommendations from Chris. Speaking with him was as intense as discussing wine choices with a professional sommelier, minus the attitude, and his suggestions definitely fit what we were looking for.
From the outside, the place has a very "speakeasy" feel: it is completely unadorned except for the original sign for Dr. Granville Moore, M.D. still hanging above the large wooden door. Once inside, you instantly forget about the street you just walked in from and are able to quickly settle in, possibly for the night. There are two levels inside, each with their own bar, and a back patio. The walls are bare and the shelves and refrigerators behind the bar are antique wooden cabinets, which gives everything an old-fashioned feel, until you look at the very modern jukebox in the corner.
If you want a place to get your Belgian Beer (and Frites) fix without having to spend a whole lot, this is definitely worth checking out. Beers certainly range in price, but start around $5 and seem to average about $6-$7, with a few hitting double digits. The menu prices are $7-$8 for appetizers, $10-$15 for entrees, $14 for mussels and $3.50-$7.00 for Frites. The portion sizes are very generous.
We were inspired by the delicious simplicity of the Seared Scallops that we decided to feature it for this week’s Eating In. This dish paired nicely with the St. Feullien Triple.
Shopping List:
1 medium leek
1 ear of fresh corn
1 sprig of thyme
3 slices of smoked bacon
2 large or 4 medium sized scallops
2 Tbsp of heavy cream
Olive oil to sauté
Salt and black pepper
Recipe:
1. Dice the bacon and cook in a large sauté pan over medium heat to slowly render (cook the fat out of) it.
2. Trim off all of the green from the leek and the root on the opposite end. Cut it completely in half and rinse under cold water to clean out all of the dirt. Thinly slice each half into ribbons.
3. Shuck the corn and remove the corn kernels from the cob.
4. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan and put it to the side, reserving the fat in the pan. Add the sliced leeks to the bacon fat and stir for about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the 2 tbsp of cream. Turn the heat to a medium/low temperature, return the pan to the heat and lightly simmer the leeks for about 5-6 minutes.
5. Turning the heat back to medium/high, add the bacon and corn into the pan with the leeks and cream. Sprinkle with a little salt and black pepper. Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
6. Finish the corn ragout by removing the thyme leaves from the stem and adding them into the pan.
7. To finish the dish, heat a small sauté pan to a high heat. If there are any feet on the scallops, remove them. Add about ½ tbsp of olive oil (enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan) to the pan. If the oil smokes your pan is too hot. Season each scallop with salt and pepper and place directly into the pan.
8. Sear on one side until you achieve a brown crust, about 1-2 minutes, then quickly flip them over and repeat. Once they are cooked, place on a plate with the corn ragout.