A Cafe Without Sissy Food? Nonsense.

When you think of a cafe/bakery, you think of Europe, no? Dainty little sandwiches, mixed vegetable salads, smells of coffee and fresh-baked croissants, and thin delicate women sitting around chatting with bags of new Manolos sitting by their feet.

Well, Brick Street Cafe is not really like that at all. It is nestled in a nook off Augusta Road, across from Fluor Field and pretty close to downtown. The neighborhood isn't necessarily an up-and-coming area, but it is charming. Sort of "Old World" Greenville.

In case you were wondering (and you will be if you ever go to this place), the parking is around back and the entrance is UPSTAIRS. I want to clearly make this distinction because I was terribly confused for the first five minutes headed in to the restaurant. I almost caused a five car pile up on Augusta from turning in to the wrong parking lot, almost walked into the bakery downstairs and stood in the doorway like a loon because I wasn't sure if I seated myself. P.S. They seat you.

The inside is also quaint and reminds me of a family-type restaurant in France. There are lots of random photos and artwork on the walls, with tables and flowers scattered at random around the room. There's even a disco ball hanging in the center of the dining room.

My friend Lauren Coggins (I call her L.C. and yes, she loves The Hills) met me there for a Thursday night chat and some dessert, since clearly we are eating at a bakery. L.C. and I are greeted by a strange, skinny man who we loving refer to as "Rrrrrrroche." He fills up our water glasses and we mull over the very eclectic menu. Surprisingly, there is no girly food! It's all steak, pork chops and spaghetti... YUM!

In an effort to "save room for dessert," we decided to share the Shrimp and Grits. We were immediately served complimentary salads and bread, both of which were good. The salad was made of baby greens, veggies and a homemade vinaigrette. It tastes a little like honey mustard, but had more spices. The bread was pumpernickel with soft, sweet butter. Not super complicated, but done well.

The Shrimp and Grits were timed perfectly and arrived right we finished the salads. The portion was split on two separate plates, which was a nice touch until we got the bill--we had a $5 plate charge. I do not understand why places charge a plate fee. It makes no sense to me. We wanted to save room to BUY MORE FOOD. That is for another post...

The Shrimp and Grits were very good and super light. The grits were cheesy and well-seasoned, and there was Andouille sausage cooked in the gravy which gave the whole dish a nice smokey flavor. The shrimp were a little tough, but when you cook them in a grits dish, it's easy to overcook them.

Now... on to Heaven on a plate. Peanut Butter Pie. The homemade pie crust was super flaky and topped with a very thin layer of chocolate. The body of the pie was made of peanut butter mousse. It had the texture of fudge, with the light and airy feel of meringue. The topping was made of chocolate sauce, caramel drizzle and peanuts. Oh. My. Word. I don't even think I need to say anymore other than you need to have this. Everyday.
All in all, I think L.C. and my experience was pretty good. We had good food, a weird server and got a small glimpse of Heaven. The only problems were the price (plus plate charge) and the lack of direction upon arrival. I give it 3.75 out of 5.