BRC gave me plenty to chew on.....

...and it was most satisfying. This southern comfort food restaurant on steroids (metaphorically speaking) was a surprise for a lot of reasons, one of them has to do with its name. It took me a few drive-bys, seeing the giant red rooster at the the corner of Blossom and Shepherd to make the connection between the rooster and the initials, BRC, on top of the building.

Hello, BRC. I think it is bold, fun and definitely a conversation starter, because I have to tell you, that people who have never been there, know exactly what you're talking about when you ask "Have you seen that giant red rooster on the corner of Blossom and Shepherd?" There is always, always a grin and then they reply, "You mean BRC?"

As I entered the BRC I wasn't sure what to expect. Would it be cheesy with only burgers on the menu, sawdust on the floor? I got my first clue as to the quality of the place by the patio just to the right of the front door. It is contemporary, well shaded, with nice greenery. The inside is as nicely appointed  in neutral tones with that splash of BRC red on the walls and bar stools. There are framed pictures of what else on the walls? Hens and roosters, of course.

I started my meal with a beer from Buffalo Brewery. It's a local brewery and the beer is very good.

BRC offers a wide variety of handcraft brews along with ciders and wines. They also have a unique selection of appetizers.  I tried the fried oyster, bacon and deviled egg appetizer. It sounds a bit funky, but Holy Toledo, Batman, it was really good. The oysters and bacon are piping hot, the eggs are chilled. The egg mixture adds a saucy taste to the oysters. I liked it.

My friend Barb met me there for lunch. This gave me an opportunity to get a couple of different dishes on the the table. I ordered the Spice Roast and Grill Finished Brisket Slab (It is a slab for sure, a thick slab). The meat was fork splitting tender, rich, yummy.

It comes with mashed potatoes that tastes like a baked potato loaded to the max with green onions, bacon, sour cream and cheese. There is mushroom-onion gravy that I requested on the side, because I'm a gravy snob. So few places know how to make a good gravy, my mom has set the gold standard for that, but BRC's gravy was quite good. There is nothing worse than having gravy poured all over your food and then the gravy taste like paste; ruining the good food underneath.

Barb ordered the Chicken Pot Pie which comes with a fresh green salad. The pot pie is huge. I tasted it. Liked it very much. It is cooked with pulled chicken, peas, pearl onions, celery, carrots and parsnips.

And to round out the whole experience, I ordered cake balls. They are made by Petite Sweets an affiliate restaurant of BRC, that and Liberty Kitchen, too. The cake balls are made from scratch and pack a hefty punch of flavor. Below is Red Velvet, Chocolate Peanut Butter and Italian Cream.

 The people at the table over ordered the Bread Pudding. It looked scrumptous, too.

There are lighter things on the menu, like this grilled chicken salad with greens and roasted beets. I decided to go for a heartier meal.

The food is quality. The wait staff is friendly and informative. It was a great experience all the way around. The BRC has me wanting more. It certainly put the cock-a-doodle in my doo. I will dine there again and maybe try out their happy hour, too.

BRC Gastropub
519 Shepherd
Houston, TX 77007
www.brcgastropub.com