Brick & Bottle, the Corte Madera newbie focused on delivering California comfort food and respectable cocktails, just passed its six-month birthday.  Local chef Scott Howard celebrated his Marin homecoming at the location, housed in the back of a nondescript strip mall, the former home of Izzy’s Steaks and Chops.

The interior boasts wooden tables, leather banquettes, large TVs, and (of course) brick.  Start off the meal with a house cocktail like the Ruby Slipper. The barkeeper expertly mixes Italian Aperol with champagne, lemon, cane syrup and egg white for a slightly sweet, frothy alternative to more common egg white libations.  The drink list includes an impressive array of wine, liqueurs, aperitifs and digestifs.

Brick & Bottle’s warming, dressed up favorites promise to ignite appetites.  Appetizers like veal sweetbreads with smoked bacon Madeira jus and deviled eggs with Dungeness crab salad call your name.  The Gouda mac & cheese orzo, wood stone oven pizza with crispy duck confit, and braised short ribs with tomato-rosemary jus will create an ordering dilemma.  For the indecisive, make sure to try Mary’s Rotisserie Chicken.  Our table of three annihilated two hearty portions of the juicy meat and crispy skin (a la butter injection) with porcini mushroom jus.  Chef Howard appeals to traditional American cravings with his Monday “burger night,” where he creates a new burger and pairs it with fries and a beer for $11.  Whoever says you cannot get a satisfying meal that will not break the bank in Marin has clearly not tried Brick & Bottle.

http://www.brickandbottle.com/

Anne Pao is a contributing food writer for SF Station.com.  When she is not satisfying carnivorous tendencies, you can find her adventuring in the Bay area outdoors.  For more Pao reads check out her blog at http://sftaoofpao.com

• Tag: burgers, Californian cuisine, Cocktails, comfort food, Marin, pizza, Restaurants