THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED 29 Brix

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED 29 Brix Restaurant Review:

THIS ESTABLISHMENT IS CLOSED Owner Troy Fullmer’s plan for 29 Brix (brix refers to the degree of sugars in wine grapes) was to put food first, wine second in an attempt to counter the impression that his places are all about wine. The result is a standoff: there’s none of the romance of the grape, and the food forges no new ground. The restaurant itself is part of the problem; it has little charm compared to the original in The Quarry, and atmosphere will be required to stand out in the competitive market north of Loop 1604. Appetizers do include a pair of perfectly fine crab cakes, but ahi nachos can be overlooked, and an eggplant hummus lacks soul. Among the entrées, the prosciutto-wrapped pork tenderloin is fine---though there’s too much smoke in the accompanying combination of apple wood bacon and smoked cheddar. A beautifully seared duck breast is exquisitely unfussy, however. Yet walnut-crusted rainbow trout is eminently forgettable. The wine selection does include the amusing Road Trip flights, and the California-centric list has many treasures to exploit---including sweet wines to challenge the unctuous (and flourless) chocolate cake.