219 West

 
The Warehouse district has been home to a number of restaurants over the last ten years. But the one that has lasted, and for good reason, is 219 West. This is an establishment that blends cocktails, beer and wine along with some enticing comfort foods. So what does one call the food here? Pub grub? Not even close. The food here is considerably beyond that and engaging as all get out. And they’ve just added a killer Sunday brunch.

219 West has fashioned a number of mini-menus each based around some kind of libation. Let’s start with an obvious one: the Beer Menu. They’ve brought back the slider at 219 and the Mini Bacon Cheeseburgers with pickles and yellow mustard are a blast. Add the Spicy Tater Tots which seem a natural paring with the sliders, or try the Chipotle Mac and Cheese. This dish has a wonderful flavor and is as mellow as the chipotle will allow.

The Martini Menu offers a different but no less enticing experience. The Mini French Onion Sliders start things off beautifully with a blend of Swiss cheese, pickles and garlic aioli. The Spinach and Artichoke Quesadilla is a very nice offering with mushrooms and roasted red peppers. The balsamic reduction is the key to the flavor integration here though. Lip smacking good!

The Scotch Menu begins with yet another intoxicating dish of sliders. The Mini “Shroom” and Swiss Burgers with bacon and spicy mustard are probably my favorites. For something more substantial, try the Grilled Lamb Chops. This dish simply exudes stunning flavors, from the perfectly cooked lamb chop with garlic mashers and grilled asparagus to the red pepper jelly and toasted pecans. Even my wife, who as a rule has little use for lamb in any form, liked this dish!

The Wine Menu ramps things up a bit. The Mini Caprese Burgers taste like a wonderful caprese salad with prosciutto, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella over the meat. This is innovative! Bar food? Are you kidding me? You can add to the Wine Menu with the Napa Grilled Beef Tenderloin Filet featuring garlic mashers, grilled broccoli and a red wine demi glace. Really neat dish with bold flavors.

The Tequila Menu features a Jalapeno Crab Dip with warm Pita bread that simply has to be sampled. The dip has great texture (the key) and doesn’t err on the overly hot side. Then you must try the Tortilla Crusted Pork Tenderloin. Aside from the crispy pork, the poblano cream sauce and roasted corn light this dish up.

And as mentioned earlier, there is a new Sunday brunch being served at 219 West. You want to try something engaging? How about the Lump Crab Eggs Benedict? This is seriously innovative and every bit as tasty.

So what is 219 West? It’s a bar, to be sure. But so much more than that. The carefully planned menu allows for innovative pairings of drinks and comfort food that most bars couldn’t even envision on their radar. That’s what makes this place special and one of my favs.