Doc’s Backyard

 
Doc’s Backyard at 5207 Brodie Lane is the son of the original Doc’s Motorwork’s on South Congress. They key ingredients that made the first restaurant work: tasty vittles and great beers are in place at the second.

Doc’s Backyard has a nice laid-back vibe to it. It’s comfortable and accommodating and it’s the kind of place that makes you want to hang out for a while. The Fried Mushrooms always get it started for me. They are plump with a rich batter and go down wonderfully well with some Ranch dressing. I also like the South Congress Egg Rolls. They come with beef and chicken but I particularly like the chicken: the meat is moist and there’s a very appealing Monterrey Jack cheese sauce that’s inside the roll. Very tasty. Another thing I like about Doc’s Backyard are the Cheese Fries. You have to eat these quickly but they are worth it. The topping is made of queso, mixed cheeses, bacon, green onion and sour cream. A bit on the gooey side but very enjoyable. The Blackened Tilapia salad is also a very nice choice for an appetizer. The tilapia is blackened and served on a bed of greens along with a tangy green chile ranch. This is one salad that works on just about every level possible: texture, taste and presentation.

Doc’s Backyard has a very engaging array of platters leaning toward the Mexican side of the border. The Flauta Platter features moist chicken in a crispy tortilla shell along with rice and refried beans. I like to add a little queso to mine to sweeten it up a bit. The Chipotle Blackened Fish and Shrimp again features a lovely tilapia with sautéed shrimp in a chipotle cream sauce over a bed of rice. This dish just exudes flavor and the shrimp and fish combo is nicely done. The Chicken Fried Avocado is another dish unique to Doc’s. This is a fried avocado stuffed with a mix of chicken and cheese and served with a zesty tomatillo cream sauce. And Doc’s version of Shrimp Diablo is one of the better one in the city. To me the thing that makes this dish is the seasoning in the shrimp. Add some jalapenos and some jack cheese and wrap it in bacon and you have a spicy and compelling treat.

And let’s not forget the burgers and sandwiches. I love the Bleu Cheese and Peppercorn Burger. The roll is fresh and flavor is unmistakable. This burger just flat out hits you where your taste buds live! And not to be overlooked is the Roasted Veggie and Pesto Sandwich. This is a vegetarian’s dream come true. The mix of portabello mushrooms, pesto and seasonal veggies makes for a rousing sandwich: kudos to the chef on this one.

Doc’s is a little difficult to find at 5207 Brodie. But persevere and you’ll be rewarded with some very good chow and some stellar suds. Just please don’t go in and ask for Doc!