For a place that almost didn’t exist, Brocach on Monroe seems like a nice fit to the neighborhood. The owners of the Capitol Square location opened this version across from Trader Joe’s last fall, although not surprisingly, they ran into some local opposition.
The first thing I liked was the exterior, which I though fit nicely among the nearby storefronts and gave it a Chicago feel. The inside is a bit small, and I could see the place filling up quickly on a Friday or Saturday night.
To take a phrase from Guy Fieri, the food is out of bounds. I tried the beer cheese dip ($11), the spicy burger ($12) and the fish and chips ($13). I chose the meat version for the tasty dip, which meant Irish sausage was added to Carr Valley cheddar and Spotted Cow. Wow! Sadly, the worst part of my meal was the pretzels, which were stale, though the cheese did soften them up a bit.
You may want to remove some of the red onions that were generously added to the burger. This juicy bad boy is made from Knoche’s beef and includes pickled jalapeño, chili rubbed bacon, pepperjack cheese and chilie aioli. Don’t worry–it’s actually not that spicy. As with all the sandwiches, you can choose a side of mixed greens or fries.
The deep-fried cod was moist and crisp and can be ordered all week-long. I know some people may not like the breading because it seems too greasy/fatty, but I certainly enjoyed it. It came with some forgettable cole slaw and of course, the fries. I wish I had some more cheese dip for those fries …
Other entrees include the Bangers and Mash ($13) and Shepherd’s Pie ($13). I’ll have to remember to come back sometime for brunch, which has items such as corned beef hash ($12) and crab cake benedict ($13).
At happy hour on a Friday, I was shocked how dead the place was (and super quiet, since the band hadn’t started yet). Who doesn’t want to take advantage of half-price scotch? I guess there aren’t enough businesses in the area, a stark contrast to the Capitol location.
Speaking of comparisons, it’s funny that I previously reviewed Craft Table and Tap, a not-so-good sequel to Cooper’s Tavern. In this case, Brocach on Monroe is definitely on par with the original version. It’s open at 11 a.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. on the weekends. There’s meter parking in front, or you can try parking on the side streets.
