Metro Detroit: Novi’s Brentwood Grille
The Brentwood Grill has only been around for about 18 months . . . but it has much deeper roots than that. If you have never heard of the Brentwood Grill we wouldn’t be surprised. You may know it better as Steve & Rocky’s. Steve & Rocky’s, which was owned by Steve Allan (Steve) & Charles Rachwitz (Rocky), since around 1998 was a staple to the Novi area. Last year, when Steve & Rocky decided to step away from day to day operations, their General Manager Bob Loomis stepped in and purchased it from them.
Since Steve & Rocky’s was such a huge success, Bob didn’t want to change much. Just changing the name was risky enough. His goal was to make sure the regular customers didn’t notice much of a change, keeping the menu and décor mostly unchanged. He was even able to retain all 32 employees on staff. He has made gradual changes over time, but all for the better The main dining area was painted and re-carpeted to a lighter color, brightening the place up quite a bit. He did not want to take away from Steve & Rocky’s. His goal was to enhance what was currently going on.
When you walk in, you will be greeted by the host or hostess. The bar is to the immediate left and main dining area to the right. Its a semi formal, white table cloth kind of place, but it is very family friendly. If you know us, this is not the type of place we typically radiate to. But, trust us, there are no table cloths in the bar. Since Happy Hour here is only in the bar area, we seemed to fit right in. The bar is long and narrow with seating for 22-25 people. It is very colorful and decorated with magnums of wine and lots of ceramic chickens. Not sure the meaning of that.
Though we didn’t eat off their lunch or dinner menu, we did look at it and there are some nice choices that won’t put a huge dent in your wallet. It’s a “Modern American” restaurant. You will find some classics like their Brentwood Burger, Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Meatloaf and Pork Belly Mac & Cheese, but you will also see items like Roast Duck, Almond Crusted Lamb Chops and Braised Short Ribs which all come with sides included. The most expensive menu item is $45 for their 14oz Ribeye. That’s hard to find in today’s world.
They also serve homemade soups, including their 2 staples: Butternut Squash and Chef Milos’ Mushroom Soup. Chef Milos’ was the chef of The Golden Mushroom in Southfield for over 15 years in the 80’s and 90’s. His reputation for excellence was unrivaled by any other chefs of the time in Michigan.
Of course we are here for the Happy Hour, which previously mentioned is offered in the bar area only Monday thru Friday from 3:30-6:30PM. You can get
50% off appetizers and Brentwood Cocktails
$4 well drinks and bottled beer
$5 house wines
They also have their Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Brentwood Burger and Wild Game Burgers at discounted prices and they all come with fries. We recommend asking for a basket of their fresh baked rolls with whipped butter, they are sooo good!
So what did we have? Well we have been there a couple of times. The first time we started with their Crispy Pork Belly, which was only $6.25 during happy hour, and it was out of this world! It was a nice portion and cooked to be super crispy, yet so creamy and delicious inside. It was served with a zucchini chutney, habanero honey and pickled red onions. I will probably order this every time we go there.
Next we had the Ahi Tuna Tartare, served with kimchi chili glaze, avocado and wonton chips. This was really good and had a ton of flavor. We also had their perch taco which for $4 was really nice and tasty. It had a Cajun remoulade, siracha, pickled red onion and lettuce and tomato. On a side note, I don’t know that I would pay the normal $8 non-happy hour price for it.
The 2nd time we were there with friends, and we were able to spend a little more time and try a few more items. Of course we had the pork belly again, but this time with the Crispy Chicken Sandwich and a couple orders of their Shrimp - One of Three Ways (Cocktail, Cajun or Scampi). We got the Cajun and Scampi. The Chicken Sandwich was really good. Hand breaded, fried and served on a nice Brioche bun with Napa slaw, sliced pickles and siracha mayo. The shrimp were a last minute decision and we are glad we decided to try them. Jumbo shrimp, cooked perfectly. The Cajun were served with a southwestern style rice with peppers, onions and corn and a dollop of crème fresh. The Scampi had a delicious buttery garlic sauce with fresh shave parmesan on top. This is where the rolls come in handy, to make sure you get all that delicious sauce.
We were so impressed by the Brentwood that we could just keep going on and on.
Do yourself a favor and make the trip there and see for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.
The Brentwood Grill is located at 43150 Grand River Ave in the Novi Town Center. They are open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 – 9:00PM. Friday 11:30-10PM, Saturday 4-10PM and Sunday 2-7P
Until next time . . . live well, eat well and enjoy life!
-Keith & Teresa Becker