by Terrance Mc Arthur

Downtown Sanger…You never know what you’ll find!

In the two-block stretch of 7th Street west of Academy Avenue, it could be a bar, a jewelry store, quinceañera dresses, a martial arts studio, a barber shop…or food. The Great Food Search told you about Mi Linda Tierra, but there’s a new kid on the block—Brickhouse Bar and Grill.

The 1315 7th Street location used to be a Chinese restaurant, then it became a coffee bar. In its new form, it’s still an itty-bitty space; between indoor and sidewalk, there might be seating for forty or fifty. It has an outlaw country feel with music that leans toward Waylon, Willie, and Merle. A quartet of TV screens make the room a little bit of sports heaven. Behind the bar, you’ll find a walls worth of potent potable bottles. Back in the kitchen…things are starting to happen.

The goal is to become a breakfast/lunch/dinner/after place, but the owners decided to begin on a smaller scale. You might expect them to start with breakfasts. Nope. Brickhouse is serving—Steaks! Pork chops! Salmon! Burgers! Sandwiches! Appetizers!

We tried an appetizer sampler. Feisty dipping sauce created a swimming hole for dunking crisp Carrots and Celery, wild and crazy Onion Rings, and gooey Mozzarella Sticks. Then, there were the Chicken Wings (Drumettes, to be specific), the stars of the platter, slathered in more sauce than I’ve ever seen outside of Italian restaurants. We went with BBQ instead of Buffalo. It was still intense.

My wife has a fondness for salmon, and her plate featured firm, well-seasoned slabs of fish, along with Grilled Zucchini and Mashed potatoes. The potatoes had that lumpiness that says, “a person made this.”

My choice of Pork Chops featured Mac & Cheese and Sautéed Mushrooms as sides. The generous serving of meat, gleefully peppered, lasted long enough for midnight snacking at home. The mushrooms were juicy and wow-worthy. Other side dishes on the dinner menu included Baked Potato, Grilled Asparagus, French Fries, and Steamed Vegetables.

Fridays through Sundays, I understand, Brickhouse gets packed and lively. On a Thursday night, it proved to be a gently-lit spot for an intimate evening meal for two. We will return to try out the burger selections which contain combinations of such winners as bleu cheese, Pepper Jack cheese, Swiss cheese, avocados, jalapeños, mushrooms, grilled onions, pastrami, bacon, and sauces of different heat ratings.

I wish the Brickhouse well, and may it withstand the huffs and puffs of wolves long enough to expand into the lands of lunches and breakfasts, a fairytale ending that will bring joy to that enchanted kingdom known as Sanger.

Check out more food articles and more of Terrance’s Great Food Search column in our Food Fun section. And check out a KRL staff profile this week on Terrance!

Terrance V. Mc Arthur worked for the Fresno County Public Library for three decades. He is retired, but not retiring. A storyteller, puppeteer, writer, actor, magician, basketmaker, and all-around interesting person, his goal is to make life more unusual for everyone he meets.