Most of us try to show some restraint when it comes to dessert, but our experience has been that when it comes to enjoying the sweeter side of life, self-denial is no more a virtue than self-indulgence. And while many of our guests think of Yankee Pot Roast or Citrus Chicken as iconic menu items at the Brick Oven Bistro, there are many who would just as quickly name bread pudding, strawberry shortcake, or a chocolate malt as the foods that most readily come to mind when they think of us.
The fact is that we take dessert every bit as seriously as any of our menu entrees, and desserts have been a long-standing part of the Brick Oven Bistro tradition. I was reminded of this the other day when I was talking to a guest who admitted that he first visited us more than 15 years ago because he had heard that we made the best milkshakes in town – then discovered to his surprise that we were actually a restaurant and not a soda fountain.
Our dessert tradition began whimsically enough with unique milkshake creations such as the Fuzzy Navel, New York Cheesecake, Bananas Foster, and Mom’s Apple Pie – all of which continue to be made the old-fashioned way with high quality hard ice cream. Our friend and Denver food diva Pat Miller contributed her infamous Triple Fudge Nut Brownie, and we also began baking chocolate chip and almond sugar cookies. As time went by, we further expanded our dessert portfolio with favorites such as our Apple Bread Pudding with Bourbon Walnut Sauce and our summer dessert standard, Strawberry Shortcake.
Not content to rest on our laurels, we’ve continued to experiment with new dessert items – most recently our Chocolate Espresso Pecan Pie and our Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cheesecake, which proves that when it comes to dessert, less is definitely not more. While most of our guests don’t have a whole lot of room left over when they finish up a Brick Oven Bistro lunch or dinner entrée, there are plenty who enjoy sharing a dessert or take one home to eat later.
We’re proud of our dessert tradition at the Brick Oven Bistro, and we’re delighted that so many folks make our cookies and brownies a highlight of their working day. We even know some local musicians who refuse to play on our patio until they’ve had their obligatory Brick Oven Bistro Carrot Cake. Sure, you could call that indulgence, but we’d prefer to think of it as simply getting your “just desserts” in life.