Even on first visit, Brix will seem as comfortable as your own living room. Which, more than anything else, probably is due to co-owner Rick Reich, who appears wearing shorts, T-shirt, comfy shoes sans socks and barely combed hair.
There are fewer than a dozen stools at the wine bar - the rest of the small space is for rows and rows of wines bottles.
On Tuesday nights, they show a movie on the plasma screen ("Match Point" one week, "The Phantom of the Opera" the next). Go on Wednesdays for karaoke and trivia. (Here's a question for you: What wine bar in Orange County serves pastrami sandwiches?)
Armed with only a convection oven behind the bar and a small gas grill outside by the entrance, Reich will throw together a pizza to bake while gorgonzola burgers sizzle outdoors. The crust for the pizzas is amazing - a buttery, flaky canvas that is far too delicate for holding more than a parsley sprig, but too delicious to replace.
Bruschetta and chicken kebabs are delivered to you from the kitchen of the restaurant next door. Saturday and Thursday nights are themed wine tastings. Bordeaux varietals or wine and chocolate pairings, for instance.
You may order by the glass or the flight and in some cases, you can leave it up to Rick, who will look around his refrigerator or shelves and start pulling bottles for you to try. There are California wines, but there's more than equal regard for Washington state and international makers as well.
The door is usually open and on cool nights a friendly breeze makes its way through the room. If you go often enough, they'll surprise you with your name etched on your own wine glass.
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