CUAISR ITNE
NEW PORT RICHEY’S BEST
Brix 33 Fine Wines & Bistro
By Margaret Word Burnside and Aaron R. Fodiman
Photography by Gram
The South African lobster tail entrée from the weekly blackboard specials at
Brix 33 was served over pappardelle pasta in a luscious Asiago cream sauce.
Chef Mark Malowski and Rich
Scherch knew what they wanted to
create when they opened Brix 33 ––
fine dining in a casual atmosphere
–– and it appears to us that they totally
succeeded. Brix has great service and a
large, unusual selection of wines that can
be enjoyed on the premises or purchased
to go from the wine shop side of the
restaurant.
The menu here runs the gamut with a
bevy of starters, soups, salads, sandwiches
and main courses. However, the weekly
blackboard specials expand the selections
dramatically with about six to eight
appetizers and four to six entrées as well as
a soup and a dessert of the day. We dined
by ordering items from both the standard
menu and the blackboard.
For starters, we had the escargot en croute
with spinach and bacon in a garlic white
wine broth, along with a classic shrimp
170 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018
each piece of pasta. The steak was a perfect
medium as ordered, and the hogfish was
fresh and delicious.
Following the exemplary starters and
entrées, we shared three desserts from
the menu and a piece of peanut butter
pie, which was the blackboard’s dessert
of the day. The pie was rich and creamy,
and the New York-style cheesecake also
pleased us. The Chocolate Terrine with
Vanilla Wine Drizzle melted in our mouths,
leaving the most amazing aftertaste, and
the pecan chocolate brownie was served
warm with vanilla ice cream. We believe
you will unquestionably want to dine here,
and because of the blackboard specials,
you will keep returning. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Brix 33 Fine Wines &
Bistro is located at 8351 State Road 54 in
New Port Richey just west of Little Road,
(727) 835-7912.
cocktail from the menu. The escargots were
worthy of ordering every time, and the
shrimp were large and perfectly prepared.
From the blackboard selections, we had a
burrata cheese and sliced heirloom tomato
plate with black truffle that was perfection,
and an entrée-worthy, pan seared Fiocchi
with gorgonzola, prosciutto and roasted
tomatoes that was truly amazing.
For our main course, we ordered the
tenderloin of beef with a balsamic demi
and compound butter accompanied by
garlic roasted couscous and the potato
of the day from the menu. Along with
the beef, we had three entrées from
the blackboard: pan seared hogfish, an
18-ounce center cut porterhouse that had
been rubbed with spices and was served
with a flavored butter, asparagus and
brandied carrots; and a South African
lobster tail with pappardelle pasta in an
Asiago cream sauce that exquisitely coated