SaltRock Brewing Co. surprises with chophouse-esque menu

SaltRock Brewing Co. surprises with chophouse-esque menu

SaltRock Brewing Co. surprises with chophouse-esque menu

By GABRIELLE LAWRENCE

It’s infrequent but not unheard of that Mr. She Ate and I disagree on our feelings about a restaurant. Generally, if we go somewhere and have a bad experience, I know that the moment we get into the car, he’s going to vocalize my exact frustrations. (“They charged $4.99 for club soda” and “Why do they even ask how you want the burger cooked if they’re going to turn it into a hockey puck?” being two of the most frequent.)

Likewise, when we have an experience that’s memorable in a good way, we’ve been married for long enough at this point to be able to identify the high points without saying them.

This month’s eatery, however, has thrown us for a loop. I’ll cut to the chase — he likes the food at SaltRock Brewing Co., while I feel no pressure to ever eat there again. I’ll concede that the food is fine. It isn’t offensive. It’s just not anything that’s going to get me to leave the confines of my house — or the immediate downtown vicinity when I’m at my office and can much more easily trot over to the New Daily Bagel and get a turkey Rueben and chocolate chip bundt cake. (If you know, you know.)

Despite that, we did leave our respective downtown offices for a recent weekday lunch together, and we started with the Brussels sprouts ($12). Admittedly, I’m a salt fiend, but I think they completely forgot to season this entire dish. Mr. She Ate argued that the bacon added enough saltiness to the sprouts, but I completely disagreed and scooped my portion onto a separate plate so I could season them properly. They weren’t crispy and didn’t do much for me.

We decided to split the Salt Rock burger ($18) and the fried chicken sandwich ($17), each of which came with a choice of side. With the burger, I asked for fries with beer cheese for dipping, and with the chicken sandwich, I requested the seasonal vegetable after learning that it was a mix of sauteed summer squash and zucchini. (Seasonal? Which season are we actually in?) The vegetable side turned out to be a hilariously small portion. I could literally eat five times that amount of zucchini. I don’t expect 40 slices of zucchini as a side, but I just want to put everyone on notice that I can absolutely throw down when it comes to vegetable-related volume eating.

The burger was the shining star of this meal. It was topped with bacon jam, smoked gouda, lettuce, tomato and aioli on a pretzel bun, and the flavors of the bacon jam and the cheese came through clear as a bell. I haven’t had an actually memorable burger in a long time, and this one is on the shortlist. The fries were crispy and well seasoned, and the breading on the fried chicken was cornmeal, which made for a much lighter and tastier piece of chicken.

A note on service: It was quick and attentive. For a weekday lunch, we were seated, fed and out the door in well under an hour, even though we spent the first 15 minutes on a Zoom call with our architect, who’s going to help us pull our house out of the 1990s discount bin at Big Lots. Lots of cheap shelving and DIY gone wrong.

After a deep dive into SaltRock’s Facebook page, I uncovered evidence of a Sunday brunch. The menu, strangely, isn’t on its website, and I only found it when looking through old photos. Undaunted, we placed an order for takeout because the return to school after winter break absolutely destroyed our children, and there was no way we could trot them out to a restaurant.

We asked for an order of pancakes ($8.50), an omelet ($16) and a scramble ($15), and that’s exactly what we got. The brunch entrees didn’t come with sides — no toast, no potatoes. While I’m sure stranger things have happened, I can’t remember the last time I ordered an egg dish and wasn’t given some kind of carb with it.

The pancakes were griddled in butter, which gave them deliciously crisp edges — the only way I’ll eat a pancake. The kids woke up from their melatonin-assisted naps and demanded that I slather the pancakes in mini holiday M&M’s and Nutella (for him) and a disgusting amount of maple syrup (for her), and since I’m a pushover, I agreed. I ate half of my omelet and wondered what was in it because the description was completely void of information, then pulled out a loaf of sourdough so I could make my own darn toast.

SaltRock Brewing Co. surprises with chophouse-esque menu

SaltRock Brewing Co. surprises with chophouse-esque menu

By BRYAN BEVERLY

Downtown Lansing is a proving ground for many businesses and restaurants, and as several organizational mainstays like the state government and the insurance industry continue to find their way back after the pandemic, the need for more places to dine and gather grows.

Through the fall, foot traffic around Washington Square seemed to be increasing by the week, and the Michigan Avenue corridor reinvents itself nearly every quarter with new ventures that put a fresh spin on old spaces. The areas adjacent to Jackson Field, home of the Lugnuts, have become a jewel in the community with their modern housing options and dining and drinking venues. One could argue that the big comeback folks have been awaiting for generations has begun in earnest.

What’s less obvious to an untrained eye — but equally as exciting — are the smaller developments on streets just off the beaten path. The Allen Neighborhood Center, with its farmers market and incubator kitchen, is one shining example of the impact that investments in spatial rehabilitation can have on a localized community. Such is the hope for the new businesses on West Ionia Street that occupy the historic Bailey Buildings. Hair United, an inclusive salon, occupies one of the buildings, and this month’s focus, SaltRock Brewing Co., inhabits the other.

SaltRock opened in July and was immediately welcomed as a change of pace, with a menu that’s more reminiscent of a chophouse than a brewpub. A short walk from the Capitol, it offers a vibe similar to the eateries of Tribeca in New York City, Hyde Park in Chicago or Wallingford in Seattle — industrial-chic décor, flavors that push the envelope and a beer, wine and spirits selection worthy of brunch or happy hour for statesmen and stateswomen. It also has one of the happiest staffs I’ve seen of late. Competent and attentive, they seemed to enjoy the company of one another and that of their guests. So, what about the food?

What’s rocky

Lobster mac and cheese ($10) appears on many steakhouse menus, and SaltRock has followed suit. The mac was creamy on the bottom and crispy on top, and black pepper dominated the flavor profile. By itself, it wasn’t so bad, but the previously frozen lobster meat was more reminiscent of hours-old bubble gum in texture and not far off in flavor. I’d order the cheaper, plainer version next time.

Also lacking in flavor and visually displeasing enough that I was surprised it made it to my table was the beer cheese that accompanied the loaded fries ($7). This sauce had been simmering beyond recognition, and any semblance of taste had long since disappeared.

What’s really good

The smoked deviled eggs ($11) were much closer to my expectations for the ambitious menu. The filling was creamy with a hint of tartness, and the bacon and green onion offered textural contrast. Each egg was dusted with a barbecue dry rub that offered a perfect amount of smokiness. Diners will find it tough to share the plate of five.

The cherry and blue cheese salad ($20 with salmon addition) was also very good. The complementary flavors of tart dried cherries and creamy blue cheese worked even better with the refreshing raspberry vinaigrette. The salmon was cooked quite nicely and was seasoned well, but it didn’t overpower the rest of the salad.

The kaffir lime crème brûlée ($9) was delectable and sweet without blowing out my tastebuds with sugar — just rich enough to reappear in my daydream over my morning coffee.

Best bite

This category was a true toss-up this month. On my first visit, the 8-ounce USDA choice filet ($47) was divine. Perfectly medium rare, with a crust that would make any summer grill master jealous, the steak was clearly well rested before it was served because not a drop of red appeared on the wood plating board when I cut into it. Tender and flavorful with minimal fat to carve away, it was obvious SaltRock does steak right.

I was sure the steak was going to be the runaway favorite this month until I ordered the walleye sandwich ($18). Battered with a cornmeal crust, the large slab of fish poked out from every side of the brioche bun. Topped with house tartar sauce and crunchy house slaw, this handheld should be a shining star in the Lansing food scene for years to come.