BrickTops in Frontenac Has Arrived On The Local Scene

Approaching the new BrickTops Restaurant on the northeast corner of Plaza Frontenac’s property, you can smell the wholesome aeroma of freshly cooked delicacies from the lot.

BrickTops is coming on the scene in Frontenac in a big way. First opening to the public Nov. 29, the restaurant professes not to be all things to all people.

BrickTops is not a sports bar or a pizza parlor. Rather, every single item is made fresh daily, including the salad dressings, appetizers and other varied items.

Darrell Goodman, the kitchen manager, said his restaurant, the sixth location in a southern chain, is determined to fill a niche in the market.

“We are looking to have repeat business from the people who live in Ladue and Frontenac. Our price points are in line with other fine local restaurants,” he said.

Friendliness and attitude are the ingredients for getting hired to the wait or kitchen staff.

Time in service is not as important. Presently, BrickTops has some 40 people in the grill area, 60 servers and another seven on the bar staff.

Kelly McBride is the day manager of the bar. She’s enthusiastic about working for the company. “We offer happy hour drinks seven days a week, 4-6 p.m.,” McBride said.

“We’re not doing anything crazy. We are keeping our menu pretty simple,” Goodman said.

All beef is cooked on a hickory-fired grill, nothing ever touches a gas burner. Items are flown in fresh daily. Scallops are delivered from Massachusetts. Fresh fish including Chilean sea bass, ahi tuna and salmon is flown in fresh from Boston and the West Coast. One of the most popular items is meatloaf made from freshly ground beef.

New customers can expect lots of attention tableside. Two and three servers are assigned to each table.

On Sundays the brunch is served a la carte, not as a buffet. Freshly cooked doughnuts are a Brick Tops specialty.

Entrées range in price from $18 to $35. A specialty of the house is prime rib at $35. A 10-ounce burger is priced at $10. The only pizza offered is flatbread style.

A fully stocked bar includes a wide variety of champagnes, beers and wines including chardonnay, pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc, among others.

BrickTops is open seven days a week. Hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are accepted for six or more diners. Call 314-567-6300.