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New Brookside restaurant is reason to celebrate


Oliver’s Twist has opened a new chapter for the cozy corner spot that for most of its life operated as the Grapevine in the Consortium.

The place has good bones, and other than installing a leaner-looking granite bar, new owners Travis Bruton and Mark Oliver have kept the basic layout intact.

They painted the walls in warm colors, installed some modern wall hangings and provided black tablecloths and napkins for the dinner crowd, but it still has that intimate, trendy feel that screams “Brookside.”

Because the evening we visited was particulary calm and comfortable weather-wise, we chose to dine on the front patio at one of the wrought-iron tables while we sipped some wine and watched families, couples and their pets stroll Peoria Avenue.

A couple of appetizers seemed in order, so we decided on the chipotle grilled shrimp with bacon ($14) and St. Louis raviolis ($8).

The four big shrimp were meaty and juicy with a salty-spicy flavor from the bacon and chipotle marinade. The menu said it came with white bean hummus, but instead was paired with a jalapeno-Parmesan- sour cream dipping sauce that nicely complemented the spiciness of the shrimp, and a garnish of grilled jalapenos.

The six raviolis were filled with ricotta and fried, then served with a light vodka sauce. The raviolis also had been generously seasoned with what tasted like oregano.

Macaroni and cheese was a staple at the Grapevine, and it showed up favorably in the filet and mac entree ($27). The thick, 8-ounce filet mignon was charred almost blackon the outside and was a pretty medium-rare in the middle.

The steak was pooled with a pronounced brown sauce that tasted something like a smoky Worcestershire. A side of wilted spinach was bland and served as little more than as a garnish.

Gorgonzola chicken pasta ($16) in a light Gorgonzola cream sauce had a wonderfully earthy flavor, probably due to the notable presence of mushrooms and asparagus.

For some reason it took more than 30 minutes for our dessert orders to arrive, but the blueberry mousse and chocolate creme brulee ($6 each) both were smooth, creamy and flavorful.

They were served with fresh fruits such as strawberries, blueberries and blackberries.

Lunch choices include a variety of tacos (braised short ribs and grilled red snapper, for instance), burgers, sandwiches, panini and salads.

Oliver’s Twist offers full bar service, including a respectable assortment of 37 wines (about twothirds by the glass) and 18 beers. The bar is headed by Darin Ross, known by many for his eight years at In the Raw.

Dinnerware is all white, contrasting the black cloths, and my wife wanted to point out that the women’s bathroom was nicely appointed and o:ered three di:erent kinds of hand lotion.

The menu was written by veteran chef Chris Dodge, and Myles McClanahan, formerly at Stonehorse Cafe, was hired to be executive chef. McClanahan said his style is heavily influenced by Tim Inman, chef-proprietor at Stonehorse.

“I picked his brain for four years, and now I put it all together in the kitchen here, which is a great opportunity for me,” McClanahan said.

Bruton and Oliver, both on hand for a background interview, also are partners in BruHouse, a bar and grill that sits directly across 35th Street from Oliver’s Twist.

“We knew the space had been for sale and that a sale had fallen through,” Oliver said. “We were sitting on the patio at Bruhouse, looking over here and wondering if we should make an offer.”

“We finally said, ‘Let’s gor for it,’” Bruton said. The owners recommended diners make reservations on the weekends, especially for larger parties.

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