Jen P.
Yelp
We had a solid first experience at Beef & Brew in those crazy, drowsy, confused days between Xmas and the New Year, when you are still trying to digest the mountains of cookies and sleep off the one-too-many tipples...
We had been looking for a centrally-located and still-open-for-in-house-dining place to meet with friends, all of whom have been staying isolated just so we could get together and exchange gifts, and we found Beef & Brew in Geneva. We arrived just as they opened, and were seated in the bigger (and completely empty) dining room right next to the roaring fireplace. Our server was appropriately masked, friendly, bubbly, helpful and efficient. She apprised us of specials on tap, and left menus for us to review.
There were 4 of us in total, and we actually skipped the drinks and just had waters and iced teas....but the real story here is the food:
- two people started with bowls of the soup of the day, which I believe was like a cheddar and beer soup. There was not much talking while they consumed their bowls, so I am pretty sure the soup was delicious...but I have no other details...
For entrees:
- one person got the hickory smoked brisket salad - the portion was huge, easily enough for 2 people to share if each were eating it as a meal, or for 4 people to share if you just wanted a side salad. There were several large pieces of perfectly cooked brisket on top of a bed of mixed spring greens, with grilled veggies and a chimichurri sauce - it looked beautiful, and my friend thought it was a good low-carb option.
- one person got the beef and stilton pie, which was essentially a bowl full of stewed beef (and I mean FULL) with melted stilton cheese throughout, and a piece of puffed pastry on top to make the 'pie'. It didn't look like a very large portion, but it was really rich and satisfying, and the puff pastry crust was just enough carb to add depth and texture. He would definitely get this again.
- one person got the beef and bleu sandwich, which was also full of meat and a good size portion, served with steak fries. The fries were also really good, though our friend was not a fan (he prefers shoe-string fries), so the rest of us ate the fries instead!
- and lastly, I had....CHICKEN! I know, what was I thinking at a place with 'beef' in the name, but the chicken pot pie was calling my name, especially after numerous days of overeating rich meat dishes at home. And I was not disappointed in the least. The chicken pot pie was full of big chunks of chicken, plus some veggies, and a relatively light though flavorful gravy, topped with a piece of puff pastry. I ate every bite and was not too full. I would definitely get this again.
Now, the experience we had was made even better by the lack of other diners, which allowed us to hear each other talk, and to consume our food unmasked without feeling too anxious...even though we know this has to be agonizingly tough on the restaurant not being filled to capacity. That said, as long as they continue to be able to serve food inside, I would definitely recommend heading out there for a meal. It's worth the 45 min drive from Rochester just to be waited on and have access to foods we don't normally cook ourselves, especially since they have such a great menu and great execution. We'll definitely be back!