Anyone walking down Pinckney street will pass Graze’s glass-faced building and long for a posh dinner getaway.
Situated on the Capitol Square on the corner of Pinckney and Main Street, Graze usually is in high demand for dinner, permitting at least a 45 minute wait on a Friday night. But before patrons even take their seat, their eyes feast on the glass establishment, the fresh, contemporary, youthful atmosphere and a booming crowd. The aesthetic is refreshing, with a kitchen that prepares meals with acceptable rapidity and uniformity.
Once handed a menu and assigned one of Graze’s intimate seating arrangements, customers will ponder how they will select among the rich cuisine. Take for instance, the bibimbap and the moules frites.
With a choice of tofu or marinated ground pork, the bibimbap is made up of sunny-side-up egg, served over crunchy rice, garden-fresh vegetables and gochujang — a mouthwatering, zesty and biting sauce created from sticky rice, red chili, spice and soybeans.
The moules frites — the ideal dish for anyone with a weakness for seafood — is made up of chili-braised mussels, zesty white wine stock, cilantro, trimmed fennel and french fries with aioli, — a relish consisting of olive oil and garlic. This meal — an enormous amount of food and an outstanding, quality dinner — is $18.
Another praised dish is Graze’s pub burger — but it comes with a twist. Served on an English muffin as opposed to a conventional bun, it’s a Graze classic. Other entree options include rainbow trout, bacon-rabbit sausage, rigatoni, mac n’ cheese, hot chicken and pickles, grilled lamb loin, steak frites and a more lavish burger option.
In the manner of impressive high-end eating, there is a selection of first-rate starters. Fried pickles with dill ranch, Korean-style nachos, pork buns and roasted market vegetables make up an impressive lineup. For something extra, order a roasted beet salad or grilled shishito peppers — both gluten-free.
In addition to weekend dinner served from 5-11 p.m., Graze offers lunch and brunch, which have completely different menus.
Graze isn’t for one with simple tastes, but it is excellent — and the bill is worth it.