Richard Hales' Blackbrick has recently undergone some positive changes.
The midtown Chinese restaurant recently hired Christine Guzman as its general manager. At the age of 26, Guzman already has an impressive resumé. She previously worked at Tudor House, the Phuc Yeah pop-up, the Breakers in Palm Beach, and, most recent, Haven Gastro Lounge and Huahua's Taqueria. Richard Hales says the move will enable Blackbrick, recently named one of Bon Appétit's top 50 new restaurants, to reach the next level in food and service.
"We are always evolving at my restaurants -- never resting on our accomplishments, only getting better. We hired Christine as our general manager to keep the momentum going and make us even better."
See also: Blackbrick Named One of Bon Appetit's Top 50 New Restaurants
In delicious news, the restaurant has begun offering its popular dim sum seven days a week. The dim sum menu will now be available whenever the restaurant is open. Good news for fans of the shareable items that are usually available only during weekend brunch.
Dim sum items range from nearly a dozen dumpling, wonton, and sui mei choices such as har gow shrimp dumplings, pork cheek pan-fried dumplings, shrimp and pork fried wontons, and pork sui mei to chicken feet in black bean sauce, a traditional delicacy ($7 to $16).
Before you start your meal, be sure to try the "fake rinds" placed on your table. Leftover noodle dough is flash-fried until puffy and then seasoned. A vegetarian version of pork rinds, they're so good you'll never miss the pig.
Chicken feet in black bean sauce ($7) is a must-have dim sum dish.
So are the tender spare ribs, served in black bean sauce ($7).
Local okra ($10) is a vegan treat. Blackbrick offers an entire selection of local vegetables, such as eggplant with house oyster sauce; baby bok choy and Homestead purple pok choi with ginger flavor; and Swank farms Sichuan twice-cooked Brussels sprouts with Duroc bacon.
Whatever you do, save room for the creamy, gorgeous bourbon trifle ($8), topped with a house-made fortune cookie.
My fortune, by the way: "Blackbrick 'hearts' you." The feeling is mutual.
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