Zooming past The Corners of Brookfield on I-94, a driver might notice little more than the blur of anchor store Von Maur. But within the shops of Market Square and the luxury apartments above are a handful of restaurants waiting to be explored.
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria offers thin crust pies cooked in intense heat in ovens that are on display at the entrance. The coal-brick ovens are stoked twice daily, knocking down any old coal and ash inside the ovens, then rebuilding the fire each time. During this stoking process, pizzas aren’t available. During the Stoking Social Hour (3:30-6 p.m.), Grimaldi’s offers menu options including starters, salads, draft beers and wines to enjoy while the oven heats back up to baking temperature. Pizza service resumes at 5 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Grimaldi's
Arriving at the tail end of the rush, we were pleasantly surprised when the hostess alerted us our table was ready just 10 minutes into the estimated 40-minute wait. While the large, bustling dining room was still humming with activity, we were seated at a corner table, out of the way but with a full view of the restaurant.
Grimaldi’s is a family business that began with the opening of their first pizzeria under the Brooklyn Bridge in the borough’s Dumbo neighborhood in 1990. Decorated with light fixtures made of wine bottles, red tablecloths and historical black and white photos of New York City, Grimaldi’s offers plenty of reminders of Gotham. The menu even boasts: “In order to ensure your pizza tastes authentic to New York, we installed a specialized filtration system that replicate New York water.”
Our attentive server quickly placed our order, starting with the Caprese salad. A platter of slices of fresh Mozzarella, tomatoes and fresh basil was drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. The mild cheese was balanced by the robust basil. It was more than enough for two people.
For the main event, we selected the Garden Pesto Pizza and the Brooklyn Bridge Pizza. The Garden Pesto was topped with artichokes, crunchy red onions and ricotta cheese drizzled with a basil pesto sauce. The traditional Brooklyn Bridge Pizza was topped with oven-roasted red peppers, creamy ricotta cheese and hand-pinched Italian sausage. The red peppers provided a bit of crunch, and the sausage was tasty without being overly spicy. Both pies’ crusts were perfect, thanks, no doubt, to the coal brick baking. The formidable wine list leans toward reds; we selected the Argentinian Zolo Reserva Malbec and Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon and were not disappointed.
For starters, Grimaldi’s also offers a Winter Harvest salad, antipasto, bruschetta and other salads. Gluten-free pizzas are available, as well as specialty pies like Margherita, Prosciutto Arugula and Quattro Formaggi, along with a long list of build-your-own choices. Cannoli, cheesecake and tiramisu await those lucky enough to save room for dessert.
Photo courtesy of FreshFin Poké
Other eateries at The Corners include familiar names like Belair, Café Hollander and Cubanitas (opening in spring 2020). Le Macaron French pastries, Goddess and the Baker and Orange Leaf frozen yogurt can provide shoppers a bite during a break from the retail wars.
On another recent evening, we stopped at FreshFin Poké. Diners can build their own bowl starting with a rice or greens base, topped by a protein (Ahi Tuna, Salmon, Shrimp, Chicken or Vegan), then topped with everything from kimchi to mango and variety of sauces. The Spicy Ahi Tuna was a blend of edamame, jalapeño, cucumber, sriracha aioli, sweet shoyu, crispy onion and tobiko atop brown rice. It was perfect combination of crunchy, savory and heat. A convenient condiment bar offers sriracha and other extras. Our bowls were tasty, healthy and filling. Vegan and gluten-free options are available.
