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The owners of Brazen (from left), TJ Hayes, Jon Bell, Doug Clodfelter and Neil McLean
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The bar area inside Brazen
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Brazen can seat about 40 diners.
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Death by Chocolate cake
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Another view of the dining area
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The interior design at Brazen is by Richmond-based Mariya Boykova.
Many of those who share ownership in a restaurant happen to be longtime friends; others have crossed paths while gigging in the industry; some are partners in life. Three of the owners of soon-to-open Brazen in the Fan met the fourth in their quartet in a very Richmond way: hanging out at the James River.
“I’ve never worked with these cats before this; we met at Texas Beach,” Bar Manager and co-owner Doug Clodfelter, previously of Comfort and The Savory Grain, says with a chuckle.
Along with Jon Bell, TJ Hayes and Neil McLean, the foursome plan to debut their new venture next month at 2028 W. Cary St., in the space most recently occupied by Lucky Whale. The 40-seat restaurant, complete with patio, will be open for lunch and dinner.
“We’re focusing on the technique of braising, but not just braising meats; [we’ll] also be doing vegetables and offering a variety of vegan and vegetarian and gluten-free options. The name is also a double meaning, a play on words” — i.e., brazen and braisin’ — Hayes says.
Although Texas Beach may be where it started for the foursome, Bell, Hayes and McLean first worked the line together years ago at Tarrant’s. McLean’s resume also includes The Daily Kitchen & Bar, Lunch & Supper, and Pinky’s, while his kitchen counterparts both served stints at L’Opossum, Edo’s Squid, and Maple & Pine.
“I started looking at spaces with these guys in mind probably three years ago, and it’s just been kind of a process of finding the space and just getting all the pieces together,” McLean explains.
Braising foods typically lends to a tender final product deeply embedded with flavor. It requires patience, letting ingredients linger and trusting the cooking process. McLean says they were drawn to that method organically and that it’s his “favorite way to cook.”
“I think that cooking is something that what you put into it is what you get out of it,” he says. “I think that the technique of, kind of taking your time and doing things the right way, it’s a little bit more labor intensive, but ... it just makes something special.”
For starters, diners at Brazen will find a salad of citrus-braised beets, orange segments, pickled shallots, fennel soubise (French onion sauce) and dill toast points; off-the-bone short rib with crispy polenta, charred green onion gremolata and demi glace; and “Base Camp” Chili Wings with housemade Helle’s Belle sauce.
One of the cheekiest dishes on the menu is their play on toad in the hole, dubbed Frog in a Boat, featuring focaccia with a poached egg in the center, a drizzle of hot honey and fresh herbs. The item is inspired by a very permanent fixture shared by Bell, Clodfelter and Hayes: a tattoo of a frog floating down the river on a log, aka its boat, a remnant of their river sessions.
Brazen plans to offer a smattering of handhelds including The Beauford, a riff on beef bourguignon in sandwich form with roasted garlic aioli, fennel fronds and roasted red pepper on a torpedo roll and served with a side of jus; The Helle Ringer, a spicy fried chicken thigh tossed in housemade hot sauce with celery and onion slaw; The Grazen, a five-spice pulled pork (or the meat-free marinated and seared cauliflower with sumac hummus) served on a torpedo roll with a schmear of housemade pate spread, pickled daikon radish and carrots, shaved cukes, and cilantro; and The Trifecta, a blend of beef chuck, short rib and brisket topped with bacon, arugula, vegan goddess sauce and red pepper relish. Those in search of a plant-based option can sub in Richmond-made Chaotic Good Tempeh.
Other offerings include oven-roasted feta over fusilli pasta tossed in arugula-basil pesto and served with flame-roasted tomatoes; short rib with braised red chard, dirty rice risotto and pomegranate gastrique; and seared, cider-spiced salmon; as well as a number of daily specials, an area where they hope to shine.
For dessert, find chamomile and wild honey panna cotta, vegan baklava, and a Death by Chocolate cake (a Hayes family recipe) with espresso mousse and toffee.
Clodfelter is the mastermind behind Brazen’s cocktail program and will be spearheading front-of-house efforts. Aiming to open within the month, the project is a coming of age for the foursome of 30-somethings. After a long time toiling in the dining industry, the partners agree this is their moment to step out on their own.
Hayes says, “I think the main thing that I always kind of remind myself of is, I don’t want to live my life down the road and always wonder, ‘What if?’ And life changes, and I think for all of us a little bit, it’s just kind of time to grow up.”
Echoing his sentiment, McLean, a new father who recently quit drinking alcohol, says, “That’s a big part of it for me, personally. We’ve done this for so long for other people, yeah, why not do it for ourselves?”
Reflecting on the name, he continues, “This is our first time opening our own restaurant; it’s kind of a brazen thing to do. I feel like we’re taking a big swing; it’s a tough, tough business. But this team, we all actually enjoy each other’s company, and these guys are really good at what they do. Working with two other chefs, it will kind of push each of us to come up with something creative and something that’s different. That’s kind of what we think is one of our biggest strengths, we have that kind of synergy.”
Brazen will be offering a sneak peek of its menu items during The Art of the Cocktail event at Virago Spirits on Tuesday, Dec. 17.
