The food…was…amazing!
Have you ever had a meal that was so good that you were still craving it days later? My husband and I had that experience after recently visiting Hell ‘n Blazes Brewing Co. in Downtown Melbourne. The Blackened Chicken Linguini and their Goat Burger and fries left us shaking our heads in amazement. A week later, we were still talking about it.
That meal helped me put meaning to the term ‘Gastropub,’ which many microbreweries, such as Hell ‘n Blazes, use to describe their unique restaurants. Perhaps you have never heard that term before. Here is a little background on it.
Gastropub – Combination of the words (Gastronomy & Pub)
The term was coined in the 1990s by two British restaurateurs, David Eyre and Mike Belben, who wanted to position their new restaurant as a more refined and diverse version of the traditional British pub. By pairing gourmet comfort food with their drink offerings, they could reach a level of clientele who frequented more expensive restaurants. As the popularity of the gastropub grew, other microbreweries began adding them as a new revenue stream. Skillful chefs incorporated high-quality, local ingredients and re-created traditional dishes in a more exciting way. For example, they increased the flavor of their sandwiches’ by adding unique cheeses and homemade sauces. For Hell ‘n Blazes adding a gastropub to their brewery provided a perfect partnership with their award-winning craft beers. Did we say ‘award-winning?’ Yes, we did!
The Best Florida Beer Championships were held in March during this year’s Tampa Bay Beer Week. Todd Furbeck, Brewmaster for Hell ‘n Blazes, brought home 4 awards!
- Best in Show – Huggins Hefe
- Gold – Southern German Hefeweizen category – Huggins Hefe
- Gold – Amber Lager category = Northern Flow
- Runner up – Best Small Brewery.
Let’s drink to that accomplishment! Congratulations to Todd & Hell ‘n Blazes crew!
A burger in one hand and a gold-winning brew in the other!
When asked what their crowd-pleasing specialty is, Drew Campbell, Head Chef, responded, “The burgers have done very well here. We sell burgers probably more than anything else.”
Drew uses local ingredients as much as possible to stay true to the gastropub style. She proudly says that their beef is Florida-born, raised, and harvested. Other local foods they use are Florida-grown Jupiter white rice, Cape Canaveral clams & shrimp, and of course, don’t miss the gator bites appetizers. But using ‘local’ ingredients doesn’t end there. There often is a ‘secret’ ingredient in the form of a craft beer or even a local Florida spirit infused into a recipe. Hmm, no wonder the food tastes so good!
Their thick steak burgers are a custom blend of Certified Angus Beef chuck, brisket, and short rib served on a toasted Artisan French Kaiser Roll, skillfully creating sandwiches that appeal to the eye and palate. As referenced earlier, the Goat Burger is laced with Arugula, crumbled goat cheese, sauteed wild mushrooms & caramelized onions finished with balsamic reduction. Eyebrow-raising flavors. An all-time favorite sandwich is their French Dip, set on a soft Italian Ciabatta Style hoagie, freshly baked to achieve a chewy crust. The slow-roasted beef is enhanced with provolone cheese, fresh parsley, and horseradish cream sauce and served with a side of au jus. Another hand-held sandwich on the menu is the Brisket Grilled Cheese, layered with smoked brisket and melted cheddar, caramelized onions, and bistro sauce on Pullman Style Texas toast.
Vegetarian? You are not forgotten. Enjoy their ‘Beyond Burger’ a plant—based & soy-free burger framed in a toasted Kaiser bun and enhanced with a spring mix, tomato, red onion, and whole grain mustard mayo. The Veggie BLT offers vegetarian bacon slices, lettuce, tomato & bistro sauce on toasted Deli, Basket Multigrain bread.
Hell ‘n Blazes Brewing Co.’s website is interwoven with the history of the original building, the brewery’s development, and addition of the taproom. Parties, meetings, and events can be held in a private area, called the Vault Room. It gets it name from the fact that it still includes a vault from the bank that once occupied this 120-year-old building. What a great place to kick back and relax with friends and family!
Based on your relationship with M.C. Bread, would you recommend them to others?
“Yes, absolutely, 100%. I have used M.C. Bread since we opened our kitchen, which will be five years in August. That is pretty unique because I have had to go through vendors to find the right ones for our business, and sometimes it has been a hard fit,” relates Drew. “The communication with M.C. Bread is very easy and great. They are consistent with their quality and service and have always been fair with their pricing. We also appreciate the availability of their products.”
M.C. Bread Distributors provide ‘next level’ delivery services.
Hell ‘n Blazes, like some of our other clients, is on the same power grid as first responders and hospitals, which allows them to maintain power through the worst of weather. Drew comments on this, “We don’t close in bad weather unless we have to, and we are always among the first ones open. So the fact that M.C. Bread can bring their product out to us at these times is incredible because we get really busy after hurricanes.”
M.C. Bread Co. does not let any of them down but strives to provide freshly baked bread products and delivery during turbulent weather or even an international pandemic! This is due in part to the fact that we are local. The other part is because that is just how we roll! We roll through difficult times because we have a fantastic staff and delivery crew who work well together.
Our products are fresh, baked-to-order, and our ordering process is simple, fast, and easily changeable. We offer free samples of most of our products. Just connect with us via phone (1-888-GO BREAD) or on the web at http://mcbreadco.com. Let us show you how well we partner with our customers.
We also offer the opportunity to other current M.C. Bread Co. clients to have their restaurant spotlighted on our website and Facebook page. Just contact us through our office at 855- GO-BREAD/ 855-462-7323. For more information about M.C. Bread, go to https://mcbreadco.com/contact-us/.
