Press Photos/Katy Batdorff Vegan garbage plate is a specialty dish at Brick Road Pizza.

Brick Road Pizza Co. already had something of a loyal following when it opened in mid-November.

Like the Meanwhile Bar a few doors west on Wealthy Street, the family-owned spot has cultivated a devoted clientele through word-of-mouth endorsements and a neighborly atmosphere and by offering services that skew toward adventurous, nonmainstream tastes.

After sampling the goods at Brick Road, I can see what the fuss is all about. My guest, Adam, and I enjoyed the food so much we dined there two consecutive nights and delighted in the leftovers.

IF YOU GO

Brick Road Pizza Co.

Where: 1017 Wealthy St. SE
Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. Lunch buffet is 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Dinner buffet is 5:30-8 p.m. Tuesdays and is the only time when vegan fried chicken is served.
When we dined: 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. We also grabbed take-out at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7.
Wait to be seated: None
Wait for food to arrive: Five minutes for soup, breadsticks and salad. Entrees arrived about 15 minutes later.
Dress code: Casual
Ambiance: Homey and eco-friendly; black-and-white, music-centric photos on walls; plenty of privacy in huge wooden booths. Take-out area has cozy seating in a gardenlike atmosphere.
Parking: Street parking
Price range: Salads and appetizers less than $10, entrees and sandwiches $6.95-$13.95, pizzas $6.95-$28.95
Credit cards: All major
Alcohol: No
Smoke-free: Yes
Reservations: For large groups
Contact them: 719-2409
Call us: Know a great place to dine out? Call The Press Entertainment department at 222-5291, or e-mail weekend@grpress.com.

"Word of mouth has been good," said Cindy Talbert, who runs the business with her husband, Jody, and their two grown children, Nicholas Talbert and Sarah Piper.

The family transformed the formerly vacant space on Wealthy Street into a comfortable, eco-friendly hodgepodge of art and dining. Jody used recycled and repurposed doors to craft booths, tables and counters. Sarah and Nicholas are responsible for the music-centric art, and Sarah painted "themed" tables.

Brick Road is one of the few West Michigan eateries to cater equally to vegetarians, vegans and carnivores.

Cindy created soups and entrees and worked with cook Ryan Cappelletti to develop an outstanding vegan section, with items such as housemade seitan and tempeh. The breads and pizza dough are made on-site, and the kitchen uses local and organic items as often as possible.

On our first visit, Adam and I tried to cover as much ground as possible. We started with an order of Brick Road sticks ($3.95) served with marinara, and I added a cup of tomato bisque ($2.49). The sticks were soft and warm, and Adam complained when I stole the crisp ends to soak up the hearty, well-seasoned bisque. We both freaked out -- in a good way -- about the marinara sauce, which tasted like fresh tomatoes.

Superb sandwich

On the advice of a friend, I ordered the vegan club ($8.55) with seasoned tofu, ham-style seitan, tempeh bacon, sprouts, tomato, pickles and veganiase on white ciabatta. It was, hands down, one of the best sandwiches I have had in ages. The "meats" are packed with flavor, and the veganaise is creamy without the aftertaste of mayo. The bread was especially satisfying.

A side of vegan mac and cheese ($1.50) was a tad dry -- there is no milk or cheese, after all -- but I liked the addition of dried dill. An unchicken salad -- tofu, potatoes and celery with Middle Eastern spices -- the next night was even better.

Adam chose lasagna ($10.25), which came with a crispy house side salad and bread knots. The waitress returned shortly after we ordered to say the kitchen was out of ricotta cheese used in the traditional dish. Adam switched to the alfredo version ($11.95) and was charged the lower price without us having to ask. Bonus points for service.

The pasta dish is layered with free-range turkey and thick noodles, and Adam gave it very high marks. The bubbling concoction proved too big for one sitting, and he said it tasted even better for lunch the next day.

Sweet stuff

The peach, pear and apricot smoothie ($3.49) we shared for dessert was light and refreshing. Other sweet treats include tiramisu ($4.95), cheesecake ($5.95) and petite versions ($2.95) of the offerings. Cindy said she occasionally makes vegan cheesecake and other goodies. Call to see what is available.

We returned the following night to pick up a few to-go, personal-size pizzas. Adam tried a build-your-own with chicken, spinach and roasted red pepper ($8.95 for a 7-inch). I again gravitated to the vegan side of the menu, ordering a build-your-own with soy cheese, marinara, pineapple and green olives ($9.95).

The crust was fantastic; doughy and thick on the outside and crisp on the bottom, with the sauce slathered on just enough as to not overwhelm the pie. The soy cheese had the same basic consistency of dairy but with far less of the heavy grease.

As someone slowly shifting away from milk products, it gave me hope there is life after cheese.

If I have my way, this will involve frequent visits to Brick Road Pizza Co.

Brick Road Pizza owner Jody Talbert reads a newspaper during a slow part of the day. The interior of the restaurant was refurbished with a lot of recycled materials.

E-mail Tricia Woolfenden: twoolfenden@grpress.com