If looks could kill there would be a dead server at the Brickyard Café.

My dining companion has a real thing for crème brulee. When she sees it on the menu, she will put in her order for that before anything else, and gets the server to commit to saving her a serving before ordering continues.

When it came time to have dessert at the end of the meal and my bowling teammate asked for her crème brulee, the server said they were out. His perfectly straight face looked like he had just come from a Botox treatment. Therefore, the look that could kill. But I’m happy to report that he was kidding and lives on.

The Brickyard is a charming older home that has been renovated into a very nice restaurant. In each room is a false porch-like roof that overhangs the tables to add a touch of intimacy to each area.

We let the server talk us into the seafood brochette for an appetizer, and it was a wise choice. A skewer of shrimp, scallops, salmon, red and yellow peppers and tomatoes was served on a bed of flavorful yellow rice. It was very good.

Our main courses were shrimp and pasta, and pork tenderloin. Both dishes were very well prepared and full of flavor. Neither was exotic or spectacular, but still very good choices. They were both stylishly and quickly served, timed to arrive as we finished our appetizer. Once our server established himself as there to help us, and not to harass us with cruel dessert jokes, he was very attentive, but not overbearing.

The crème brulee arrived with two spoons and I did manage to get one bite. If you haven’t tried it, crème brulee is a rich custard made from heavy cream, egg yolks, vanilla and sugar, whipped together to make a thick pale yellow mixture. It is then put into small ramekins and baked until the edge is firm, but the center a little loose. Just before serving, sugar is sprinkled on top and caramelized – usually with a torch, although the oven broiler will work just as well.

I have to agree that one could do worse than falling into a rut of having crème brulee for dessert after every meal.

Brickyard Cafe

1026 Chestnut St. • 843-6431

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday; 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday

Specialties: Pasta and brick-oven pizza

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Price range for dinner: $7.95 to $21.95

Libation situation: separate full bar

– New restaurants are given an eight-week grace period. Comments can be sent to Managine Editor Mike Alexieff by telephone at 783-3235 or by e-mail at malexieff@bgdailynews.com.