Two recent visits to the new restaurant, Company Brewing in Riverwest, have only affirmed my belief that most often, simple is better.

The restaurant, owned by brewer George Bregar, produced one of the simplest and best burgers I’ve ever had, as well as a sparkling Puerto Rican dish that looked simple but tasted complex.

There are places in this city that have built reputations by taking a basic burger and piling on lots of junk under the impression that more is always better. Some of these places even win awards.

Rosy Rodriguez, the chef at Company Brewing, obviously believes the exact opposite. To her, less is more. Yet, she gives her food a flair that makes it both unusual and delicious. 

The burger was a moist patty covered in, of all things, a smooth brie cheese. Topped with a slice of onion, it was served on an English muffin and accompanied with paper thin slices of apple on the side. The combination of tastes was spectacular.

The second meal from Rodriguez had Spanish and Puerto Rican roots: Morcilla.

Morcilla is a Spanish blood sausage that Rodriguez makes from pork shoulder each day. When served, two generous halves sit atop a bed of french green lentils. On the side are chunks of cardamom roasted carrot and blistered red grapes. The carrots have a slight smoky flavor from the cardamom.

The restaurant also served a slightly charred baguette that was a delicious partner to the Morcilla.