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Brunch Gang hits the road: Radish, San Francisco

27 Nov

Place: Radish

Neighborhood: San Francisco’s Mission District, 3465 19th St. (between Lexington St. & Valencia St.)

Mimosa Rating:

4 mimosas

Yes, please!

The scoop: I was visiting San Francisco for the first time with a friend for a few days. We initially planned to brunch at Mission Beach Café, but the wait was extremely long, so we walked around the Mission District in search of another brunch spot. Radish was located on the corner and the chalkboard advertising bottomless mimosas seemed welcoming.

View from the bar

There are a couple of tables set up right outside of Radish. I walked into the restaurant to see how long the wait would be and I had to write my name on a clipboard by the door. There weren’t many names before mine so it seemed like the wait wouldn’t be too long. As we looked around the restaurant, we noticed all of the dishes looked well prepared. We were set on eating here. After about 10 minutes, my name was called and we were escorted to the bar area. Personally, I don’t like to eat at the bar, but the hostess said the wait for a table may be long. We decided to sit at the end of the bar.

The bar seating wasn’t too bad since I was just dining with one other person. Radish is a pretty fun place and is a perfect place to brunch with friends. The atmosphere was loud with chatter and there were a couple of fun art paintings on the walls. Pop music from the early 2000s — Backstreet Boys, Christina Aguilera, Destiny’s Child, etc. — dominated the radio the entire time we were brunching.

Open kitchen

To the right side of the bar, there is an open kitchen. The cook was constantly busy and was quickly providing many brunch dishes to the servers. The service was good, we were never rushed, and we did not have to ask for anything. Before leaving, the waitress offered to bring another round of drinks, but we declined since we were pretty full.

Bottoms up:

Bottomless mimosas

Bottomless Mimosas $10

I thought the mimosas tasted pretty good. The orangey flavor was fresh, and there was a decent amount of champagne in the flute. A great thing about Radish is that each group of brunchers are provided with a small carafe so you will never have an empty glass. We probably had three mimosas each and we were satisfied.

Chew on this:

Chocolate Chip, Toasted Walnut Pancakes $9.50 / Real maple syrup and whipped cream

Chocolate chip, toasted walnut pancakes

When Marilyn placed her order, the waitress asked her if she was fine with both the chocolate chip and walnuts. I thought that was nice because most of the time the waitstaff never points out things about dishes. As soon as the dish was placed in front of Marilyn, she said the pancakes were huge and to dig in since she wouldn’t be able to finish them all on her own. The pancakes were delicious, fresh and very chocolately. If you aren’t a syrup fan, you are in luck because these pancakes are so flavorful that I felt syrup was not necessary. Our only complaint about this dish was that there weren’t many walnuts in the pancakes.

Biscuit Benny $11.50 / Two poached eggs, ham and hollandaise on a house-made biscuit; served with hash

Biscuit Benny

The eggs Benedict was good, however, I wish it wasn’t served with so much hollandaise sauce because it ended up overpowering the dish. The eggs were perfect and the ham tasted good on top of the buttery biscuit, but it was a challenge to enjoy considering the overwhelming amount of hollandaise sauce. I asked for a salad instead of hash and was provided with a decent amount of arugula, but it only came with a small shaving of radish and two cherry tomatoes. I’m not complaining, but I wish my salad had more tomatoes or something else. Being a person who likes variety, I was glad that they served fresh strawberries on the side because I like washing my food down with something sweet.

Outside Radish

The final bite: Radish is a great place to have a casual and fun brunch with friends. The brunch menu has something for everyone, and you can’t ask for more with flowing drinks, fresh food and a comfortable atmosphere.

Reviewed by: Victoria

Brunch Gang hits the road: Snooze, Denver

28 Sep

Place: Snooze

Neighborhood: Denver’s Five Points, 2262 Larimer St. (at Park Ave.)

Mimosa Rating:

4 1/2 mimosas

The scoop: We were on a trip to Colorado for a friend’s wedding. The wedding was in the picturesque mountains, but we spent one night in Denver following the wedding. I had been to Denver once before on business. While that trip was short, I got to walk around and explore a little bit, but it was on a weekday, so I didn’t get to brunch. I was looking forward to finding a great place to brunch in Denver, and Snooze seemed liked the perfect place for that.

Busy brunch at Snooze

It was a Saturday afternoon, and we were driving into the city. We had to stop at our hotel first. We weren’t staying in the main downtown area, but we were lucky that our hotel ran shuttle service, driving you to your destination as long as it was within five miles of the hotel. Snooze was in a perfect location for us. It’s close to Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies. We were going to a 6 p.m. game following brunch and planned to kill time by walking around the area. I was nervous we weren’t going to make it to Snooze before 2:30 p.m., which is when they close. Snooze is only open during breakfast/brunch hours on weekends and doesn’t take reservations. I’m sure it gets packed during primetime brunch hours.

Luckily, we made it to the restaurant by 2 p.m. The place was hopping. We were both starving and didn’t want to wait for a table, so we grabbed a couple of seats at the bar. Snooze was a hip joint with a very chill atmosphere. The bar area at the front of the restaurant can seat six to eight people. There are two dining areas with booths against the wall and round booths in the middle. It seemed like they can accompany parties of various sizes, as they also had tables for two along the opposite wall of the booths. The walls were painted green and on them hung clippings from local magazines declaring Snooze’s brunch as one of the best in Denver.

Service at Snooze was good. Since we sat at the bar, we were well attended to. When it took me awhile to figure out what I wanted to order, the bartender didn’t rush me.

Bottoms up:

Mmm mmm Mimosa $6 / Sparkling wine, Odwalla orange juice, Pama Pomegranate Liquer

Mimosa and John Daly

I enjoy regular mimosas, but flavored mimosas can be even better, so I was intrigued when I saw that their mimosa included pomegranate liqueur. The color of the mimosa alone was cool. The taste was excellent as well. There was an equal balance of all three ingredients, and the pomegranate added a little something extra to an already great drink. I also loved that they served the mimosa in a tall, beer glass instead of the traditional flute.

John Daly $6 / Housemade lemoncello vodka, mint, lemonade, Allegro’s iced tea, agave nectar

Homemade lemocello

David is more of a beer guy, but the John Daly is probably his favorite mixed drink. He enjoyed Snooze’s version very much. Not a big mint fan, he asked the bartender to exclude the mint. One of the coolest things about Snooze is that they make their own lemoncello vodka and keep it in jugs behind the bar. You don’t see this often at restaurants.

Chew on this:

Three Egg Scramble $8.50 / Our farm fresh eggs with a choice of three fillings. Served with hash browns and a choice of toast or tortillas

Three egg omelette

Snooze offers such a wide variety of dishes that I had a really hard time deciding what to order. I couldn’t even decide whether to go sweet or savory. I solved that issue by ordering both. I ended up going with the three egg scramble because they had great filling choices and I could pretty much create the meal I wanted. Instead of a scramble like I ordered, I was served an omelette, which wasn’t a huge deal. The omelette was fluffy and stuffed with my three fillings – chicken sausage, tomato and mozzarella. The chicken sausage had a nice flavor and went well with the tomato and mozzarella. The hash browns were excellent. They were served differently than most hash browns. I don’t even know how to describe them, but they were crunchy on top and the inside had such a smooth taste with hints of pepper. I really enjoyed them. The toast was hearty and came with a side of homemade jam. I think it was blackberry. It was very tasty. I ordered a scramble/omelette, but I feel like this dish was so much more than that. I was happy with my pick, and I’d definitely order it again.

Sweet Potato Pancake $4.25 / Our signature sweet potato buttermilk pancakes topped with homemade caramel, pecans and ginger butter

Sweet potato pancake

It’s not every day you see sweet potato pancakes on a menu. Even though I ordered the egg dish as my main meal, I still wanted to try the pancake. When the sweet dish was served as one large pancake, I was pleasantly surprised. It was the perfect amount. I found out later when I looked at the receipt that our server actually put the order in as a side, thankfully. I was hungry, but I could have never eaten three pancakes in addition to the omelette. The pancake was warm and fluffy. It was darker in color than most pancakes. I assume that’s because of the sweet potato. There was a little bit of caramel and pecans scattered on the top of the pancake. I pushed the ginger butter off to the side. This pancake was sweet, but surprisingly not overly sweet. (Keep in mind that I have a hardcore sweet tooth.) I don’t know if I’d be able to handle three of them, but one pancake was just enough and satisfied my sugar craving.

Ham Benedict III $10 / The classic evolved with our signature English muffin topped with shaved hickory smoked ham, perfectly poached Niman Ranch cage-free eggs and smoked cheddar hollandaise

Ham Benedict

David knew he wanted some sort of Benedict, and Snooze offers five different Benedicts to choose from. All of them sounded good — one included tomatoes with pesto and mozzarella; another had steak, cheddar cheese and corn tortillas — but the ham Benedict sounded the most traditional. He liked this dish because while it was similar to a classic Benedict, it had a twist. The hollandaise sauce included smoked cheddar cheese, which made the sauce even creamier. Since the ham was chopped up, David felt like he got more of it than he would had the ham been served as one solid piece. The eggs — as promised on the menu — were perfectly poached. The oozing yolk combined with the cheesy hollandaise, smokey ham and crispy English muffin really hit the spot.

Peanut Butter Cup Pancake $3 / Sub your toast or hash browns for a pancake flavor of your choice

Peanut butter cup pancake

Like me, David also wanted something sweet. For an extra couple of bucks, Snooze allows you to swap your toast or hash browns for a pancake flavor of your choice. David is a huge peanut butter lover, so instead of getting hash browns on the side of his Benedict, he got a peanut butter cup pancake. As you can tell from the photo, the presentation was pretty amazing. We’re not sure exactly what was in the peanut butter sauce on top of the pancake, but it was so good. It tasted exactly like you would think — like a giant peanut butter cup, aka heaven. Not for the faint of tooth, this pancake packs a major sweet punch. We liked it, though.

The entrance to Snooze

The final bite: Snooze hits on all the right notes. Whether you’re from out of town or live in Denver, I’d recommend checking out Snooze for brunch. You’ll be glad you did.

Reviewed by: Stephanie

Brunch Gang hits the road: Miss Shirley’s, Baltimore

26 Jul

Place: Miss Shirley’s Cafe

Neighborhood: Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, 750 E. Pratt St.

Mimosa Rating: 

3 mimosas

The scoop: We were in Baltimore for a couple of days to go to an Orioles game and just hang out. We wanted to check out brunch before leaving on Sunday. Before our trip, I did some research to find a good spot near our hotel. We weren’t too far from the Inner Harbor area, so Miss Shirley’s Cafe seemed like a great option.

Where we sat at Miss Shirley’s

I was looking forward to brunch at Miss Shirley’s after reading glowing reviews and viewing their gigantic menu online. Since there aren’t many brunch options in the Inner Harbor area, Miss Shirley’s gets packed on weekends. They don’t accept reservations, so expect to wait at least a half hour to be seated. There were people waiting everywhere — inside, outside, across the street. We waited about 40 minutes. Thankfully, we weren’t in a rush.

Reviews on the wall

Miss Shirley’s is located in the lobby of an office building. The restaurant is broken up into four different sections. The front of the restaurant is split into two rooms. There’s a main dining area with tables and booths and an outdoor area with quite a number of tables. On a wall near the entrance hung positive reviews from magazines and newspapers. I wasn’t crazy about the interior. I don’t know what the fire codes are in Baltimore, but the indoor dining areas seemed way too crowded. The AC was on inside, but it was so cramped with people that it felt hot. It was also very loud inside. Even though it was a very warm day, I was glad we were seated outside under an umbrella. We had more space and were comfotably seated. I enjoyed the oldies music from the 1950s and ’60s which played through outdoor speakers.

Service was average. It’s very busy and hectic at Miss Shirley’s during brunch, but they seemed to have enough servers to handle all of the patrons. It took awhile to get my drink. Our food came out about 10 minutes after two other parties’ dishes, and they ordered at the same time as us.

Bottoms up: Miss Shirley’s offers a nice mix of drinks. From iced coffee to a spicy bloody Mary, everyone is sure to find something to wet their whistle.

Miss Mimosa

Miss Mimosa $5.99 / Fresh-squeezed orange juice with pulp, garnished with an orange slice and strawberry

I wasn’t going to order a drink, but I changed my mind when I saw the presentation of the cocktails. Served in a stemless wine glass, the Miss Mimosa had a nice balance of champagne and orange juice. I feel gypped sometimes when mimosas are served in flutes. They filled the glass pretty close to the top. For $6, you can’t go wrong.

Chew on this: Miss Shirley’s has SO many brunch items to choose from — varitey of French toast and pancakes, egg dishes, sandwiches, etc.

Coconut Cream-Stuffed French Toast $11.99 / Cream cheese, flaked coconut, bruleed bananas, dipped in an almond-scented egg mix, garnished with diced strawberries and dusted with powdered sugar & cinnamon

Coconut French toast

The restaurant serves two different kinds of French toast — the other is Key Lime Cheesecake-Stuffed French Toast — and both could give you a toothache just from reading the dish descriptions. I went with the coconut French toast because it’s a Miss Shirley’s signature dish. I think the photo speaks for itself. There was a lot happening on the plate. There were two very large pieces of a French toast sandwich. In between the slices was a coconut filling that tasted like cheesecake. I was worried that the filling would have the texture and taste of cream cheese, but it was lighter and sweeter. I removed a lot of the filling, however, as it was just too much. I didn’t like the actual bread all that much. I feel like if they are serving a crazy French toast dish like this, they should use better bread. The bruleed bananas were a nice touch. I love bananas, and these were tasty and had a glass-like shell. There was also a few strawberries, coconut flakes and raspberry sauce on the plate. This dish was extremely decadent and contained a lot of food. I had a lot leftover, and I felt a little sluggish after eating. It was more like a dessert than a brunch dish.

Shirley’s Affair with Oscar $22.99 / Two 2-ounce beef filets, topped with asparagus, jumbo lump crab meat and hollandaise sauce, on fried green tomatoes and savory grits with bacon, dusted with Old Bay

Shirley’s Affair

Shirley’s Affair with Oscar caught David’s eye because it was voted Best Breakfast Dish in Maryland by Food Network Magazine. He ordered the steak medium and it was cooked as he requested. He thought the meat was just OK, but it went well with the crab and grits. The grits were creamy and buttery and the favorite part of his dish. The food was presented similarly to eggs Benedict. We noticed that Old Bay is a common seasoning in Baltimore, especially for seafood. It was on the tables with ketchup, salt and pepper at Miss Shirley’s. David would have liked more food. The asaparagus was a nice addition, as you don’t really see the vegetable in brunch dishes often.

The previous night we had dinner at another popular Baltimore brunch spot, Blue Moon Cafe. Located in Fell’s Point, Blue Moon is open 24 hours on weekends serves almost only breakfast dishes. The restaurant is small and doesn’t accept reservations, but there’s nothing small about their food, which was delicious. It was a great place for brunch dishes at dinner time, so I can only imagine how brunch is .

Best Breakfast Dish in Maryland

The final bite: While the atmosphere inside isn’t ideal, Miss Shirley’s robust menu is worth checking out, if you’re not in a time crunch. It’s a good spot for those visiting Baltimore and staying in the Inner Harbor area.

Reviewed by: Stephanie

Brunch Gang hits the road: Mr. B’s Bistro, New Orleans

12 Jul

Place: Mr. B’s Bistro

Neighborhood: New Orleans’ French Quarter, 201 Royal St. (corner of Royal & Iberville)

Mimosa Rating:

2 mimosas

The scoop: For our second brunch during our New Orleans weekend, we decided to do a traditional jazz brunch in the French Quarter. I read through several reviews, looking for a place that was good but also not super touristy. Mr. B’s seemed well-received by both out-of-towners and locals. It has also been frequented by several well-known people in the past few months, including President Bill Clinton and Hoda Kotb from “The Today Show.”

Inside Mr. B’s

We made reservations for 1 p.m. on a Sunday, which also happened to be Mother’s Day, so I’m not sure how much this affected our brunch experience. When we walked in, the vibe seemed almost stuffy and there was no music — the complete opposite of the previous day’s brunch at Dante’s Kitchen! Most of the patrons were dressed up, and there were pastel-colored balloons all over the restaurant.  There were some empty tables, although you could tell they were expecting big parties later in the day.

I asked about the music, and they said that the band was on a break and coming back shortly. Even when they did come back, I couldn’t really hear them too well. It certainly wasn’t the fun, festive brunch that I was expecting. I was also really disappointed that the menu was slightly different than what was on their website. They only had about half of the dishes available during brunch. Two of the entrées I had been eyeing – the grillades & grits and boudin & eggs — were noticeably absent from the menu. If you’re like me and enjoy looking at the menu beforehand to know what you’re ordering, I recommend having two-three backup options if you’re brunching at Mr. B’s.

The service was average. Our food was out in a reasonable amount of time, and our server was very nice.

Bottoms up: Mr. B’s offers your standard brunch cocktails, like mimosas and bloody Marys, at a reasonable price.

Chew on this:

Duck spring rolls

Duck Spring Rolls $9.75 / Two housemade spring rolls filled with duck confit, shiitake mushrooms, spinach and goat cheese served with sweet ginger-garlic dipping sauce

We wanted to start off with an app, but since we were both getting shrimp as our entrées, we decided to try something a little different. The two spring rolls were cut into half, making them perfect for sharing. As soon as I took the first bite, I immediately tasted the goat cheese, which I loved. The other flavors were more subtle. We both liked the dipping sauce, and drizzled it onto each spring roll. 

Barbecued shrimp

Mr. B’s Barbequed Shrimp $22 / A Mr. B’s signature dish! Grilled shrimp barbequed New Orleans style, served in the shells with peppery butter sauce and French bread for dipping

Not only is this the dish that Mr. B’s is known for, but this was also recommended to me by a few people. It’s not too often that I have to peel my own shrimp, so I figured I’d give it a shot. They gave me a bib before my meal came out (which Jen couldn’t get enough pictures of), so I knew I’d be in for a messy brunch. Although this was a tasty dish, it’s definitely not for someone who doesn’t like getting dirty or is grossed out by peeling the shrimp. The shrimp was cooked well, and the sauce had a very strong pepper flavor. I was a mess after I finished eating, so I was grateful when they brought me out a hot towel at the end of my meal. I was a little disappointed with the portion size, however. 

Shrimp and grits

Shrimp and Grits $26.50 / A sauté of applewood smoked bacon wrapped jumbo Gulf shrimp served with creamy stone ground yellow grits and red-eye gravy

Since neither of my first two choices were available, I went with shrimp and grits. I’m not much of a seafood person, so I even surprised myself by ordering this. This is a good dish for someone who wants a traditional New Orleans dish without getting too daring. I love the combination of bacon and shrimp, and Mr. B’s version was very good. I was also surprised that the grits had almost more of a mashed potato consistency, and they had more flavor than I was expecting. I also had never had red-eye gravy before, and didn’t know that it was more of a demi-glace sauce as opposed to a thick, creamy gravy that I was expecting. I did enjoy my meal but like Russ, was left wanting a little more. I also felt that this dish was really overpriced. 

dessert

Profiterole and Chocolate Sauce $6.75 /  Cream puffs filled with rich vanilla bean ice cream; topped with chocolate sauce

Even though our meals were tasty, we were both still a little hungry, so we decided to get dessert. Russ picked this dessert, and it definitely satisfied our sweet tooth. Three cream puffs were served. There was plenty of chocolate sauce and powdered sugar, and the ice cream was yummy. However, we found the cream puffs to be a little stale and dry. 

Outside Mr. B’s

The final bite: We really liked our meals, but Mr. B’s fell a little short with the ambiance and portion sizes. If you don’t mind shelling out a little more money to experience a traditional New Orleans jazz brunch in a desirable location, give Mr. B’s a shot. Just don’t expect to leave feeling completely satisfied.

Reviewed by: Jen

Brunch Gang hits the road: Marathon on the Square, Philly

28 Jun

Place: Marathon on the Square

Neighborhood: Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square, 1839 Spruce St. (at S. 19th St.)

Mimosa Rating:

3 mimosas

The scoop: I was visiting a college friend in Philadelphia for the weekend. We checked out one of Philly’s most popular brunch spots, Sabrina’s Cafe, on Saturday (review to come), but I was looking for a place to have a solo brunch on Sunday. I had been to Marathon Grill on multiple occasions when I was in college, and I knew it would be a good place to grab a quick bite before my bus back to New York at 2:30 p.m.

Bunch of chandeliers

There are multiple Marathon Grill locations in Philly. I went to Marathon on the Square because it was very close to my friend’s apartment in the very cute Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. Marathon on the Square had very simple decor. Purplish wallpaper with a printed design covered the walls. The ceiling was painted gray, and the curtains were also gray. I’m a big fan of purple and gray as a color combination. Four various colored chandeliers hung from the ceiling in a bunch. The color and look of the chandeliers gave off an almost goth vibe.

Indoor seating

There was plenty of seating when I arrived around 11:30 a.m. without a reservation. I’m used to seeing booths up against a wall in restaurants, but the booths stood alone in the middle of the restaurant at Marathon on the Square. Smaller tables of two and four were lined up along the edge of the restaurant, next to the windows. I sat at one of these tables, and there was a pesky fly on the window that wouldn’t stop flying around me. They also had outdoor seating — six outdoor tables, with each seating up to four people. There were also spots at the bar at the front of the restaurant.

The service was fine, not out of this world, but not bad either. I noticed that the waiter didn’t read the brunch specials to me. I overheard him reading the specials to a large group at another table. He did check up on me a couple of times to refill my water glass, though.

Bottoms up: I didn’t order a drink since I had a two-hour bus ride ahead of me, but Marathon on the Square serves your typical brunch cocktails and with a full bar, offers a wide array of other drinks.

Chew on this:

Seasonal fruit salad

Seasonal Fruit Salad $4.50

Since I didn’t get a drink, I wanted something else besides an entrée. This fruit dish really hit the spot. The serving was huge and had a lovely presentation. The salad contained blueberries, blackberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple and a few strawberries. Every piece of fruit was juicy and fresh. I was very pleased with this starter.

Breakfast sandwich

Breakfast Sandwich $8 / Cage-free eggs, choice of bacon, turkey sausage or country ham, with cheddar on country bun

I had  shared pancakes and an omeleltte at brunch on Saturday, so I strayed away from ordering something similar, but I wanted a meal that would hold me over for a while. The breakfast sandwich was a good choice. I got a lot of food for a low price. The sandwich was huge and had lot of scrambled eggs on it. I would guess that the chef probably used three eggs to make the sandwich. The turkey sausage was tasty, and the bun was soft and had a slight sweetness to it. It reminded me of challah bread. I also liked how there wasn’t a ton of white cheddar cheese on the sandwich. I like to add pepper to my egg dishes, so I put a little bit on my sandwich. And, of course, I added ketchup. While I enjoyed the sandwich very much, I wasn’t impressed with the potatoes. They had a mild flavor and were very cold, which was disappointing. Luckily, since I ordered the fruit dish, I didn’t need to eat the potatoes anyway.

Outside of Marathon on the Square

The final bite: Marathon on the Square is a good spot for a quick solo bite or a group brunch. With their extensive food and drink menu, even the pickiest eater is sure to find something to their liking.

Reviewed by: Stephanie

Brunch Gang hits the road: Dante’s Kitchen, New Orleans

22 May

Place: Dante’s Kitchen

Neighborhood: New Orleans’ Carrollton, 736 Dante St.

Mimosa Rating:

5 mimosas

The scoop: My boyfriend Russ and I headed to New Orleans for a long weekend of food, fun and more food. We’re both foodies and did extensive research into the places we were going to eat at while we were there. One of the things on my list of things to do was a traditional New Orleans jazz brunch. We eventually got to do that (stayed tuned for the review!), but Russ found Dante’s Kitchen on Zagat and was really impressed with the reviews and menu. One of the things I noticed when I was looking up brunch spots in Nola was that virtually all of the menus were identical, but Dante’s was totally different. So we were sold!

Inside of Dante’s Kitchen

We made our way over there early on a Saturday afternoon. Dante’s does not take reservations for brunch, and I read that the wait could be up to an hour, so I was bracing for the worst. We enjoyed our scenic cab ride along St. Charles Avenue, right alongside the famous streetcar tracks, and were pleasantly surprised when we arrived to find several open tables. We were seated right away and were able to take in the charm of Dante’s Kitchen. It is painted in bright, fun shades of yellow, orange, blue and red, giving it a very laid-back and almost island vibe. There are a few different dining rooms, each painted in a different color with different decor. We were seated in the front and had fun looking at the cool light fixtures and mason jars along the walls.

Our server couldn’t have been nicer, and all of our food was out so quickly! We never felt rushed and were able to take our time eating and enjoying ourselves. It was a very relaxed and casual brunch.

Bottoms up: Dante’s Kitchen offers brunch drinks as well as their full bar during brunch.

Iced coffee and banana bourbon

Iced Coffee $3.50

Since I wasn’t able to get my java fix before we left for brunch, I was thrilled to see iced coffee on the menu. This iced coffee did not disappoint. It was served pre-fixed with milk and a hint of vanilla. I didn’t even need to use any sugar!

Housemade Banana Bourbon $7

I wasn’t planning on getting a drink, but when I saw the list of housemade bourbons, I knew I needed to try one. This bourbon had a little bite to it, and the banana taste was not overwhelming. It was also served with one big ice cube, which is how I prepare my whiskey at home. I enjoyed this drink so much that I ended up getting another!

Chew on this:

Bacon Praline Cinnamon Sticky Bun

Sticky bun

Anything with bacon pretty much sells itself to us, so we were both really excited to try this. The huge bun was served slightly warm and was perfect for sharing. It had just the right amount of frosting on it, and it was really sweet and a little sticky. We found some bacon pieces on the bottom of the bun and thought that the crunchiness and saltiness of the bacon added a nice contrast to the sweetness of the bun. 

Debris and Poached Eggs $13.5 / On a buttermilk biscuit and topped with a demi-glace hollandaise

Debris & eggs

I made a promise to myself that while in New Orleans, I wouldn’t order anything that is readily available on a menu at home. When I was looking at brunch menus, the idea of debris and eggs intrigued me, so I was thrilled to see this on Dante’s menu. Debris is a classic New Orleans take on the slivers of meat that fall off of a pork or beef roast. Dante’s version was a twist on a traditional Eggs Benedict, served with pork. The pork was so tasty and had a little tang to it that I really liked. The two eggs were poached perfectly, and I was amazed at how well the combination of the pork, eggs and slightly foamy hollandaise sauce went together. If this was available in NYC, this would definitely be one of my go-to brunch dishes. It was so delicious, but I couldn’t finish it. Russ ended up finishing most of the pork because he also really liked it.

Bread Pudding French Toast $12 / Seasonal fruit sauce and powdered sugar

Bread pudding French toast

This was the dish that sold me on brunching here, and since I’ll only eat bread pudding when I’m in New Orleans, I had to order this. I only have one word for it: AWESOME! This was the perfect combination of French toast and bread pudding, and the portion size was good as well. It was soft without being mushy, and I liked the sweetness that the fruit sauce added to the dish. I loved my meal and would highly recommend it to anyone who is brunching here. 

Buttermilk Biscuits

Biscuits

We overheard someone talking about how good the biscuits were, so we figured we’d give them a try. We were served two humongous biscuits with sides of strawberry and grape jelly, as well as butter. The jellies were both very sweet and went well with the biscuits. The biscuits were hearty and not too flaky, and did not have the overwhelming butter taste that some biscuits can have.

Outside of Dante’s Kitchen

The final bite: If you find yourself in New Orleans, tear yourself away from Bourbon Street, Hand Grenades, beignets and whatever else you’ll find in a typical touristy area like the French Quarter and make the trip to Dante’s Kitchen. Their innovative dishes and chill atmosphere almost makes it feel like you’re brunching in the home of a really cool friend who is also an awesome chef. We have nothing but amazing things to say about our brunch experience. It was one of our favorite meals in New Orleans!

Reviewed by: Jen

Brunch Gang hits the road: Novecento, Buenos Aires, Argentina

25 Apr

Place: Novecento

Neighborhood: Las Canitas, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Báez 199

Mimosa Rating:

3 1/2 mimosas


The scoop: Being in a large metropolitan city like Buenos Aires, I figured there must be some fantastic brunches. I decided to give one of Buenos Aires’ oldest standing brunch spots a try in the hip neighborhood, Las Canitas.

Outdoor seating at Novecento

Novecento was recommended by a local who had also lived in NYC for several years (she knows brunches). She warned me, “We do not brunch like they do in NYC, but Novecento, much like it’s counterpart in NYC, serves a fantastic traditional brunch.” With that being said, Novecento opens around noon, but you will not find a soul  in the restaurant at that time on Sunday since bars and clubs stay open until the sun rises!

I liked how there was a large amount of outdoor seating (more than inside), with both shaded and non. The service replicates what you find at most restaurants in Buenos Aires — it’s a little on the slower side. Patrons tend to just hang out and lounge around, drinking entire bottles of wine, unlike the typical rushed brunches you sometimes find in NYC.

Mimosa

Bottoms up: If you partake in the brunch deal for two, you receive one cocktail (mimosa, bellini or kir royal) and a non-alcoholic drink (coffee, tea, OJ, bottled water). We opted for a mimosa and a bottle of water.

Mimosa

Just your ordinary mimosa. The orange juice tasted freshly squeezed.

Brunch feast!


Chew on this: For about $50 total, you and your travel partner can literally feast for brunch, which includes a few appetizers and meals, as well as a cocktail and non-alcoholic drink. It’s almost like a tapas brunch since you get so many different dishes to share. The best part of the brunch deal was ending it with an amazing dessert.

Complimentary breads

Complimentary breads

Each table receive a basket of various types of bread.

Nachos / Con dips de queso crema, guacamole y salsa criolla (Nachos with cream-cheese dips, guacamole and salsa criolla)

The nachos were homemade, thick tortilla chips, which were much different than ordinary chips in the U.S. The dips were excellent. The cream-cheese ones had a little spicy kick. The guacamole was good and tasted exactly like what you find at any Mexican restaurant.

Revuelto Gramajo

Revuelto Gramajo / Huevos revueltos con jamon cocido y papas fritas (Gramajo scrambled eggs with ham and fried potatoes)

This dish was very interesting and was the item I enjoyed the most. It was, in a sense, scrambled eggs with ham, but much more creamier than this dish would be in the U.S. I think they added more oil and some cheese to give it this texture. The fried potatoes gave it a great crunch and a salty taste. The only problem was this dish was hard to share.

Ensalada Verde / Con queso de cabra y tomates cherry (Green salad with goat cheese and cherry tomatoes)

This salad was refreshing. Everything else we were eating seemed a bit on the unhealthy side, and with the amount of meat, I was eating all week, a simple salad hit the spot. The salad contained two simple ingredients: spinach leaves and olive oil. I poured a little bit of olive oil on top of the greens for dressing. Much like the egg dish, this was hard to share.

Club sandwich

Club Sandwich / En pan lactal tostado, con pollo, pancetta, queso cheddar, lechuga y tomate; acompanado de papas fritas (Club sandwich on toasted bread with chicken, bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato; accompanied by French fries)

Delicious! The club sandwich came sliced into four quarters, which was perfect for sharing. The crispy bacon provided amazing flavor. It was almost like a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich. I dipped it in the cream cheeses from the nachos which gave it even more flavor and a little bit of spice. The side of French fries was pretty regular, but none of us could stop eating them!

Plato De Frutas (Fruit dish)

A pretty traditional item served at meals in Buenos Aires. Delicious mixed fruits, which have been soaking in orange juice or another type of juice, are served in a bowl. The fruit was sweet and a great way to end our meal.

Panqueque de Dulce de Leche

Panqueque de Dulce de Leche (Caramel pancake)

The national caramel, dulce de leche, is found on every menu and used in a variety of ways — in cookies, pancakes, ice cream, etc. I couldn’t get enough of it! This dish was basically a caramel-stuffed crepe, with a little chocolate drizzle and a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream on the side. The chocolate and ice cream went perfectly with the caramel. It was hard to finish after all of the food we had already eaten, but I made room.

Tribute to NYC location

The final bite: This smorgasbord of food was deliciously flavorful and satisfying, and it was the perfect amount for two to share. I think there should have been more traditional brunch dishes (both egg and sweet) on the menu to make it seem less lunch-like and more brunch-like. Nevertheless, Novecento is a great place to spend a few hours people watching and enjoying yummy food and drinks.

Reviewed by: Erica

Brunch Gang hits the road: Scion, Washington, DC

15 Mar

Place: Scion

Neighborhood: DC’s Dupont Circle, 2100 P Street NW (off of 21st St.)

Mimosa Rating:

4 mimosas

The scoop: I was visiting my friend Kelly, who recently moved to the DC area, for the weekend. We were looking for a brunch spot that wasn’t too far from the Verizon Center, as we were going to the Villanova-Georgetown game on Saturday afternoon at 2. After researching restaurants and locations, we decided on Scion.

Tables and bar area

Scion is a casual American restaurant serving brunch in the Dupont Circle area of DC. It seems restaurants in DC book up pretty quickly for brunch, so we were lucky to snag an 11 a.m. reservation at Scion. When we arrived, there weren’t many tables filled. We were seated at a table for two in the main dining area. There was a decent amount of room between tables. We didn’t feel cramped, but as time went by, Scion slowly got more and more crowded until there were groups of people waiting for tables at the front of the restaurant. By noon, the place was packed, so reservations are highly recommended.

Scion is a fairly large space. They have a bar area with high-top tables and a few larger tables, a small, almost private, room with a table for six and beer taps connected to the table, and a back area with more tables. There’s also plenty of outdoor seating. On the left side of the entrance, there are small outdoor tables as well as a sun room when you first enter. The sun room has garage door, which I assume is open during the warmer months.

Table with taps

The decor is heavy on the earth tones, specifically red, orange and taupe. The tables were covered in red-printed tablecloths, and on the back wall of the main dining area hung four framed photos of the same location in different seasons: winter, spring, summer and fall. I wish I had taken a photo because it was quite creative.

Our service was good but not great. We had to ask for drink refills numerous times. Since the game was at 2, we were at the restaurant for almost 2 1/2 hours, and we never felt like we were being rushed out.

Bottoms up: Scion offers a bottomless liquid brunch option for an additional $13. With all you can drink, you have a choice among mimosas, bellinis, beermosas (beer + OJ) and bloody Marys. You can only go back and forth between drinks if you go with the mimosa/bellini option, which is what we chose. Mimosas and bellinis are served in small and large carafes and seemed to be the most popular choice among brunchers. We didn’t notice anyone having beermosas, and a few patrons sipped on bloody Marys.

Mimosa

Mimosa

Wanting to start the morning right with orange juice, we ordered mimosas first. We were served our mimosas in a small carafe, out of which you could probably get 4-5 drinks. The mimosas had a nice balance of orange juice and champagne.

Bellini

Bellini

After two rounds of mimosas, we asked our server for bellinis. When we asked, our mimosa carafe wasn’t completely finished yet, but he took it away anyway. We then waited awhile for the bellinis — for so long that we had to ask the busboy for them. When we finally got our bellini carafe, we weren’t disappointed. The bellini was light with a strong peach flavor. I don’t think they used fresh peach puree, so it was a bit on the sweet side.

Chew on this:

Fruit table

Endless fruit / Complimentary

One of the best things about Scion’s brunch is the endless fruit that comes with every entrée. There is a table set up with plates of seven different kinds of fruit — green grapes, blackberries and pieces of canteloupe, honeydew, apples, pineapples and oranges. The fruit was super fresh and was replenished often. The plates were never empty. We also liked being able to choose our own fruit.

Crab-meat scramble

Build your own omelette or scramble $13.95 / Scramble with crab meat, cheddar/Monterrey Jack, peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes

If you’re a reader of this blog, you probably have noticed sometimes I ask to make substitutions in dishes. “May I have mozzarella instead of Swiss?” So, Scion’s option to build my own omelette/scramble jumped out at me. And to be able to add crab meat to it? I was sold! I opted for the scramble. You don’t get to have a crab meat scramble every day. I asked for mozzarella, but they ran out of it — at 11 a.m. on a Saturday. I got the cheddar/Monterrey Jack combo instead. The scramble was a large portion and came with two pieces of whole wheat toast. The eggs were soft, but not super soft where I felt like I was eating undercooked eggs. The scramble had an even mixture of all ingredients, and the vegetables were super fresh. I was worried they’d skimp on the crab meat but not so. When I took a bite, I felt like I was getting a little bit of everything — some eggs, cheese, crab and veggies. Since we spent more than two hours at the restaurant, I enjoyed every bite of the dish slowly.

Crab cakes benedict

Crab Cakes Benedict $17.95 / Two jumbo lump crab cakes, poached eggs and Old Bay hollandaise, potatoes

The eggs were poached properly, with a runny center, and rested on an English muffin with small crab cakes in between. The Old Bay spice added a nice flavor to the hollandaise sauce. It was refreshing to have something besides a regular ol’ hollandaise sauce. The same spice was on the potatoes, which were more like chips than home fries. Again, that’s something you don’t see at most brunches.

Bacon

Bacon $3.95

Although we both got crab meat in our entrées, we were still craving meat. Scion offers side dishes of bacon, turkey sausage, chorizo and ham. The bacon was cooked well. It wasn’t too soggy or too crispy. It was the perfect accompaniment to our dishes.

Entrance to Scion

The final bite: Scion has good food and drinks in a cute area of DC. It’s a great spot for visitors and locals alike.

Reviewed by: Stephanie


Brunch Gang hits the road: South Congress Cafe, Austin, Texas

9 Mar

Place: South Congress Café

Neighborhood: Austin’s SoCo District, 1600 South Congress Ave.

Mimosa Rating:

5 mimosas

The scoop: My vacation in Austin was booked from Monday to Friday, and I was bummed that lots of restaurants only serve brunch on weekends. Luckily, I came across South Congress Café and was happy to see that they serve brunch daily.

Inside South Congress Café

South Congress Café is located in the SoCo District which is known for its shops and for “Keeping Austin Weird.” It was a little before 11 a.m. on Thursday, and many of the shops were closed, so Marissa and I decided to get our brunch on before the stores opened. Since it was pretty early, the restaurant was on the empty side, but started getting full closer to 12 p.m. We were comfortably seated in a large booth, and I couldn’t help but notice the simple modern décor. Bright orange lampshades hung above tables, which added color to the restaurant, and the large windows provided natural sunlight and made the place look lively. A large metal pipe on the ceiling also contributed to the modern vibe.

There are lots of tables, but since they are large in size, you’d still feel comfortable, even if the place is packed. In addition to the dining room, there is a large bar area on the left side of the entrance. If I lived in Austin, I would come for a late brunch and take advantage of their happy hour, which starts at 3 p.m. on weekdays, at the bar.

Our waiter was extremely friendly and he answered all of my questions. There were lots of workers, and it almost looked like every table had a server. I was impressed when the manager came over and asked us how we were doing and to let him know if we needed anything.

Bottoms up: At first, I wasn’t planning on ordering a beverage, but I couldn’t resist once I saw the list of their specialty drinks.

Habanberry Rita $9 / Cazadores silver tequila infused with habanero peppers and blueberries, pomegranate juice, lime juice, cointreau

Habenberry Rita and frozen peach bellini

I didn’t know which drink to order because they all sounded good and different. I told the waiter that I love spicy drinks, and he suggested two of them. I went with the margarita, and I was 100 percent satisfied. Not only did it have a spicy taste, but it had a slight sweet taste which made it even more delicious.

Frozen peach bellini $8 / Fresh peach nectar and peach schnapps topped with chilled champagne

Marissa has been on a peach kick, so she couldn’t resist this bellini. It was very flavorful and perfect for a 90 degree Texas day.

Bread and butter

Bread / Complimentary

I normally stray away from butter on my bread, but Marissa told me that the I had to try it. I am glad I did because it wasn’t your ordinary plain butter. It was delicious and tasted like a perfect spread for a bagel. I had to ask what was in it, and the waiter told me it was butter, chives and garlic.

Very Bleu Salad

Very Bleu Salad $8 / Field greens, fresh hard cooked quail eggs, Gorgonzola, rosemary candied pecans, Gorgonzola cream dressing

Marissa ordered this dish because she is a fan of creamy, cheesy dressings and she wanted to try a quail egg. The eggs were like mini hard-boiled eggs and had a light-colored yolk. The salad was a good size, too. It had the perfect amount of cheese, and it was well balanced and fresh.

Migas

Migas $ 9 / Our famous blend of eggs, crispy corn tortillas, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and a three cheese blend, refried black beans, smoked Gouda potato pancake with your choice of award-winning salsas and homemade tortillas

There aren’t many brunch places in NYC that offer migas, and since it is a popular dish in Texas, I didn’t really consider anything else on the menu. All of the ingredients mixed with the eggs made the eggs very flavorful. The pieces of tortilla in the eggs remained crunchy. I asked for the flour tortillas, and I made a delicious taco with the combination of the salsa, eggs, and beans. The Gouda potato was flavorful and surprisingly not greasy. The dish was very satisfying and kept me full for a good portion of the day. 

Entrance to South Congress Café

The final bite: I was highly impressed with brunch at South Congress Café, and I did not have one complaint. I normally don’t do this, but with such great service, delicious cocktails and yummy dishes, South Congress Café gets a five.

Reviewed by: Victoria

Brunch Gang hits the road: Teplitzky’s, Atlantic City

21 Feb

Place: Teplitzky’s

Neighborhood: Downbeach Atlantic City, 111 South Chelsea Ave. (in The Chelsea Hotel)

Mimosa Rating:

The scoop: I was in Atlantic City for a much-needed girls night out with my high school besties, Jen and Debbie. We scored an awesome deal through LivingSocial for The Chelsea, Atlantic City’s only boutique hotel. Included in the deal was a $30 voucher for Teplitzky’s, The Chelsea’s casual and retro restaurant. Before we booked the deal, I had done an extensive search for brunch spots in AC and the results were pretty disappointing. Most hotels only offered Sunday brunch at their buffets, which all cost at least $30 and usually have very long lines. The only non-buffet place that had a brunch menu was Teplitzky’s, so it really worked out that we were staying at The Chelsea and had the voucher. The prices were decent, and the brunch menu had a good mix of breakfast and lunch items available.

Front entrance and dining room

Teplitzky’s is located in the lobby of The Annex, near the elevators. There’s actually no sign indicating that it is Teplitzky’s, which I thought was kind of strange. There is also no actual entrance to the restaurant, and the front dining room just kind of extends out from the lobby area. The decor is very ’50′s/’60′s, with bright patterns and funky designs throughout the restaurant. We were seated in the back dining area, and this area was decorated in some very pretty blues and greens. The back dining area is also right next to the pool, so it seems like a fun place to brunch in the summer.

Back dining area

The service was pretty good. We did have to wait about 10 minutes to be seated, since Teplitzky’s was buzzing with weary partiers from the night before. Once we were seated, our server was very attentive and the food was out quickly. We did have to wait a little longer than we would have liked to pay the bill. The waitresses were decked out in very cute old-fashioned yellow waitress outfits.

Bottoms up: Teplitzky’s has a full bar in the front dining area, and offers mimosas and bloody Marys during brunch. The three of us were certainly in no condition to consume any more alcohol, so we all stuck to water. The brunch drinks are reasonably priced at $6 each, and there were several people in our dining area enjoying both drinks. They also offer bottomless coffee for $3.

Chew on this: All three of us were in the mood for eggs, so we tried three different kinds of omelets. Each omelet is made with four eggs and served with shredded hash browns and your choice of a bagel or toast.

Cheesy Cheese $10

Cheesy Cheese omelet

I actually never even asked what kind of cheese this was made with or if there was more than one cheese, but it turns out that this is made with just mozzarella. It was loaded with cheese and was very … cheesy! The omelet had a very smooth-looking texture, but with the first bite, I thought the texture actually tasted a little rough. The hash browns were crispy, but a little cold and greasy. The Cheesy Cheese is a good choice if you’re looking for a simple omelet.

Western With Cheese $11

Western with Cheese

Like the Cheesy Cheese, they actually didn’t list the ingredients in the Western. Tiplitzky’s Western was prepared with ham, red peppers, green onions and mozzarella cheese. All of the ingredients made this a very colorful and flavorful omelet. I was very happy with my choice and would recommend this omelet.

Ham ‘N Cheese $11

Ham ‘N Cheese

The Ham ‘N Cheese was made with tiny bite-sized pieces of ham and mozzarella cheese. Seriously, do they offer any kind of cheese other than mozzarella?  There was a good ratio of each ingredient, and the cheese was very melty. I liked the shredded hash browns and toast. I was also pleased with my omelet choice.

The final bite: If you’re looking for a quick and affordable brunch after a long night of partying in Atlantic City, check out Teplitzky’s. Their brunch offerings are pretty good, and it’s a much better option that the overpriced and crowded hotel buffets.

Reviewed by: Jen

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