brunch

Lobster Eggs Benedict – Ceia Restaurant and Bar, Newburyport, MA

March 27, 2015

Just a few weekends ago I had such a fantastic brunch at Ceia Restaurant and Bar.

What was I doing way up in Newburyport?

I was getting to meet Carrie and Liz!!!!!!!

I have been talking to Carrie for ages and ages on social media, but have never met, although we live a little more an hour apart. Carrie introduced me to Liz when she invited me to brunch. So much fun.

Liz picked Ceia Restuarant and Bar for our brunch as we decided to meet in the middle of all of us. Liz lives nearby and enjoys going there for drinks and dinner so it sounded like a great pick. And it was!

Carrie ordered a Kobe Burger ($16). It’s a burger on a buttered focaccia bun and topped off with Serrano ham, manchego cheese, and a slice of tomato. All of their sandwiches are served with Duckfat fries. OMG! I snagged some and they were fantastic. It was the first time I had Duckfat fries, and I’m hooked now. Plus, they serve a house-made ketchup that is sweet, smokey, and creamy. One of the best homemade ketchups that I’ve ever had.

Liz stuck with the breakfast dishes and ordered the pancakes ($13). The pancakes were studded with black walnuts and thinly chopped pear, and served with with fresh maple syrup. The pancakes were cooked in Candy Cap Oil, which is actually oil infused with forged mushrooms, but has a maple flavor to it. Pretty cool.

Carrie ordered a mimosa and I ordered a Bloody Mary as our brunch bevies. The Bloody Mary was good, but I felt it it was missing something, spicy maybe? Plus, I thought it was ‘weak’. Similarly, Carrie thought her mimosa was too.

I had considered ordering the Shirred Eggs entree but when I saw they had a Lobster Benedict ($18) I just knew it was the thing I couldn’t resist. I mean how could I?!?

Poached Lobster, poached eggs, and a thick slice of Tomato set atop an English Muffin. And then a Spicy Hollandaise was drizzled on top. Then some dressed arugula was piled on top all of that.

It all just sounded too good.

And it really, really was so good.

The serving of the lobster was generous and cooked perfectly. As well, the poached eggs were just about perfect. The addition of the tomato and arugula was enjoyable as they added to the flavor and texture of the dish. The arugula added a bit of a pop to it all. The only disappointing element of the dish were the English Muffins. It seemed that they had forgotten to be toasted, or if they were it was done so lightly that the insides still seemed doughy. Yes, I could have requested new English muffins but I didn’t as I didn’t feel that I missed out on the overall experience of the dish but leaving them to the side. Plus, there still was a great side of hash browns to be enjoyed.

The side of potatoes were amazing. I loved how crunchy they were. They were a great vehicle for the ketchup that was served along side of them. That ketchup was unreal. I typically notice a heavy molasses or vinegar taste in homemade ketchups but this didn’t have either distinct flavor. It was a great consistency and well balanced.

Brunch with great food and great company is always fantastic. I can’t wait to meet up with Carrie and Liz again. And I highly suggest going to Ceia in Newburyport to satisfy your eggs benedict craving.

Rating

English Muffin– 13/20 pts

Lobster and Tomato– 20/20 pts

Poached Egg– 23/25 pts

Spicy Hollandaise- 24/25 pts

Homefries and ketchup– 9/10 pts

Total: 89/100 pts

Ceia Restaurant and Bar

38 State Street

Newburyport, MA 01950

978.358.8112

Banana Buttermilk Waffles

March 18, 2015

I’m going to Seattle tomorrow!! And I am so freaking excited!!! SO EXCITED!!!

I am going there to visit my best friend Emily, who moved out there just about 2 summers ago. I haven’t seen her since last Christmas (’13) when she was back visiting family in CT and came up to Boston for an overnight so we could hang and she could meet Autumn. So it’s been far too long since I’ve seen her.

I’ve had this trip planned for months and months. I’m packed and ready to head to the airport from work. Autumn is staying home with dad so this is the longest time that I will be away from her. That will be hard but I think the trip would be tough on he/us. Plus, they get to have a funny Daddy & Daughter weekend together.

Emily and I have been planning fun things to see and do. And, of course, delicious things to eat and drink.

I’m looking forward to checking out Pike Place Market, Gas Works Park, and taking a Ferry Ride. Plus, I think I kinda have to check out the Sleepless in Seattle houseboat. Oooh, maybe even the Grey’s Anatomy House. I’m such a dork.

We have been sending back a “Seattle Restaurant Tread” email for the past few weeks that is stuffed full of restaurants and bars that we could check out. The plan is so eat, walk, eat walk, and repeat all day. I can’t wait to check out places like Revel, Local 360, Toulouse Petit, and Marination in Ma Kai. So good!!!

I’ve posted a few banana enhanced waffle recipes recently, so I was not too sure about posting these Banana Buttermilk Waffles now, but I couldn’t resist.

Buttermilk waffles are always a great waffle. A family favorite! And with the added banana it just knocks the flavor out of the park. Plus, it just enhances the texture.

We always have bananas on hand and sometimes they get too brown and soft to eat, I’m sure the same happens in your house, so whip up these waffles with those brown bananas.

So, while you are enjoying these waffles this weekend I’ll be enjoying Seattle. I think it will be a great weekend!

Banana Buttermilk Waffles

Makes approximately 16 waffles, depending on waffle maker

Ingredients

2 bananas, mashed
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/3 Cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Process

Preheat your waffle iron according to your manufacturer’s instructions.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter, and the vanilla extract. Pour into dry mixture, and combine.
In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into batter.
Ladle about 1/4-1/3 cup batter, depending on your waffle iron, onto each section of the waffle grid; spread batter almost to the edges. Close lid, and bake until steam no long emerges from waffle iron, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer the cooked waffles to a cooking rack lined baking sheet; place in an oven set to low heat, about 200 degrees, while you finish making the rest of the waffles.

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Quick and Easy Cinnamon Roll Waffles

March 4, 2015

So funny story…I wrote the whole post to the recipe that I was going to post today. And then I tossed it.

Yep. Yep, I just wiped it clean. Ugh!

I had written about how I was dedicating the recipe to my blogging buddy Amanda and how she is so amazing and inspiring. We often make each other’s recipes, like how I recently made her Paleo Coconut Flour Waffles and she has made my Waffled Hashbrowns. In addition to Amanda trying them as directed, she also tried them with Sweet Potatoes and it was a bust! Twice!

I felt bad about that and wanted to figure it out so I go to work!

But I couldn’t consistently make them work well enough to share. I had amazing waffles and then ones that completely fell apart and stuck to the waffle iron. I just didn’t feel confident enough to share the recipe for the “Sweet Potato Waffles with a Triple Berry Sauce” that I had been working so hard on.

So, I said, “EFF IT!!!! LET’S MAKE CINNAMON ROLL WAFFLES!!!”

Yep, I went from homemade Sweet Potato Waffles with warm sauce made of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries to these 1 ingredient Cinnamon Roll Waffles. Ha! It might be lazy but it’s damn delicious!

It’s exactly what you think it is…
Open up the package> put cinnamon roll on waffle iron> close> cook> drizzle frosting

Thankfully, Amanda NAILED a waffle using sweet potatoes this week. I cracked up as soon as I saw the post because it felt like ‘great minds think alike’ moments. You seriously have to check out her Paleo Sweet Potato Waffles.

Quick and Easy Cinnamon Roll Waffles

Makes 5-8 waffles, depending on the can of cinnamon rolls you purchase

Ingredients

1 Can of cinnamon rolls ( I used the Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls)

Process

Preheat your waffle iron.
Spray with non stick cooking spray then put down 2-4 cinnamon rolls, depending on the size of your waffle iron.
Cook for 2 to 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
Remove from waffle iron and drizzle the icing immediately over the waffled cinnamon rolls.

Gluten Free Banana Bread Waffles

February 25, 2015

Can we talk about how freaking cute waffle irons are?

Oh, man, my Amazon wish list is insane with waffle irons. Big Belgian beauties. This one makes bubbled shaped waffles. Or how about a Mini Waffle Maker. And this one that makes hearts. Adorable! Oh, and this one makes Waffle Sticks– perfect for dunking!

This is gonna be a problem. A delicious problem.

Price gifted me some fun goodies from Sperry for Valentine’s Day, but when we were out shopping I gifted myself Heart Waffle Iron that I picked up from Crate and Barrel. I couldn’t resist a sale. Score!!!

We always have bananas in the house as Autumn loves them, but she will eat anywhere from 1 bite to a whole banana in a sitting so sometimes we run out or have a bunch of super ripe ones left, depending on her mood that week. And sure enough, we had a bunch of bananas when I was trying to figure out what waffle t make up next. It was like they were calling my name, I just had to use them. But since I recently did a Banana Bread Waffle, I wanted to change it up so I made these gluten free.

These waffles are great if you are gluten free or not. The texture is light from the whipped egg whites. Plus the flavor is reminiscent of banana bread from the banana, vanilla, and cinnamon in the batter.

A real winner for your next waffle breakfast.

Gluten Free Banana Bread Waffles

Makes 7 heart waffles

Ingredients

1/2 Cup melted coconut oil
1 1/2 Cups almond flour
1/2 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 large very ripe bananas
1/2 Cup sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
butter, chopped nuts, fruit, and syrup for serving

Process

Melt enough coconut oil to equal 1/2 Cup.
Combine the almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Beat together the bananas and sugar until fluffy. Add the 3 egg yolks and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Add in the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Fold in the egg whites until there are no more streaks
Preheat you waffles iron. Spray with non-stick cooking spray or rub with papertowel that has coconut oil on it. Scoop a 1/2 Cup of batter into the waffle iron and cook according to the waffle maker’s instructions.
Serve warm with butter and syrup and your choice of nuts and fruit.

Post contains affiliate links.

Enjoying Brunch at Beats Brasserie with Boston Brunchers

February 13, 2015

Getting to share four great brunch entrees with 3 other wonderful Boston based bloggers is such a fantastic way to spend a Sunday afternoon. And I had the pleasure of doing just that a few weeks ago.

I attended a recent Boston Brunchers‘ event held at Beats Brasserie in Harvard Square in Cambridge. I was so excited to have the opportunity to enjoy brunch with a great group of local food loving bloggers.

Plus, I had heard great things about Beats Brasserie, from their food to the live music. And there are just somethings that shouldn’t be missed.

They have a really cool, creative brunch menu. Dare I say that their space is just as cool too. The menus and decor are the perfect sort of mish mash that makes it all work together. Take an egg dish and kick it up a notch. Tile a wall but paint poetry all over it. Things like that make Beats Brasserie special.

What better to kick off the brunch than a great Bloody Mary?!?

The Bloody Mary’s a classic brunch staple and they nailed it. It’s hard to resist getting excited when a big tall glass of boozy tomato goodness is set down in front of you. Ask for it spicy.

There are really times when I don’t want to share meals with people but there are times when it is the best thing ever as you get the opportunity to try new things.

This brunch is the exact reason why sharing is awesome.

I had never heard of Eggs Shakshuka ($14.5) but it sounded good and I was up to try things new with my table mates suggested it. Jackie, Dan, and Jessica are all big local foodies so when they suggest something you listen. Like they suggested to add the Merguez Sausage (+$3) to the dish of Poached Eggs, North African Tomato Sauce, Peppers, Polenta, and Pitas. I actually didn’t have any sausage but the rest of the dish that I did try was incredible as it was a great mix of silky textures from the tomato sauce to the polenta. Plus you can’t be virbrant spices that perfume the table.

I think that the Bowl Azteca has to be the most interesting dish on the menu. A beautifully thrown pottery bowl is filled with Spiced Quinoa, Tomatillo Salsa, Fresh Corn, Squash, Green Beans, Avocado, Baby Spinach. All of that is then topped off with a variety of offerings such as Poached Free Range Eggs ($17), All Natural Chicken ($17), and Skirt Steak ($19). We opted for the Blackened Shrimp ($18), which was a great choice as they were seasoned and cooked very well. Overall the bowl is a a complex collection of flavors, smells, and textures that work really well together.

When I first read over the menu I was pretty sure I would order the Braised Short Rib Eggs Benedict ($15.50) as eggs benedict is the way to my heart. If you nail it, I will be your friend for life. And it ultimately came as no surprise to me that Beats Brasserie nailed it with a perfectly toasted english muffin that was generously topped off with shredded braised short ribs, nicely cooked poached eggs, and a buttery Hollandaise.

And for our dessert we shared the Wild Flower Honey & Lemon Pancakes ($14). My heart belongs to waffles but these pancakes were awesome. They were light in texture and very flavorful. I honestly would order them again, which is saying a lot about these pancakes. It’s just that it’s hard to resist them, especially with the mixed berry compote and compound butter that tops them.

Everything that we enjoyed for brunch was fantastic. If you want to enjoy it for yourself then head over to Beats Brasserie between Saturday & Sunday: 10:00am – 3:00pm. And don’t forget that the Live Music starts at 10am. Go hungry!

Beats Brasserie

13 Brattle St

Cambridge, MA 02138

(617) 499-0001

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While I received this complimentary brunch in exchange for a review, all opinions expressed are my own.

Waffled Hashbrowns

February 11, 2015

Here I am 10 days into Whole30.

Waffled Hashbrowns-2

It’s awesome. It sucks. I feel inspired to jazz up our meals. I hate cooking.

Basically, I just want to bake some damn chocolate chip cookies.

Waffled Hashbrowns-3

I started to question doing Whole30 when I realized I couldn’t have waffles. What? Huh? Jk! But really, the foods I miss the most are breakfast foods. Sure, eggs are breakfast foods, but so are pancakes, bagels, and waffles. But it’s only a month.

Besides, I can figure out other fun ways to use the waffle iron to bust out some delightfully delicious food.

In this case, I used the waffle iron to make hashbrowns because hashbrowns are great but Waffled Hashbrowns are even better. It makes them extra crunchier.

And it’s super simple too! I used fresh potatoes that I just tossed in my food processor (fine shred), but post Whole30 if I’m feeling chill I will just grab a big bag of frozen shredded potatoes and have at it.

And of course #putaneggonit.

Waffled Hashbrowns

Make 4 Hashbrowns

Ingredients

4 Large Potatoes/ 4 Cups frozen shredded potatoes
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
vegetable oil/olive oil (I used a Misto sprayer, but cooking spray works well too)

Process

If using fresh whole potatoes, shred the potatoes in a food processor or on a box grater.
Season the potatoes with the season salt and black pepper, mix to evenly distribute.
Preheat the waffle iron according to your manufacturer’s directions.
Once preheated, generiously spray it the bottom piece with oil. Add 1/4 of the potatoes to the waffle iron, spray the potatoes and top of the waffle iron with oil, and close. Cook until there is no more steam coming from the waffle iron and it is golden brown and crunchy. Repeat until you have made 4 hashbrowns.

Waffled French Toast

January 28, 2015

Oh, here we go with me waffling things.

Sure, sure, waffling already is a verb but I’m changing it up and I’m adding a new definition to it.

It was only a matter of time before I took the waffle iron to make something other than waffles in there. I feel like Kathy of Panini Happy with her Panini centric blog. She uses just a Panini to make all these awesome recipes. Or like Allie from Inspralized who makes delicious healthy recipes using a spiralizer. Only Allie is famous and now has a cookbook in the works and I just fiddle away with my waffle iron.

Anyway, I slapped some French Toast in the waffle iron and, as expected, it was great.

Here is the biggest tip I have for you…

Don’t use thick bread!! I used a pretty thick slice at first- I’d say about a 1/2″- and it didn’t work at all! Well it did but I had to hold the waffle iron closed the whole time. The slice puffed right up and popped my waffle iron open and wouldn’t stay closed since the eggy coating expands as it cooks. Duh!

So I reworked it and used thinner slices and huzzah! We have a winner!

The Waffled French Toast is just like regular French Toast but cooler as it has all the awesome peaks and valleys that waffles have.

I used homemade sandwich bread but you can use store-bought bread, just make sure the slices aren’t too thick. 1/4″ Max! Or just expect that your waffle iron might pop open.

Other than that, soak you bread in that egg mixture and get that waffle iron ready!!

Waffled French Toast

Makes 8 slices

Ingredients

4 eggs
2 Cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
8 slices of thinly sliced bread (I used homemade sandwich bread)

Process

Combine the eggs, milk, cinnamon, and brown sugar in a shallow bowl.
Preheat your waffle iron.
Dip 2 slices of bread in the egg mixture until completely coated.
Right before you put the slices on, spray the waffle iron with not stick cooking spray, or wipe with melted butter.
Cook the french toast slices until your waffle iron timer goes off and they slices are golden brown. Repeat with all the slices.
Serve with your favorite toppings like butter, maple syrup, whipped cream, nuts, and fruit.

Classic Homemade Waffles

January 7, 2015

After I read Amy Poehler’s Yes Please I started to binge watch Parks and Recreation. I never got into it when it first started. I think my DVR and brain were already too full to take on another show then. Not that I didn’t like it, I just never gave it the time of day. So I’m just a few years late but I’m loving it!

I love the weirdness and quirkiness of all the characters. They are all so strange in their own ways from their relationships, weird mural designs, and anger towards opossums. And poor, poor Jerry! No one understands his awesomeness!!

Plus, it’s about city government, which Price and I are just starting to get involved in, serving on the Conservation Commission and Planning board, respectively. Our monthly meetings won’t compare to their full time jobs in the Parks and Recreation Department but I’m sure there will still be silly moments that will remind me of the show in some way or another.

And Leslie Knope is just such a great character. She is so blindly optimistic that it’s sad and beautiful. I wish that more people in public office were like her so that the world would be filled with more parks and things like that. She just wants for a more, more, more. But her positive, hard-working approach is refreshing and fun. Plus, we share the same birthday! (January 18th!!!!) and we both ‘effing love waffles.

I seriously love waffles. They are crispy on the outside, and light and airy on the inside. They aren’t grossly dense like pancakes. For real, aside from a rare few recipes, half way through your plate of pancakes you start praying for death to come upon you just to get you out of the rest of that situation. But when it comes to waffles you get to enjoy the amazing texture and density, plus there are all those little built in bowls of butter and syrup. A syrup trap!

For the last few years I’ve done some food centric themes that has resulted in some fun and creative recipes. I’ve done NASCAR themed recipes, Amanda and I did Thirsty Thursday post to make a drink recipe every week, and then I just did The Year of Pies when I shared a pie recipe every Friday. And I’m hoping to keep up with a waffle recipe every week this week… Waffle Wednesday.

Price might call off the wedding in June with this insanity, but we’ll see how this goes. Fingers crossed!

I’m starting this adventure with a simple waffle recipe. It’s a classic. It’s a great recipe to satisfy a waffle craving. Nothing too jazzy about it. But you will get amazing waffles. I swear. I have been using this recipe for years because it’s so good and you’ll always have everything you need right at home. It just works with its golden crispy outside and soft, tender inside.

Plus, they freeze so, so well. Just lay them out on a single layer on a baking sheet and put that in your freezer. Once they are all frozen store them in a zip-loc bag or plastic container. I reheat them by putting them on our pizza stone (which always hangs out in our oven), or just directly on the oven rack. I put our broiler on low and after a few minutes I flip them and they are done soon after that. You can also just toast them but I don’t bother bringing out storage.

It’s going to be an adventure making all these waffles. I swear we might go crazy but that it will be fun. And delicious.

Classic Homemade Waffles

Makes 12-14 4″ Square Waffles (Qty will vary per waffle iron)

Ingredients

2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/1 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Process

Preheat waffle iron.
Vigorously whisk the eggs in large bowl until fluffy.
Mix in flour, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla extract until just smooth.
Spray the preheated waffle iron with a non-stick cooking spray.
Ladle 1/4-1/3 cup of the batter the onto hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown. Serve hot iwth butter & syrup.

Inspired by All Recipes

Cajun Pork Benedict- Top of the Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

November 12, 2014

When we were visiting Raleigh, North Carolina back in September we enjoyed some really great meals throughout Research Triangle area. There are so many wonderful places to eat that we had a blast. One place in particular had an awesome brunch.

Based upon some reviews and suggestions we went to Top of The Hill in Chapel Hill for brunch. Brunch is one of my favorite meals and obviously, my favorite dish is Eggs Benedict. And Top of The Hill, aka TOPO, did not disappoint!

Typically, we would not order a ‘starter’ of biscuits but Autumn can happily eat them so we ordered them. So, of course, we snagged some pieces of the light and fluffy biscuits too. Although they were buttery I felt it was super important to add some butter on top as well. Plus some jelly. When in Rome?

We also did get a cup of fruit ($3.99) for Autumn as well.

Sweet tea and a sweet baby.

Price ordered the Chicken and Waffles ($9.99). It is becoming the signature dish that he has been ordering lately.

He thought it was really good as the boneless chicken breast was really tender under all that crunch. The coating was on the sweet side, which went well with the belgian waffle. He remarked that he enjoyed how airy the waffle was. Two thumbs up.

Sadly, we arrived at right when they open at 11 and they don’t start serving alcohol until noon so we didn’t get to enjoy some brunch cocktails or their on-site brewed beers. The selection looked great so it was disappointing but you just can’t break state law!

I love Eggs Benedict but I love when restaurants change things up and play on the components of it. Which is exactly what TOPO did when they created the Cajun Pork Benny ($8.99). Their version included 2 cheesy grit cakes, Cajun pulled pork, 2 poached eggs, a beer cheese sauce, which were served on a bed of arugula, and lastly topped off with fresh salsa.

Each element was executed really well. I loved the spice and seasoning in the moist pulled pork. As well, the creamy, thick beer cheese sauce has a really nice spice to it. Of course it was made with theitr own beer. That went really well with the pepper arugula. I typically look forward to homefries but the arugula was nice instead as it added some nice crunch to each bite.

The best part of the Cajun Pork Benedict were the cheesy grit cakes. They were cheesy, creamy, and crunchy. Imagine croquettes but 10x better. The grits were cooked perfectly and they were formed into the cakes and gently fried. Be still my heart. I made sure I had a bit of the cheesy grit cakes with ever bite.

My eggs were bright and runny but just a tad over cooked.You might even say it was barely noticeable, but I do take note. However, I would always choose a slightly over cooked egg than under cooked so it wasn’t such a big deal. Plus there was enough of the cheese sauce to balance out some of the cooked yolk.

Rating

Grit Cakes– 20/20 pts

Pulled Pork– 18/20 pts

Poached Egg– 20/25 pts

Cheese Sauce– 23/25 pts

Arugla & Salsa– 8/10 pts

Total: 89/100 pts

And post brunch pics of elation and exhaustion.

Top of The Hill

100 E Franklin St #3

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

(919) 929-8676

Brunch is served from 11-2pm on Sundays

Monday Munchies: Highland Kitchen- Somerville, MA

September 15, 2014

As part of my Monday Munchies series, I will feature a different eatery for a review on the first and third Monday of every month. Hope you enjoy!

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I learned a very valuable lesson when it comes to having brunch at Highland Kitchen in Somerville, MA. When you read that brunch opens at 11am don’t just think “Hey! We’ll get there at 11 and won’t have a wait. Sweet!” Nope, no, no no. Wrong. Completely wrong. We pulled up at 11.04 and the line was insane. CRAP. We tried to come up with alternatives but knew that if Highland Kitchen looked like this we would have this problem elsewhere, plus the additional driving time to get to those places. So, we braved it out and waited 50 minutes instead. Oh, boy.

It was lame and annoyed but worth it. Oh, damn that was a good brunch. Such a good brunch. We had a blast while we enjoyed amazing food.

As we stood around outside (my mom walked Autumn all over in her stroller to kill the time) we peered through the opened windows and to check out what others had ordered. We saw several ordered of Beignets ($4.95) so we knew we had to get some ourselves. The order came to our table piping hot and covered with powder sugar. They were really light and fluffy but they did seem a tiny bit under cooked in the center, hardly noticeable.

I really think you can’t beat freshly fried Beignets and fresh brewed coffee. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have an attentive waitress who keeps your cup of coffee freshly topped off!

Autumn even enjoyed herself during brunch. She tried everything we ordered and loved everything she tried. She also enjoyed throwing that lid on the floor about a hundred times. And of course, I picked it up and wiped it off every time. Babies…

Price and my mom enjoyed the Deviled Eggs ($3.50) and Bloody Mary’s. I’m just not a fan of deviled eggs, but they are so they each enjoyed halves that were loaded up with creamy, yolky goodness. We even gave Autumn some and she enjoyed it too.

Price thought that the Bloody Mary was good but very spicy with a lot of Horseradish. It was served with a wedge of lemon and a pickled string bean. The Blood Mary wasn’t very lemony but you could adjust that yourself, as you prefered. Sometimes we come across Blood Mary’s that are really thick and chunky, but it was very smooth. Price did think that it was quite weak and wished that he could have tasted more vodka.

My mom saw an order of Huevos Rancheros ($9.95) on another table and decided that she needed to try it. The serving was very generous and quiet tasty. The plate was really loaded up with its 3 fried eggs, large serving of refried black beans, scoop of rice, corn tortillas & queso fresco. It was all topped of with a ‘rojo’ sauce that had a bit of zip.

Typically, Price and I don’t order the same thing for brunch so that we can share but we each read the description of the Dirty Bird ($10.95) and we each decided to get it. No sharing. Ha! (I was debating ordering the Dirty Bird or the Shrimp and Grits ($10.95)… I’ll have to try the grits next time.)

This couldn’t have been called “The Napper” since you really would want a nap after enjoying this.

Holy Cow! or Holy Chicken. Or Holy Pig. I dunno. There were so much going on with this plate. You might just need to brace yourself when reading the components… get ready… Half of a buttermilk biscuit, topped with a fried chicken breast, a few slices of applewood smoked bacon, and a fried egg. That stack is topped off with the biscuit and the sausage gravy. It’s indulgent, rich, and breathtaking. This will take your breath away once it’s put in front of you, but once you take a bit you will be blown away. The chicken breast is juicy with a crunchy exterior and the biscuit is tender with a dense crumb to it. The gravy was thick and filled with sausage and was great with a bite of chicken, egg, of biscuit.

And this last picture is just to remind me that Autumn is just about as delicious as anything I could ever order. I could just gobble up those cheeks.

Get over to Highland Kitchen if you know what’s good for you! And be sure to get there EARLY so you don’t have to wait. Really, I swear, get there early because they don’t take reservations and there will be a line because the brunch is da-bomb.

Highland Kitchen

150 Highland Ave

Somerville, MA 02143

617 625 1131

Brunch 11am-2.30pm

Enjoying Brunch at Boston Chops with Boston Brunchers

August 13, 2014

I just love to go out for brunch. It’s the relaxed fit and feel of brunch that I love. I mean that I love that you can order whatever… eggs- sure, club sandwich- yep, pancakes- why not?, burger- definitely.I love that flexibility because I’m kinda horrible when it comes to making a decision to eat. More options might scare people but I like to have lots of options to at the last-minute, when the waiter is staring at me go “errr, ummm, I’llTakeTheChickenandWaffles! phew!”

I recently felt that same sense of delightful overwhelm mixed with a great sense of relief when I ordered my incredible brunch entrée at Boston Chops. I was out with a group of Boston Brunchers so I reigned in my indecisiveness and carefully narrowed down my brunch entrée to 2 things so I could just go ‘eeny meeny miny moe’ in my head at the last-minute. (yes, I am a child).

It’s just that they have such a great brunch menu that it was so tough to decide on what to get. Our waitress, Lindsay, was incredible as she was attentive and so well-informed that she was extremely helpful with the ordering process. Her passion for her job and food was clear as she described each element of each dish was inquired about. I couldn’t decide between the Croque Monsieur ($13-$17 w/ 2 eggs) or the Surf and Turf but from Lindsay’s descriptions of the Surf and Turf had me sold.

As part of the brunch we got some goodies to kick things off.

Homemade Sticky Buns! The mini buns ($7) were light and fluffy and the sticky bun sauce was sweet without giving you a toothache. I enjoyed

The table also ordered a dozen Island Creek Oysters ($29). The 2 plates of oysters were served with wedges of lemon, horseradish, cocktail sauce, and mignonette. I did not have any as I don’t like oysters but those who did have them really enjoyed them.

Homemade Donuts ($7) reminded me more of churros. They were crisp, crunchy, and sugary. The I could have drunk that velvety chocolate sauce.

I can never pass up an oportunity to enjoy a cocktail with bourbon, so I select the Maple Berry Smash ($11) as my brunch beverage. The mix of Bourbon, maple syrup, seasonal berries, and herbs made a lovely combination. The maple went well with the sweet and smokey nature of the Bourbon. The berries made it bright while the herbs rounded it all out to add the ‘wow’ element.

After everyone enjoyed the starters the entrees were served. Plates ranged from the Huevos Rancheros ($15) to the Turkey Sandwich ($13) to the “Surf & Turf” ($23). I was down right giddy when my Surf and Turf arrived in front of me. It was quite a sight to be hold with its 4 ounce beef tournedo, poached egg, lobster claws, asparagus, and Hollandaise Sauce.

The piece of beef so tender that I was able to use a butterknife to cut it. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare but I felt it could have used a bit of char to add more texture, flavor as I felt it was a bit underseasoned.

The farm fresh egg was cooked perfectly so that the white was firm and the yolk was bright and perfectly runny.

Alternating bites of the steak, egg, and lobster with the grits made for a lucious brunch.

Lobster Grits. Be still my heart.

There was actually a goof when they brought the entrée to the table- no grits! I was thinking ‘hmm maybe the grits portion is like the sauce, really rich so there is just a spoonful hidden somewhere under the steak?’ Nope, our plates were missing them so they rushed back and brought us these lovely mini dutch ovens filled with the grits. I’m actually glad that they were served separately, as they normally would have been placed on the plate with everything else on top, because this allowed for the complex layered flavors of the grits to shine on their own and not get muddled up with the egg yolk and Hollandaise. If I ever order this again I would actually ask for it this way.

Well, be still my heart. These grits were the best grits I ever ate! Maybe it was the lobster? The butter? The cheese? Oh God! They were so rich and creamy I gobbled up the whole thing. I just knew I wouldn’t enjoy them as much reheated at home so I just dug down deep and enjoyed the last few spoonfuls of the grits before leaning back in the booth in stuffed bliss. (I did a LONG walk with the dog later!)

This is why runny eggs and Hollandaise are my best friends. No wait, they are the devil and angel that sit on my shoulders. But who is who? I’ll never tell!

Houston, we have a problem.

Not only am I offended that this mirror is for jolly green giants but I’m offended as a designer. But who in their right mind thought it was okay to put the bottom of the miror at 4′-6″?? I would never think that was okay when I was designing it or installing it.

But don’t worry Boston Chops, I won’t hold the greatly mislocated mirror against you! I will be back and next time I’ll get a Croque Monsieur!

Boston Chops

1375 Washington Street

Boston, MA

617-227-5011

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While I received this complimentary brunch in exchange for a review, all options expressed are my own.

Crab Cake Eggs Benedict @ The Cottage- Chestnut Hill, MA

June 5, 2014

Life with a baby certainly changes things. Obvious statement right there! I’m not complaining about it one bit since having Autumn has been that best thing ever but that meant that we missed going out for one of our best friend’s birthday festivities. We wanted to see him and celebrate so we figured out getting together for a brunch would work well.

Neither of us had been to The Cottage in Chestnut Hill, which is actually part of Boston, Newton, and Brookline. Weird little factoid there! It’s a cute village that has some great stores, some of which are in a newly redeveloped shopping center along Route 9.

The Cottage serves lunch and dinner and have a great selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and entrees. They even have a wonderful gluten free menu that is more than just ‘can you please hold the bun on my burger’. As well, their brunch menu is a nice mix of breakfast and lunch options. Price had The Garden Fresh Vegtables Omelet ($13) and our friend had the Fish Tacos ($15). They both enjoyed each of them. But let’s focus on the best brunch entree ever (besides waffles)… Eggs Benedict!

Aside from my typical Eggs Benedict, I always like to get Bloody Mary’s. I like the savoriness of it and how it has a kick from the spice and the vodka. Mimosas are fun but I like how Bloody Mary’s come with accessories. Hello celery. Hello lemon. Good Bye Olives. Okay, so I don’t like olives but Bloody Mary’s are still so cool in my book.

This Bloody Mary has a nice crispy flavor from the house-made mix. I really enjoyed how much horseradish they used as well.

I loved the look and feel of The Cottage. I would love to come back in the winter to sit by the fireplace.

There are 2 Eggs Benedict options on the brunch menu. There is the standard Eggs Benedict, which is served with a Wolferman’s english muffin, canadian bacon, poached eggs that are topped off with a house-made hollandaise ($14). And then there is a Crabcakes Benedict, which has crispy crabcakes instead of the english muffin and canadian bacon for $15. Both come with homefries. I chose the later Eggs Benedict option since I enjoy crabcakes so much.

Man the thing I love about Eggs Benedict is that runny egg and that buttery hollandaise sauce that just soaks into the Eggs Benny base and the homefries side. This Eggs Benedict was perfection in that regard.

The crabcakes that the Eggs Benedict were built upon provided a great foundation for dish. The crabcakes were made with large pieces of crab and little filler allowing the shellfish to star at center stage. My only critique of the crabcakes is that they were not very crisp. I would have preferred for them to be crisper as the crunch was needed to balance out the interior crabcake texture as well as the runny egg yolk and the Hollandaise sauce.

The egg was the perfect kind of sunshine yellow that eggs should be. It was only slightly, every so slightly, undercooked (to my preference) where there was some clear albumin not fully cooked. It was slight but something that I had to pick out. Again it might not bother some but I’m a bit picky about the albumin not being fully cooked. Regarding the actual flavor of the egg, it was super fresh and the texture of the egg was lovely as well.

The homefries acted like a perfect little sponge to soak up any yolk that made for a quick escape. They were seasoned well, as nicely cooked with a tender center and crispy exterior.

I would order this again but might specify that I’d want the crabcakes to be very crispy. Kind of like when ordering hash and getting it extra crispy. uummm hash… Oh man, don’t even get me started on that.

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