Beatnik - Brunch

 

 

 

 

A Beatnik was the name given to the counter-culture of the late 1940s to early 1960s and those that embraced it.  They were worldly, open, artistic, pushing back against the ideas of the time and embracing many ideas and philosophies from India and Asia.  They were the Hipsters of their time.  The restaurant, Beatnik, in West Town, tries to embrace this aesthetic with it's design, menu, and soundtrack.  I decided to go there for a weekend brunch, just before the lock down started, because I had heard a lot of good things about it and I wanted to get there while I still had a chance.  Things started before I even entered the building.  It was very easy to recognize because of the colorful shelter at the entrance.  The door opens to an atrium with glass walls and a cracked tile floor.  The cocktail lounge is to the left and the dining room which the atrium opens to in the middle of the room is mostly to the right.  The room is large and basically open with antique brick walls, unfinished ceilings, and a lot of plant life and parasols.  Many of the dining areas start with large and heavy wood tables, which was what ours was, and the seating consisted of a lot of wicker and cushions.  There is a large skylight at the front of the room, where many of the parasols are located, with the back of the room lit with large crystal chandeliers and candlelight.  There were several large semi-enclosed booths against the walls, that employed Eastern motifs, that would seat about 12 people apiece and the kitchen was open.  The menu design went with much of the rest of the place, employing paisley/psychedelic design.  The food and drink was very international, sometimes bringing elements from several different cultures into one dish.

 

There was a lot to look at on the menu, so while I was looking, I took a little time and ordered Coffee and a cocktail.  The coffee was served in a vintage coffee cup that looked like something I might see in my Grandmas house.  The coffee itself seemed to be a medium roast, was pretty flavorful, and was quickly refilled.  My cocktail was called a Wake Up Call and it was like a bastard child of and Old Fashioned and an Irish Coffee.  It started with Bourbon, and added Sparrow Cold Brew, Walnut Liqueur, Montenegro, Demerara, Mole Bitters, Coconut Whip, and topped it with Nutmeg.  It was really good.  In addition to the booze and coffee, the cocktail added some sweetness and spice topped with whipped cream and I really liked the Nutmeg finish.  With what was essentially two cups of coffee in front of me, I was definitely ready for the world.

As is typical for brunches, I will look at the pastry list.  While Beatnik didn't have a list, as such, it did have a platter.  While I do typically order multiple pastries for the table to share, with the Platter, it was a given that I was going to need to share.  The Decadent Pastry Platter included a Cookie, a Cupcake, Coffee Cake, and Banana Bread.  As the name suggests, this platter was pretty decadent with many international flavors among the sweetness with a Miso Butterscotch Cookie, a Pecan Pie Cupcake topped with crushed Pecans, Apple Date Coffee Cake, and a couple slices of Tahini Banana Bread.  It was big, very good, and almost too much for my party of four in addition to our regular dishes.

As for my main dish, I noticed on the menu before I even came, a dish with international flavors (and origin) that I will not frequently pass up, though I did look at the rest of the menu before ordering it.  They had Shakshuka.  Admittedly, I had had it recently at my last brunch at Bad Hunter a few weeks prior and had loved that, but that was done in small as a pastry, and this was a complete dish.  As I had mentioned, Shakshuka is a Mediterranean Dish that is essentially Eggs poached in Tomato Sauce.  This Shakshuka was made as a Tagine, a Moroccan method of cooking that uses an earthenware clay cone over it that essentially slow cooks and steams the food inside.  This Tagine Shakshuka was prepared with Duck Eggs  in a Spicy Tomato Sauce, Roasted Marcona Almonds, A Fresh Herb Salad, and Merguez Sausage.  It was served with Pita Bread.  I found the best way to eat this was to stuff it into the Pita (Sausage, Eggs, Tomato, Herbs) and eat it as a Sandwich.  It was good, I enjoyed the flavors and textures, and eating it as a sandwich was different, but it wasn't something that I will have to come back for, like some of the other flavors here.  This was a lot of fun.  I loved both the design of the place and the international flavors.  I will definitely have to return to try their dinner and other cocktails.

Bad Hunter - Brunch

 

While I had gone to Bad Hunter recently for dinner with Tasting Collective (and really enjoyed it), their brunch had been on my list for a while.  I had wanted to go about a year previous, but a fire got in the way.  The fact that I had really liked it for dinner put it near the top of my list and pushed me to make brunch plans.  I generally do not make plans for small parties, but the number that were coming with me doubled in size at the last minute, which did not allow me to make a reservation for the date and time that I had planned, so it was going to have to be a walk in and wait (if it came to that, my party wasn't that big).  While there were no tables available, we were offered one side of the counter in the center of the dining room which had a row of plants in the center, separating us from the other side of the counter.  It was a little awkward for conversation from one side of the counter to the other, there were 5 of us, but the plant life in front of us was nice.  I started things off, as is typical for me for brunch, with Coffee and a Cocktail.  The coffee was a medium roast and nicely flavored.  It definitely helped do the trick.  For my cocktail, I went with something light and refreshing, a Pink Spritz which came with Ramazotti Rosa, Batavia Arrack, and Sparkling Rose.  The Ramazotti is a wine based Amaro made with Hibiscus and Orange Peel and the Batavia Arrack is a Sugar Cane based Liqueur similar to Rum, but made with the addition of Red Rice.  The drink was nicely chilled, lightly bittersweet with floral and citrus flavors, and provided a nice start to a great meal.

 

 

When there is a pastry selection, I will generally order it for the table.  There were three choices and they all sounded good, so I decided to order all of them.  The first selection were Beignets covered in Powdered Sugar and served with two dipping sauces, one Caramel based and one with Orange Rind.  If beignets are made correctly they are very light and airy with a flaky crust under a ton of powdered sugar.  They are great to eat even if a bit messy with the powdered sugar.  These were very good beignets and the dipping sauces just added to them.  The second Pastry was a Cranberry Sage Pop Tart.  Many Pop Tarts are very sweet.  This pop tart, while having some sweetness was not incredibly so.  It also had a lot of filling and the Sage added an herbal complement to the bittersweet cranberry flavor.  The last pastry was the one that I was most interested in.  It was called a Shakshuka Croissant which I had a little bit of a hard time wrapping my head around.  Shakshuka is a dish from the Middle East consisting of Eggs poached in Tomato Sauce and Spices.  It is very savory and I like it a lot.  A Croissant is a flaky layered pastry which I also like.  While I could see eating Croissants with Shakshuka, I couldn't see how Shakshuka could be made into a Croissant.  The answer was moderation.  The egg was cooked on top and the tomatoes were inside the croissant.  It was topped with Basil and Grated Parmesan and was pretty amazing.

The restaurant had hit a home run with the pastries, I was excited to see how my main course would turn out.  I ordered a Chicken Fried Hen of the Woods Mushroom Sandwich with American Cheese, Bread and Butter Pickles, White Barbecue Sauce, and a side of Hot Sauce.  Mushrooms are very savory and are frequently used as a meat substitute.  Chicken Frying the mushrooms, added a crunchy exterior while maintaining the mushrooms juicy.  The Bread and Butter Pickles were sour and crispy.  White Barbecue Sauce is a spicy, mayonnaise based sauce used frequently with chicken, and everything is better with cheese.  American Cheese is simple and goes well with those things that don't need any complexity.  It was a great finish to a great brunch and I would be happy to return if for nothing more than the Shakshuka Croissant.     

Papa Cenar - Brunch

 

 

 

 

I mentioned that while I really liked the restaurant Twain, I was happy to see that when it changed to Papa Cenar, the design at least, remained largely the same.  I decided to go for brunch recently to see how that compared.  I noticed when I went that in addition to the outdoor color change, they had added an oval sign with a twisting and stylized sign holder (2-dimensional) looking similar to a grapevine.  The door was still a big and heavy wood door with a steel handle that looked like a stylized squirrel.  I sat at the bar because it gives me a better chance to ask questions.  I noticed next to me another stylized animal sculpture, this one appearing to be a fox.  As I was there for brunch, coffee was a given, especially since it came from one of the best coffee roasters in the city, Sparrow Coffee.  It was a medium roast that had some chocolate and berry flavors and it was a nice way to get things started.  As it was also brunch, a cocktail was also in order, so I ordered a wine based cocktail called Byrrh, It's Cold Outside with Byrrh Grand Quinquina, Branca Menta, Angostura, and Lambrusco.  Quinaquina is a red wine based apertif that uses Cinchona bark (Quinine).  Branca Menta is a blend of Fernet that also includes Peppermint and Menthol.  The cocktail was interesting, tasting like red wine with mint and tonic.  I will not say that it was my favorite cocktail ever, but it wasn't bad.

For the sweet part of my brunch, I went with a doughnut.  This doughnut, however, was a bit ridiculous.  Called Nick's Doughnut, it was a yeast doughnut with Amaro Montenegro and Mascarpone Glaze, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Berry Jam, Mint, and Powdered Sugar.  It was like a fruit salad built on top of a glazed and filled doughnut.  While I would normally eat a doughnut with my hands, this would have been very messy.  It was very much a knife and fork thing but it was really good.

The savory side of my brunch is a classic of Spanish cuisine and while brunch isn't necessary to have it, it does work for brunch.  I had a Spanish Omelette, made with Scrambled Eggs, Potatoes, Red Peppers, and Onions, and served with Fried Potatoes, and Arugula and Fennel Salad, Burrata, and Toast.  The arugula and fennel were very fresh and crisp, with a slight licorice flavor provided from the fennel, The potatoes had a crisp and crunchy exterior and a fluffy interior, the toast was crisp without being exceptionally dry and the Spanish Omelette was served cold as it is supposed to be.  It had a lightly crisp topping, was very flavorful, and I really liked it.

While I was eating, I was talking to my bartender/server about Gin.  He was recommending Letherbee's Autumnal Gin to me, so to finish things off, he made me a mini Last Word.  The Gin included roasted rice which with the roast flavors evoked images of autumn.  It was very nice and made for a nice finish.  I really enjoyed brunch and the Last Word at the end was nice.  I will definitely return when I want to do something a little different in the neighborhood.        

Bite Cafe - Brunch

I have liked Bite Cafe every time I have come.  Located next to the Empty Bottle, I knew that they were a good place to get food after a show, but I had heard that they also had a good brunch.  I knew, though, that they were very popular, so I didn't think that it would have been a great place to host one of my brunches, especially considering their small size.  I had something that I needed to do on a weekend morning that was close to Bite, so I decided to stop for brunch.  When I arrived, the place was full, though there was a seat at the counter, so I, luckily, was able to sit immediately.  I like sitting at the counter, because I like to watch people working and it gives me a better view of the specials board.  As I was sitting in a corner, it was also easy to turn around and view the dining room.  The dining room frequently has art from local artists for sale on the walls.  On the day that I went, there were bathing suits on the wall.  I assume that they were also for sale, but as I have no use for a woman's bathing suit, I didn't really look.

I started things off with a Coffee (from Dark Matter) and a large Orange Juice and a Bowl of Fresh Strawberries and Blueberries.  In general, I have found that Dark Matter Coffees seem to be roasted a little on the lighter side.  I prefer my coffee a medium roast, so in general, I have found their coffee a little light.  This coffee, however, was made specifically for Bite and was a darker roast than I had had in the past.  This I liked.  The Orange Juice was also freshly squeezed.  It was sweet and had a good amount of pulp (which I like).  For my first bites, I ordered a bowl of bowl of Fresh Strawberries and Blueberries.  I really like strawberries and blueberries and while I would expect both of these in a summer fruit salad, it was funny and nice to see that it was just strawberries and blueberries being served.  They were very fresh, juicy, and flavorful, and really enjoyed it.

Also on the menu as a side was the Crispy Pork Belly.  Bacon is Pork Belly that has been cured and while I have had my share of bacon, I don't know that I have ever had Pork Belly that was simply pan fried.  When it came out, I saw that it looked like a very thick and crispy piece of bacon and I was looking forward to it.  While it looked like a nice piece of bacon, however, without the cure, pork belly tastes more like ham than bacon.  It did taste good and had the salty flavor of bacon, but texturally, it was more liked well cooked ham.  It was good, though I do prefer bacon to ham.

I finished things off with a Hash.  Most hashes that I have had are a combination of Potatoes, Meat, and Onions, with an Egg on the side.  This hash, however, was a Veggie Hash.  It started with Yukon Gold and Sweet Potatoes, and added Zucchini, Squash, Baby Kale, 2 Poached Eggs, Hollandaise Sauce, and Toast.  While I am a meat eater, I can appreciate a good vegetarian dish, and this was very good.  With the variety of textures and flavors, the meat was unnecessary and I didn't miss it.  The Hollandaise Sauce combined with the flavors of the vegetables and potatoes to make for a very enjoyable dish.  It was a great brunch and I will certainly make a point to return in the future.  

Cafe Bluebird - Fort Collins - Brunch

 

 

I did eat other things besides brunch, but those things were largely burgers in bars. While they were good, they weren't really much to write about.  While many of the brunch places served many of the same things, the atmosphere and decor of the places made them very different.  The place I stopped at in Ft. Collins, Cafe Bluebird, was small, relatively cozy, and brightly colored, so it reminded me of spring.  Located across the street from Colorado State University, it is part of a small retail establishment called Laurel Street Station.  The front is light brick and surrounded by trees and plantlife and the entrance is located above a large and solid half-round awning.  Walking in, you encounter a small alcove in front of the host station where Housemade preserves are sold.  There were three rows of seating in the dining room.  Booths were next to the light blue wall, round tables were in the center, and rectangular four tops were located next to the large windows.  Aside from the windows, lighting was from hanging lights affixed to the wall mounted on a streetlight-like fixture and hanging lights above the tables beside the windows.  Even without the lights, the space is very bright.

 

In addition to the standard eggs, omelettes, pancakes, and French Toast, the menu also included a variety of breakfast burritos, crepes, and salads.  I ordered a Hobo Skillet, which contained Home Fries, Onions, Green Pepper, Maple Ham, Turkey, Bacon, Cheddar, Two Eggs Over Easy, and Wheat Toast.  It was very savory and flavorful, everything went together well, and I liked it a lot.  Paired with the skillet, I ordered a cup of coffee which was the house blend of a local roaster.  It was a flavorful medium roast that was very satisfying.  It was very filling and a good start to what ended being a very long day.   

Tangerine - Longmont - Brunch

After Denver, I ran up to Longmont, in Boulder County, to visit some friends.  I met them in the evening and we enjoyed burgers and beer, but decided to see the mountains and The Stanley Hotel (inspiration for The Shining) in Estes Park.  Before we went up, though, I needed a good meal to start things off.  We met at Tangerine, in downtown Longmont, a breakfast, brunch, and lunch restaurant.  It had a nice patio in front, but as I was going to be outside all day and it would be hot, I decided to get a little shade and air conditioning.  The space was narrow with the bar on one side, a row of high sided booths in the middle of the space, and a row of two tops against the wall opposite the bar.  The space was largely white with hanging lights with orange globes.  The booths had decorative glass barriers between each other, so the booths, while open on one side, felt pretty private.  While the place had a dineresque feel, there was a design element above the bar that reminded me of either whitewashed industrial equipment or the Death Star from Star Wars.  As it wasn't really prominent unless you actually looked above the bar, it didn't really change the vibe of the space, but it was kind of funny.

 

For drinks, they served Juice, Coffee of all sorts, Beer, Wine, and a variety of Breakfast Cocktails.  As I imagined that I would have enough beer to last me, I decided to hold off on the alcohol and to hydrate and energize myself with some Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice and some Coffee.  The coffee was a medium dark roast, but pretty tasty and the orange juice was very fresh, tart, and sweet.

 

For my main course I had Corned Beef Hash with House Made Corned Beef, Onions, Bacon, Potatoes, House Spice Blend, 2 Sunny Side Up Eggs, House Made Butter Pickles, and Wheat Toast and a Fruit Cup on the side.  This was really good.  The pickles were unusual in that I have never had pickles that came with Corned Beef Hash.  The hash was tasty and filling, the bacon, in addition to the corned beef, was a nice touch and the eggs were perfectly cooked.  I felt really lucky with the Fruit Cup because for the second time I had ordered it recently, it contained no Cantaloupe.  It had Grapes, Pineapple, Strawberries, Blueberries, and Watermelon.  It was fresh, sweet, and juicy, and a nice finish to a great breakfast.

Corinne - Brunch - Denver

 

My second day in Denver was going to be a travel day, though it was also going to be a beer day, so I wanted to make sure that I had a good meal, before I started anything.  I was going to make a brewery stop before I traveled and while I have no problem eating at a brewery/brewpub, but I was visiting on a weekday and wasn't sure what food they would have available, so I decided to play it safe and visit a restaurant that I knew would be serving brunch.  Located downtown, near the capitol, in a Hyatt, Corinne was very open with a garage door wall opening onto a sidewalk patio.  The dining room was divided into front and back with a rail between them.  The front was attached to the patio and had the bar, the rear is where the kitchen entrance is and it more properly looked like a dining room.  The lighting in the front was natural from the open garage doors augmented with track and recessed lighting.  The lighting in the rear dining room was hanging lighting.  I was seated in the front dining room, though I was seated next to the rail so I could see what was happening in each dining room.  I started with some good medium roast coffee from another local roaster (different from the one used at Ivy on 7th).

For food, I started out with some Avocado Toast.  It was served on Country Bread, topped with Pepitas and Lemon Zest.  The Pepitas added a nice crunch and the Lemon Zest added some tartness to the creamy richness of the avocado.  The country bread was a dense whole wheat toasted to a nice medium.  It was crisp, but not so crisp that it became dry.  It was filling and a nice start.

For my main course, I went with a spin on a Breakfast Sandwich.  It had Chicken Sausage, Pepper Jack Cheese, and Scrambled Eggs on a Brioche Bun with Jalapeno Relish on the side.  Texturally, the sandwich was very soft.  It had a nice mouthfeel, but without the Jalapeno Relish, it was a bit bland.  The relish, basically a Pico de Gallo was very fresh and spicy, but not overwhelming.  It complemented the ingredients of the sandwich and improved it immensely.  I enjoyed my food at Corinne and found it to be a great start to a great day.  

Crepes Et Amis

 

I like to see what there is to eat no matter where I go and that includes when I go to Michigan to visit my family.  My parents live in downtown Midland, Michigan and I noticed a crepe place that I was interested in a few years ago.  It took me a while, but I was finally able to visit Crepes et Amis for brunch the last time I was in Midland.  It's a small counter service space with the kitchen on one side and bench seating on the other.  There are also some tables in the front and a couple of tables in the back, opposite the bench seating and next to the kitchen.  The lights are hanging lights, strung above the bench and chandelier-like over the order counter.  There are also some wall hangings consisting of framed coffee bags and Paris art with a vintage clock in the center.  The entire look is both rustic and very homey.

 

Crepes et Amis specializes in crepes, both sweet and savory, but they also do waffles and pastries (and coffee).  While there were several waffles that looked good, as it was my first time there, I wanted to focus on the crepes.  I got two crepes, one sweet and one savory.  I also had a cup of coffee from a local roaster that was pretty good.  The crepes were thin and easy to cut, but they also held together well enough to hold its fillings.  My sweet crepe was the Banberry, which had Bananas, Strawberries, and Nutella, and was drizzled with Nutella and Powdered Sugar.  It was sweet with a little tartness from the strawberries and the Nutella added a sweet and chocolatey nuttiness that tied everything together.  My second Crepe was called Good Morning Paris, and it was a perfect Breakfast.  Inside the the delicate crepe was Smoked Ham, Scrambled Eggs, Swiss Cheese, Brown Sugar, and served with an Orange on the side.  While I will generally order both sweet and savory dishes for brunch, this was both sweet and savory in one.  The crepes were really good.  The space was very friendly and welcoming, and I will be sure to return.