Deleece - Brunch

When I first went to Deleece last year, I noted that their takes on American classics, while good were not great and while it was a good place to start an evening, it was not a destination restaurant.  This isn't glowing approval, but I thought it good enough that I would return.  This time, I decided to join some friends for brunch.  On the way in, I got caught in a rainstorm and arrived dripping wet.  I apologized and did try to dry myself in the bathroom, but my coat still caused a small pond on the dining room floor.  I have to credit the waitstaff for being both forgiving and accommodating to this because they did have to clean up puddles coming from my coat a couple of times.  While I was a little embarrassed, their wasn't a lot I could do about it and the staff took it stride, so I really appreciate that.  As I mentioned before, the dining room is a big rectangular room with a front window wall, white ceilings, antique brick walls, and old theater posters on the walls.  The entrance is off the entrance to the Mercury Theater, which is next door and the large, dark, vintage-looking bar is on the same wall as the entrance.  As is tradition for my brunches, I was able to order something sweet for the table to start things off.  In this case, it was Beignets, french pastries that are very popular in New Orleans that are very similar to yeast doughnut holes.  These beignets were a little smaller than the ones that I have seen elsewhere, but that was okay because they were the right size to make a simple bite of wonderfulness.  They were yeasty, and covered with powdered sugar and maple syrup and a great way to start things.

While the brunch menu was not exceptionally creative, it did make up for that by offering a pretty good variety.  They have a variety the standard eggs and bacon, pancakes, and frittatas (instead of omelettes), and a variety of sandwiches including a lobster roll served in a split top bun and a breakfast burrito.  I went with a Breakfast Sandwich with Housemade Sausage, Scrambled Eggs, Arugula, Roasted Red Peppers, and Dijon Mayo on a Brioche Bun which was served with Roasted Red Potatoes.  The sandwich was very flavorful.  There seemed to be a lot of red pepper in the sausage and the scrambled eggs were perfectly cooked.  The brioche bun, though, made the sandwich.  The potatoes were liberally spiced, well cooked, and provided a good finish to the dish.

Despite the wet start, I really enjoyed my meal here.  The staff was very accommodating and friendly and the food was very good.  Again, this is not a destination place, but it is a good place to make a start from.