Restaurant experiment: Over Easy

Over Easy

358 Hollywood Boulevard near Highway 280

Birmingham, AL 35223

205-639-1910

http://overeasybham.com

Brunch!  I haven’t had you in a while, and it feels so nice to meet again.

Despite the drizzle, Over Easy [not a chain!] was not in want of customers.  Laura, Joni, and I had to wait a little bit to be seated, so in the meantime, we enjoyed complimentary coffee and assessed the dining environment.  Lots of white and a modern sleek look but in a retro way?  Families, young adults, a mix of a crowd.

I went with my standard brunch dish, the Classic Eggs Benedict, for $7.99.  This included one side and I picked grits.  Over Easy serves McEwen & Sons blue corn grits which Joni and I noticed on a TV in the restaurant showing Over Easy ads.  They looked like some sort of blueberry pudding, we agreed.  Naturally, I had to get these grits.  The menu has a lot of classics and all your favorites like pancakes, huevos rancheros, omelettes, biscuits and gravy, and breakfast sandwiches.  But no boozy breakfast drinks.

The plate was so large!  It made me falsely believe I would be hungry later.  But no.  I was quite satisfied at the end.  I did visit the McEwen & Sons website, and I learned that blue corn grits have lots of protein which helped I’m sure.  And Hollandaise is just so rich.  And as you can see, there was lots of it.  I would have liked it more lemony but what can you do.  I do applaud the fact that there was lots of it.  And the grits were buttery but not obnoxiously so.  I didn’t have to eat again for a long time after consuming this plate.

Service was fine but nothing extraordinary, more on the minimalist side.  Both Laura and Joni agreed that their meals were return-worthy and recommend-worthy.  Joni’s oatmeal pancakes were outstanding and Laura loved her breakfast bowl, the OE, and her biscuit side.  Come early though!  By the time we left around 10:15, folks were milling around outside.  Yes, we were quite pleased with Over Easy.

Restaurant experiment: Pastries a Go Go

Pastries a Go Go

235 Ponce de Leon Place at West Ponce de Leon Avenue

Suite E

Decatur, GA 30030

404-373-3423

http://www.pastriesagogo.com

First of all, the name of this place is so much fun to say.  Or maybe I just like saying “a go go.”  At any rate, a silly name certainly gets my attention.

It was a freezing early Sunday afternoon when Dave and I popped into PaGG for a late brunch.  We still had to wait a little bit but not for long.  The clientele seemed to be more senior citizen if anything.  Vibe = diner-like.  The waitresses were very cheery and gave you the impression that they had been working there for a long time.

I went with my go-to brunch item, the eggs Benedict.  The menu is pretty basic for breakfast, with offerings like omelets and pancakes.

Eggs Benedict $8.50
two poached eggs, ham on biscuit halves with hollandaise and choice of homefries or fruit cup or grits

What I remember most favorably about this meal is the biscuit.  Mmmmmmmmmmm.  Super crumbly, soft, buttery, everything you’d ever wanted in a biscuit.  The hollandaise was great too.  The homefries were nice as well.  But Pastries a Go Go’s “benny” as a waitress called the dish, is elevated by the biscuit.  Okay, I’ll stop harping on the biscuit now.  Oh, also the portions were more than generous.  I couldn’t finish my dish, so that’s saying a lot.

I saw the employees prepared some sticky buns for customers.  Looked like monkey bread.  The sticky buns were messy deliciousness but I resisted.

Hehe, now I should listen to “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.”  Of course now that sounds reminds me of Zoolander.

Restaurant experiment: Sun in My Belly

Sun in My Belly

2161 College Avenue NE at Murray Hill Avenue NE

Atlanta, GA 30317

404-370-1088

http://suninmybelly.com/

Dave and I typically end up eating brunch on the later side so we were stoked to discover that Sun in My Belly serves brunch on the weekends until 4 PM.  Hooray!  I’m already charmed by this place due to the twee name.  The charming doesn’t stop once you arrive, as the building apparently was an old hardware store, and there are cute bird/tree decals on the walls, pastel pots, and crepe paper things hanging from the ceiling.  I don’t use Pinterest, but the decor seemed very Pinterest to me.  Oh yes, there is a tiny parking lot in the back of the restaurant in which we scored a spot.  The perks of going at off-peak times.  I think the wait here can be of Murphy’s proportions during prime time.

Even though brunch ceases at 4, it was past 3, and still the majority of tables were filled.  We were seated right away at a butcher paper-adorned table.  Dave ordered a cup of coffee, and it arrived McDonald’s lawsuit hot.  That was a funny thing about the menu.  Unless I’m being totally obtuse (I do have poor vision), I didn’t see a section for non-alcoholic drinks.  I would have ordered an orange juice maybe but I like to see prices first.

Dave decided on the Alison’s Famous Pimento Cheese Omelette while I couldn’t stay away from the Benedict option, which was called The Belly Benedict (~$11).  “Two Poached Eggs with Chipotle Hollandaise + Sweet Potato + Honey Bacon Hash + Garlic and Spinach Sauté + Buttermilk Biscuit.”  We sipped on water in mason jars as we patiently waited for the dishes to make their appearances.  Our waiter wasn’t bad.  However, he did caution me that the chipotle hollandaise was spicy after I inquired as to its hotness.  He offered to serve the hollandaise on the side since he could tell I had concerns.  OK.

The sweet potato and honey bacon hash reminded me a lot of butternut squash.  The garlic and spinach saute was super garlicky, just the way I like it.  The waiter was not lying; the hollandaise did burn my mouth some.  Despite the pain, I liked the sauce a lot and poured a moderate amount on my eggs.  I must like to torture myself.  Curse my poor tolerance for hot!  But I guess something had some stealth salt because I was thirsty for hours later.  I had a bite of Dave’s pimento omelette and really liked it too.  Pimento cheese is so amazing.

I saved the biscuit for last.  It was so wonderful: crumbly but not dry and buttery.  There were two tins of jelly and butter.  I split the biscuit in half and slathered butter on one side and jelly on the other.  Perfect.

I must say that there was no complimentary bread basket which was a little sad but what can you do.  I heartily endorse getting a little brunch in your belly at Sun in My Belly.

Restaurant experiment: Radial Cafe

Radial Cafe

1530 DeKalb Avenue at Mell Avenue Northeast

Atlanta, GA 30307

404-659-6594

http://radial.us/

“small carbon footprint | big local flavor”

That’s Radial Cafe’s slogan that’s prominently displayed on their website and business cards.  Dave and I ended up here for a late brunch.  Due to the lateness of the hour on a Saturday, the place was pretty empty.  There was plenty of parking in the lot out front too.  Since it was kind of hot, we eschewed the patio in favor of the air conditioned inside.  We were seated in a roomy booth near the bar.  As the booths were made of wood, Radial had helpfully plopped pillows  atop the firm benches.

Looking over the menu, we noticed a lot of vegan offerings.  Good to know for the vegan in your life (if there is one).  Dave and I eventually settled on the Red Flannel Hash ($8.99).  The menu describes it as “Corned beef or turkey sauteed with onions, red bell peppers and oven-roasted red potatoes; topped with two fried eggs and served with whole wheat toast.”

I was sad since after our orders were taken, I spotted an unobtrusive, small, postcard-sized piece of cardstock  by the sugar and salt/pepper.  I thought it was just a comment card so I paid no attention while deciding what to order, but later I picked it up for something to do while waiting for our food and realized it was the specials.  So yeah, definitely look at that card.  I was sad that I missed out on scrapple!  Argh!

Dave ordered a cup of the “Organic, Shade-Grown Coffee” ($2.79 for an endless cup).  The menu notes that Radial serves coffee from Selva Negra, an eco-friendly coffee farm in Nicaragua.  Dave and I have actually visited Selva Negra so we were excited to see it on the menu.  Not quite the same as drinking it on the farm, but still delicious.  Dave was interested in ordering a bloody Mary, and Radial kindly gives out tastes so you can see if their mix if something you’d like to consume a full serving of.  Or maybe the waiter was just anticipating this situation.  Dave ended up passing on the Mary and going with the coffee.  Apparently their bloodys are an acquired taste.

 

Mmm, yum!  We both had the corned beef option instead of the turkey.  The default egg method is over medium but you can get them done differently.  Quite rich, I must say.  Good portion size.  There was also a small basket of muffins as a complimentary side.  I am glad the hash turned out well or I would have been kicking myself over not getting the scrapple.  The special blend of herbs remained a trade secret (Dave asked about the herbs)…see if you can figure it out.

 

Our server Harry (or that’s at least what was printed on our check) was a gregarious guy, joking and smiling which added to the overall positive experience.  So all in all, a radiant time at Radial Cafe!

Restaurant experiment: Bagel Palace

Bagel Palace

2869 North Druid Hill Road NE at Lavista Road

Atlanta, GA 30329

404-315-9016

http://www.bagelpalaceatl.com/

Dave and I decided to try Bagel Palace, as we were nostalgic for New York deli experiences.  As it turns out, there are plenty of bagel joints in Atlanta, maybe for all the New York transplants.  Bagel Palace is tucked away in the mammoth Toco Hills Shopping Center, kind of between Kroger and Publix, on a little island with a couple of other stores.

It was later in the day on a weekend, so the place wasn’t very crowded.  There were some people picking up stuff to go but no one sitting at the tables.  A girl said we could seat ourselves, and the waiter who was supposed to serve us took his sweet time to come over.  Dave later said that the girl had given the guy a talking-to about his dilly-dallying.  Guess they’re a little more prompt usually.

The menu is huge.  It took me a very long time to decide what I wanted.  Bagels?  Sandwiches?  Pancakes?  No Eggs Benedict so I couldn’t order that.  I ended up with the pastrami sandwich on rye ($8.65), and Dave went with the Reuben.  I couldn’t resist and added a side of fried okra to the order, not very New York, but I am a fried okra fiend.

The food came out promptly.  Immediately I thought to myself, “This sandwich isn’t as huge as the one at Katz’s,” but looks can be deceiving, as I anticipated that I wouldn’t be full, but the amount present was actually just right.  Good pastrami.  I am by no means a pastrami expert but I liked what I consumed.   The fried okra was hot and not too battery.  Nicely done.

I thought about trying a King of Pops popsicle, but they looked like they had melted and then were refrozen so I steered clear.  Instead, Dave and I got an everything bagel with green onions to go and a couple of sweet baked treats (hamantashen and Linzer tarts) as well.  Yum!  Bagel Palace is not Manhattan, but I knew that the second I was able to find a parking space right in front of the establishment, ha!

Restaurant experiment: Cafe 640

Cafe 640

640 North Highland Avenue between North Avenue and Blue Ridge Avenue NE

Atlanta, GA 30306

404-724-0711

http://cafe640.com/

Two facts led me to suggest Cafe 640 as a brunch destination:

1. They serve eggs Benedict.
2. A Scoutmob deal was available (up to $10 off).
3. Bonus: It’s not too far away.

Dave and I headed over to Cafe 640 one pleasant Saturday early afternoon.  There’s a parking lot for patrons of the restaurant just north of the establishment and the adjacent Highland Inn.  We lucked out and slipped into a space, definitely a tight lot.  There was no wait at the restaurant; we had our pick of seating spaces: patio, enclosed patio between first patio and inside, and inside.  We elected to sit inside which maybe was the least populated.  The man who greeted us was warmly welcoming, so color us dismayed when our server was not.  He could have taken a cue from practically all the other employees in the joint.  I hate it when you get stuck with the Aloof Waiter (trademark Dave) and everyone else seems to have nice, friendly servers.  Sigh.

For drinks, I went with a freshly squeezed grapefruit juice ($3.25 for a small glass which wasn’t too small), and Dave opted for a bloody Mary which was on the costly side ($8) but worth raving about.  You can’t go wrong with freshly squeezed citrus, really.  Mmm.

Dave ordered the Buttermilk Biscuit ($9.50), but the Aloof Waiter misheard him and gave him the Southern Fried Chicken Biscuits ($12).  Luckily for Aloof Waiter, Dave loved the chicken and biscuits.

I at least got what I ordered, the Eggs Benedict which the menu described as having “Applewood smoked ham, English muffin, and hollandaise.  You were able to select for your side: either grits or potatoes.  I went with cheesy grits ($1) extra which I wish were not extra, but they were damn delicious.  So yeah, get the cheesy grits.

Cafe 640 sure does love chives, as evidenced by the picture above.  Maybe not the most stellar hollandaise sauce in the Milky Way Galaxy, but very pleasing.  Even though I mentioned the Scoutmob deal while ordering, Aloof Waiter neglected to put the discount onto the bill, but a quick mention got him to fix it without any fuss.  Saving money and eggs Benedict, what could be better?!?!

Restaurant experiment: Carroll Street Cafe

Carroll Street Cafe

208 Carroll Street SE between Pickett Street SE and Reinhardt Street SE

Atlanta, GA 30312

404-577-2700

http://www.apresdiem.com/carroll_street/

I came across Carroll Street Cafe when I was looking on Yelp for new (to me) brunch spots that served eggs Benedict.  Carroll Street Cafe came up, and I was eager to make my very first venture into Cabbagetown.  Cabbagetown is a charming neighborhood, a little more low-key that some other areas in Atlanta.  The major downside is the tiny streets.  At first you think they are one-way streets, but nope, they’re two-way streets.  No fun to drive there.

Dave and I thought there might be a wait, so he called ahead and an employee said there was no wait.  When we got there, the place was pretty empty, though it was kind of on the late side for brunch.  We sat inside, and there were a couple of occupied tables outside.  True to the name Cafe, it did have a artsy coffeehouse vibe on the inside.  It’s seat yourself, so Dave and I elected to plop ourselves into a corner spot.

Dave drank coffee; he approved.  We both ended up getting the eggs Benedict with bacon (around $8-9).  I should say that I perused Carroll Street Cafe’s menu online, and it said there was just one type of eggs Benedict but this wasn’t the case, as there were a couple of options to choose from.  I don’t remember them all offhand, but I think one was a crab cake Benedict.  For your side, you could get grits or potatoes.  I got potatoes, and there’s also a fruit salad that comes with the meal.  No complimentary bread/pasty while waiting, but the fruit made up for that.

It was delightful to be able to stare out of the window and look at old pastel houses, cars squeaking by each other, and people out walking their pooches.  I wished the potatoes were a little softer; they were slightly on the hard side.  The flavor was there, just needed a little more tenderness.  The oranges in the fruit salad were bursting with juiciness.  As for the eggs Benedict, the bacon was terrific because it was thick and crunchy.  My only complaint was that the hollandaise was scanty and a tad weak.  Usually when you get Benedict, the English muffins are drenched in the yellow sauce, but here there was only a dribble.  But the bacon made up for it all, mmmmmmmm bacon.

Restaurant experiment: Parish

Parish

240 North Highland Avenue at Inman Village Parkway NE

Atlanta, GA 30307

404-681-4434

http://www.parishatl.com/home.php#restauranat_text

Ah Sunday, the day of Sunday brunch.  And where were Dave and I to go?  I had no idea, so of course I started investigating possible eateries on Yelp, and I also checked OpenTable because I love me some OpenTable points.  Yelp and OpenTable converged when I came across a place named Parish.  Lo and behold, there were times available.  I penciled us in for a 1 PM reservation, and we were on our way.

There’s valet parking if you so desire, but I desired to park on a side street.  The Yelp reviews weren’t kidding; Parish is in a beautiful old building.  It’s a two-level; Parish has a little market (offering sandwiches, fruits, and candy, among other things) and coffeehouse downstairs.  When we popped into the foyer, there were a few other parties waiting, so I was pleased with myself for making a reservation, though I’m sure you wouldn’t have a problem snagging a table if you hadn’t told them you were coming.  No Murphy’s-esque waits here, friends.  Other diners were families and couples (both gay & straight) and even an elderly man dining alone.

Dave and I were seated by a brick wall, next to a door leading to the patio.  Due to the oppressive sun, the patio was on the empty side.  We had just paid Murphy’s a visit the preceding weekend, so I’m having a tendency to compare Parish to Murphy’s.  Our server at Murphy’s was so bubbly and on point and enhanced our meal, but however, this gal at Parish was efficient and polite but lacked warmth.  She barely made eye contact with me.  Awkward.

The two of us both ordered the Parish Benedict: “buttermilk biscuit, poached eggs, slow cooked beef, garlic braised spinach, mustard bernaise [sic], hash browns” ($12).  The menu is not huge but has brunch favorites suitable for all.  While we waited, we were treated to two miniscule madeleines.  I guess there were small to be cutesy (and free), but bigger is always better, well usually.

And now, the Benedicts.  I liked it, I did.  The slow cooked beef could have used a little more flavor, though Dave thought it was fine.  The biscuit was top notch.  The hash browns were on the salty side but piping hot, crunchy, and well-crafted.  Benedicts always seem small to me before I dig in, but by the end, I’m full.  Must be those tricky French sauces.  Parish makes a bearnaise, but it’s pretty close to a hollandaise.  Wikipedia informs me that the chief difference between the two is that a hollandaise uses lemon for flavoring while a bearnaise uses herbs.  And there you have it.

Post-brunch, Dave and I strolled downstairs to check out the market, and then we were off to enjoy the rest of the Sunday.  In summary, Parish is a solid choice for your weekend brunch needs, especially if you don’t feel like waiting ages.

Restaurant experiment: Rosebud

Rosebud

1397 Highland Avenue between Lanier Place NE and University Drive NE

Atlanta, GA 30306

404-347-9747

http://www.rosebudatlanta.com

The brunch was already off to a promising start even before we were seated, as the chef/owner himself, Ron Eyester, seated myself and Dave.  I just found that supercool.  He was wearing chef attire (white top, navy pinstripe pants) and I would have just thought he was a kitchen worker, but I noticed there was a framed photo of him on the wall by the entry, and then later Dave asked the hostess, and she confirmed what we already suspected.

Rosebud is a hopping spot for brunch, but we arrived pretty late, so there wasn’t a wait.  Dave and I elected to sit outside even though this may not have been the wisest decision since we both ended up with mild sunburns.  Rosebud, maybe get some umbrellas?  Skin problems aside, the brunch went well overall.  Our waitress was a nice gal with a pleasant attitude.  There were all sorts of tasty-sounding options, and I was tempted by the Benedicts, but in the end, I opted for something a little different, the Smoked Springer Mountain Chicken Succotash ($13).  The description reeled me in: gigante beans, house ham, roasted mushrooms, celery, grain mustard hollandaise, and a poached egg.  So kind of like an eggs Benedict, but not?

I’m slightly ashamed that I do not know what a succotash is despite having heard the name before (thanks, Looney Tunes).  Wikipedia tells me that it’s basically a shelled bean and corn dish.  Okay, so there you go.  I seriously loved it at first bite.  Anything with Hollandaise has my vote.  The chicken may have been the weak point as it was a pinch dry, but everything else rocked so hard that it really didn’t matter.  Gigante beans are fun to look at and eat since they’re so large.  Dave’s stuffed pancake was also warmly received by him.

It might have helped to have a few slices of toast or something, but that’s okay.  Rosebud, you are on point, and I look forward to coming back again soon!

Restaurant experiment: Highland Bakery

Highland Bakery

655 Highland Avenue NE between Corley Street NE & Sampson Street NE

Atlanta, GA 30312

404-586-0772

http://highlandbakery.com/index.html

I was in change of deciding where Dave and I should dine for a Sunday brunch, and after extensive Yelp searching, I settled on Highland Bakery.  They have a couple of locations, but this one on Highland Avenue in Old Fourth Ward is the original one.  Highland Bakery has a microscopic lot; street parking wasn’t too much of a hassle though.

Don’t be confused like we were; go through the bakery entrance to put your name down.  A tween-aged girl was taking names.  At least the wait was short, though I wasn’t expecting a wait since it was near 3PM.  The place was still hoppin’ even though the closing time is 4PM.  The service staff was very diverse, and like at Leon’s, it was a waitress/waiter tattoo party for sure.  We were seated at some highboys against a wall and next to some lovely glass artwork.

As Dave and I were famished, we elected to have a few pastries to munch on while waiting for our mains.  I, naturally, had selected the eggs Benedict ($8.99) as my main, and Dave had followed suit.  There were two scone options ($2.99 each).  I forgot what the other one was (currant maybe?) and the one we ended up getting was pistachio and white chocolate.  I actually do not like white chocolate all that much, but I’d never had a pistachio scone before and wanted to try it.  Yum!  Divine.  Love the dusting of sugar on top.  Heated up too.  The chocolate croissant ($2.19) was fine though but I could have used a little more flakiness.  I love warmed pastries, especially when gooey chocolate is involved.

For my fellow Benedict lovers, there are some other varieties like the Country Fried Steak Benedict, the Fried Chicken Benedict, and the Cowboy Benedict, but I just got the Classic.  The eggs Benedict was too paprika-y for me.  See below.  Dave complained that the eggs Benedict wasn’t that hot, and I assured him that this seems to be an accepted practice, judging from the EBs I’ve consumed during other brunches.  Have I ever received piping hot EB?  I don’t think so.  I remembered liking the potatoes, though some chunks had more flavor that others.  I was actually getting really full and had to bring home the leftover spuds in a container.  If you don’t like tubers, never fear, as grits are also available.

Our server was polite, cheery, and helpful.  I’m not sure if Highland Bakery is the best brunch in all of Atlanta and I wouldn’t wait forever for a table, but it’s really good, and the scones are totally killer!