Tupelo, Cambridge MA

This weekend we stayed close to home. We went to Tupelo , a cozy Inman Square restaurant specialized in Southern comfort food. We had been there for dinner before, but for some reason we had never thought about it for brunch. Boy, we won't make the same mistake twice!
Diego said it was the best brunch meal he ever had. And I think he was mostly thinking about the egg and chorizo sandwich (roasted peppers, onions, cheddar and watercress on a portuguese sweet roll) with home fries, but the amazing service we had may have contributed to the feel-good atmosphere. I didn't catch our server's name, but the three of us (Diego's mom was there) agreed that he exuded "joie de vivre". With a big smile on his face, he complemented the whole brunch experience. He even convinced us to have dessert, something we never ever do when having brunch. The pecan pie from Petsi Pies (from the same owner as Tupelo's) was like nothing we'd ever had. Sweet but not overwhelmingly so, it had the perfect marmalade tying the pie together and a rich crust. It came with Toscanini's bourbon ice cream, made specially for Tupelo. We didn't care much for the ice cream (there was a tiny hint of bourbon, but it was mostly cream), although our lack of appreciation may have something to do with our unconditional loyalty to Christina's Ice Cream. Our server made sure we had fresh coffee throughout.
Ok. Let's get back to the brunch. We had the daily special crispy grits as an appetizer (deep fried grits squares) and they were just right. Super soft pureed in the middle and crunchy on the outside, it was the perfect southern comfort food in a bite size. I tried to compensate this high caloric intake with a spinach, apple, bacon and red cabbage salad, but I may have missed the mark by asking for the creole vinaigrette on the side. Everyone around the table agreed the mustard-based dressing was the best of the plate.
To drink, Diego ordered a local beer, Saint Botolph's Town from Pretty Things, and he said it was great; more than a beer, almost a brunch drink. I went with the classic half OJ, half grapefruit.
So, was this the perfect brunch? Yes, if we go with Diego's claim as he was biting his chorizo sandwich. I should try something "brunchier" (i.e. not a dressing-less salad!) next time to make a good judgement.... but even now I can say that if this is the perfect brunch, it is only such for winter; Southern comfort food may not be so comfortable to eat under a 110 degree sun!

Concord Inn, Concord MA

In Argentina, the third Sunday in October is Mother's Day. We were very lucky to have Diego's mom, Ely, in town to celebrate it 10,000 miles from her (and ours) country. We wanted to plan the perfect day for her. So, in the middle of a fall foliage trip we stopped to have Sunday brunch at the Concord Inn, in the charming and history-relevant Concord MA.
The Inn is any mother's delight (Ely even took pictures of the rose-lined ladies room!). It was built in 1716 and has operated as a hotel since 1889, and still conserves the floors distribution of yore. Different function rooms occupy the first floor, from a 19th century tavern, a casual restaurant (these two serve their standard weekly menu on Sundays), a very posh rose-and-lilies tea room, two small rooms and a traditional restaurant. Brunch is served in the last four, although the tea and the small adjacent rooms were reserved for a wedding party when we were there. The succulent brunch buffet was spread out across the three common areas that communicate the formal dining rooms with the more casual part of the building.
We sat at the Merchant's Row Restaurant, described as "refined but not formal" in the Inn's website; an accurate description to which I'd add antiquey and historic (some 18th-century like chandeliers and wallpapers) but not old-fashioned nor over the top. Well.... being greeted at the table by a lost Louisa-May Alcott who was worried about had happened to her 19th century Concord may have been too much.... but she was nice and the "act" did not take long.
So, onto the food. First let me say that we did not have very high expectations -especially Diego. It is a $26.95 all you can eat buffet brunch (all you can drink coffee and orange juice included) in a touristy landmark. We couldn't have been more wrong. From super fresh smoked salmon, shrimp and mussels to made-to-order perfectly-cooked omelets with seasonal ingredients and carved meat, all the food was fresh, tasty and superbly done. The cold offerings, besides the seafood, constituted of a cheese table, a fruit table (mostly different types of cantaloupe and pineapple, all ripe but not fermented) and various salads (a mesclum of greens, couscous-based, Caesar). I do not remember all the hot offerings (which shows I'm not a food critic, just an avid bruncher!), but these are the few I can think of: pasta with four cheese sauce, haddock in lemon sauce, German bratwurst with red cabbage... there were about seven or eight hot trays in total. In addition, there was a wide variety of breakfast meals. Bacon strips, potato pancakes, hash, scrambled eggs and waffles (with fresh cream and strawberry preserved for topping). Do you want more? Add freshly baked bagels, pastries and croissants. A special mention needs to go to the mini lemon poppy seed muffins which Diego said to be the best part of the meal, and that I very much wanted to take home in a stealth operation that he boycotted.
Was it over? Of course not! There was still dessert to be had. We tried the apple crumble (Diego's favorite), the flourless chocolate cake (Ely's pick), the key lime pie (my choice). All three delicious. I also had chocolate dipped strawberries and Ely took a bite of chocolate dipped profiterole. Had we wanted more, we could have also tried a yellow cream filled cone or a chocolate and fresh cream cake. Once again, I may be forgetting some other options. But I'm sure they were as good as the ones we did have.
So, was this the perfect brunch? Well, I had lox, cream cheese and bagel in a picture perfect setting. Diego didn't have eggs Benedict, but really good carved meat and omelet. That would have been enough. Instead we kept gushing all the delicacies until we had no more room left. The food, the setting, the service was great, the after-brunch feeling of having eaten all you could eat, not so much!

Friends and Brunch at Frances' Deli, Chicago, IL

Brunch has many fundamental social functions in our society and, as such, it has earned its place as a cornerstone of Western Civilization. One of such functions is to congregate friends in a relaxing atmosphere while the lasting effects of the previous night out dissipate into oblivion. My friends,  Agustin, Fernando & Jony, and I had a fun reunion in Chicago last weekend and decided to go out together on Saturday night. After we woke up the next morning, while still in the impenetrable mist that covers "the morning after", we decided to mindlessly walk towards a Brunch spot and relax while we did some catching up. Agustin, being the host, suggested we could pay Frances' Deli, in Lincoln Park, a visit. He lives nearby, in Lakeview, and the weather was so great we decided to walk over there. Although the place was always "five more blocks away" we eventually got there. I can tell you, it was definitely worth the walk.


Frances' Deli is a real gem right at the heart of Lincoln Park. It has been there since 1938 and they offer a wide variety of plates ranging from traditional NY deli to Midwestern diner style. The setting is quite nice and, if you visit them during the unusual times during which Chicago's weather allows for outdoors human life, they have some tables on the sidewalk. The perfect place to do some people watching.
Now, if you've had a long night, the quality and quantity of food in your Brunch is of utmost importance. That's why I order one of Frances' specialties: the skillet.

Looks great, doesn't it? This dish is just Brunch perfection in a hot ceramic container. What's in it? Potatoes, Mushrooms, Green Peppers, Onions, Habanero Cheddar Cheese and Two Eggs. Oh, also, because I thought this combination would not be able to restore my energies, I decided to add a "protein": corned beef. Wow! It was awesome. Couple that with a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and one gazilion cups of coffee and you're as good as new. Jony decided to have an omelet, which looked massive and Agustin seemed to have some sort of sandwich (it was early when he ordered and by the time I regained consciousness he was done with his dish....what can I say?). Fernando seemed a little affected by his late night adventures and he decided to play it safe and just ordered toasts.

Truth be said, we had some trouble standing up after finishing the opulent servings and we had to walk all over Chicago for the whole afternoon to burn those calories. But, it was goooood...

All in all, I loved this place. Food, setting and company were great and that is what makes the quintessential Brunch experience.

Brunch at a Classic Diner: Lou Mitchell's, Chicago, IL

As we documented last week, our friend Fernando visited Boston for a few days and we took him out for Brunch while he was here. He left for Chicago on Friday and was going to spend the weekend there with another friend of ours, Agustin. I had to go to Indiana on a business trip so I decided I would join them in the windy city for the weekend, relax and sample the Brunch scene over there. I said goodbye to Ani, who stayed in the Boston area, and seems not to have gone out for Brunch :( and off I went to Chicago.

I made arrangement to meet up with Fernando for Brunch on Saturday. I've been to Chicago many times and I wanted to take him to a Classic place. I instantly thought of Lou Mitchell's. This is a living monument to the Classic Diner in America, located just where historic Route 66 begins. What's even more important is that, in contrast with most other surviving diners out there, food here has remained high quality and fun for the last 85 years. Although the place has a long a distinguished history, I am ashamed to say that Ani (and I, as a natural consequence) heard about it for the first time two or three years ago when they were visited by the Top Chef TV show.

The procedure to visit Lou Mitchell's is by now standard. Drive to the West Loop in Chicago, just a few blocks from the famous Sears Tower. Drive by the main entrance and attempt to find the dream parking spot just there. Fail. Drive around the block and find a lucky spot on Jefferson St. Remember to be there early. They close at 3pm and there is a line most days. If you find a line do not worry, things move fast and while you wait you will be offered to taste their awesome donut holes sparkled with the right amount of powdered sugar. While Fernando and I did not find a line this time, we made sure we gave the donut holes a try before taking a seat. Delicious as ever.

The atmosphere inside is great and it seems like the place looks the same way it did 50 years ago. The first thing you notice when you sit down is the home made grape jelly and orange marmalade. Don't expect high end english delicacies! They are just goooooood! The other interesting detail is that as soon as your server takes your order they bring over a small plate with a slice of grapefruit and a small baked prune.

Fernando ordered one of their signature dishes: an Omelette served in a skillet with house potatoes. That's just bliss in a plate... well, skillet.   As I entered the restaurant I noticed they had an Eggs Benedict special. I decided to be adventurous and give it a try. It's always a good idea to be suspicious of diner Eggs Benedict. It's never quite right and the Hollandaise sauce could be a time bomb waiting to go off in your stomach... Nonetheless, I decided to live dangerously. The bet payed off. Although the Hollandaise was not fancy New York delicate, it was tasty and hearty. The eggs where perfectly cooked (although a little small for some reason) and the plate also included house potatoes. If I add to that the toast I stole from Fernando's dish, you can certainly call it a full Brunch meal.

Lou Mitchell's might not be a hip high end place in Manhattan but if you find yourself visiting Chicago and want to take a stroll down memory lane in old Route 66, you will not be disappointed by the tasty comfort food of the Classic American Diner.

The Paramount, Boston MA

Imagine you are walking down the quiet and regal streets of Boston's Beacon Hill and suddenly you hit a long line of people waiting for something on the street... what is this place? are they giving away free stuff? is it a restaurant? can we put our names down some list? how long do we have to wait in line? why are we waiting if there are so many empty tables? what the f@#%! is going on?!?!?
You will find the answers to all these questions as you wait 45' to an hour for your breakfast. And, if you've already been to The Paramount before, you will get to answer most of them as desperate first-comers try to understand what's going on. So, here they are: The Paramount is a restaurant that has been operating in Beacon Hill since 1937. It has a cafeteria-style breakfast where you wait in line to order your food (with a tray in hand) and not until you have the meal on your plate and have paid for it can you head for a table. They guarantee that there will be a table waiting for you. I've been there three times already and it has always been the case. Furthermore, you can play a game while you wait, and try to find a party that doesn't have a table ready by the time they leave the cashiers. Has not happened either... That's the reason for the line. A line that reaches the door will take about 45' to reach the cashiers. A line that extends to the street means about one hour of wait. You do not write your name anywhere and by no means you seat while waiting.
Waiting in line may sound like a deterrent.... but if you think carefully about it, it's not so bad. You would still wait for 45 minutes to an hour in any other place in downtown Boston on a Sunday. At The Paramount, at least you are under a roof, playing the game I described before, and constantly updating your meal choice as you continually check out the trays of those who successfully made it to the finish line.
The wait is worth it and you can work out a good appetite while at it. If not, ask Fernando, our guest for the week, who ordered not one but two brunches!!! 1- Breakfast sandwich (egg and cheese in a bagel) with sausage (inside) and homefries. 2-French toast. He didn't leave a crumble of these two very generous servings... In addition, he ordered a glass of carrot juice mixed with apple juice. The servers were really nice pointing out that they only had fresh green apple juice which may not taste as good, but he went for it and was great.
Diego and I opted for a "lighter" fare :). I had the breakfast special, which includes two eggs (over easy for me), homefries, toast and coffee; a bowl of super tasty fresh fruit (definitely one of The Paramount's most popular sides) and a large glass of carrot juice mixed OJ. Awesome!

Diego changed his mind a couple of times while we were waiting, because everything everyone ordered looked so delicious. He ended up ordering three yummy pancakes topped with fresh fruit (he said they are as good as those at Centre St. Cafe) and a side of sausages. He steered away from the carrot juice (which raised the curiosity among those waiting because it looked so orange and great) and ordered simple OJ instead.

It might not be the perfect brunch in the sense that it is not the most relaxed experience, with all the wait, the trays and the people staring at you while you eat. But the food is great, the staff super nice and the experience unforgettable.