“Brunch is kind of a big deal here, you will soon find out,” I told a good friend who recently moved to Washington DC. “Yeah, I am already starting to see that,” he answered.
Fortunately or unfortunately I have been engulfed in the brunch craze along with the rest of the city. From 11 am to 3 pm on weekends, restaurants fill with that post college/young professional crowd … oh what the hell, it’s a bunch of hipsters and yuppies. I can’t really tell you if it goes on outside the DC bubble, as I live 100 percent in it for the moment. I do know from my experience before moving to DC, we would get meals around that “brunch” time, but depending on what we ordered, we would either call it “breakfast” or “lunch.” The appeal seems to come from either the enjoyment of the indecisive meal, a reason to get out of bed and drag your hung over ass out the door into civilization, or if it is simply an excuse to start drinking earlier. I think it is somewhere in the middle.
I happen to love brunch and couldn’t be happier for this fad, if that is in fact what it is. I love the combination of food, and as someone who hates to make a decision it’s a great middle of the road meal. I love the excuse to get my day rolling with friends and not waiting until it’s dancing time. And, why yes, I don’t mind the excuse to drink a Bloody Mary or Mimosa before noon… I guess with that said, it makes me the perfect brunch candidate.
One of interesting things I find going out to brunch in this city is that it is not always the best food, but you are easily tricked with the pretty spread, the good deals, and the drink specials (not always the best drink either, but if they’re bottomless, I guess it’s worth it…) If you have read Anthony Bourdain’s book, Kitchen Confidential, he is quick to tell you that brunch is the bottom rack chefs using up left over food to please the masses. Well, whatever, that may be true, but there is nothing like even a mediocre Egg Benedict and a Bloody Mary or two to beat that Sunday morning slump, or “hair of the dog” as they say.
The second thing about brunch, which I have come to embrace, is what it does for the rest of your day. I either walk away too tipsy, just on the border so that I feel it would be appropriate to continue the drinking, or I’m just tired and want to nap for the remainder of the day. While both of these option make for an enjoyable day, I still have that nagging feeling that it has been taken over by brunch and wasted away.
This week, for example, I enjoyed Masa 14’s unlimited brunch. While the company was good, the drinks were decently flowing, and the food was bombarding. Of all the tapas dishes our table ordered and sampled (and I think it was the majority of the menu), the Latin American—Asian fusion menu only offered few very delicious dishes (the grits, flat breads, and chicken salad were a few of the highlights, for those locals who care to try it.) but the rest fell short. As it was, we had paid the fixed price and had the option to keep up the tasting, so we proceeded to consume a day’s worth of calories, leaving me with no choice but to fall asleep on the couch almost immediately after arriving home. It was a good day, but I have little to say for it when I talk to Mom on Monday… oops!
So if you too, enjoy a day of excused morning drinking, mostly likely interesting conversations, and eating sub-par food, check out some of the brunch places around the city. As I can only speak for DC, I will recommend the Washington Post‘s list of brunch deals, which I’m making my way through. And despite its shortfalls the experience is unique, if nothing else.
Happy Brunching!
No comments:
Post a Comment