Undiscovered Breakfast

[katbert]

We spent two hours on the waitlist for Sabrina's this morning and I wanted to see what other options ppl can suggest for lowkey breakfast/brunchiness, other than

the places I already know about (MoGlo (same wait thing as Sabrina's but less managed and a smaller menu), Carmen's (bad for >4ppl or in winter), 10th St Pourhouse (love it), Reading Terminal (mm, apple dumpling), Rx, Lacroix, the Ants Pants Cafe, Fitzwater Cafe, Ten Stone, Standard Tap (other ppl like the baked eggs, but I don't like egg yolk), Blue in Green).

Places I would like to hear about along with any other suggestions: Cafe Lift, whether or not the Salt & Pepper byo ever started doing brunch, Cafe Sud, the Butcher's Cafe that catches a lot of overflow from Sabrina's (we wonder if it's any good but we're always either going to Sabrina's or coming from Sarcone's pizza (today they had a rosemary white pizza))

Today's special french toast at Sabrina's was a rocky road w/ creamcheese, chocolate, nuts, maybe marshmallows? eck, but the pancakes involved pears, ginger, brown sugar, some kind of nuts... I had a half order of the caramelized banana stuffed french toast+home fries, fabulous.

[KatieLoeb]

I'm told by a reliable source with an excellent palate that Marigold Kitchen does a fine brunch. Sundays only though.

[sockii]

I really love doing bruch at The Black Sheep on the weekends. It's both Saturday & Sunday, starts at 11:30, and never a wait (especially if you get there before noon). The Irish Breakfast plate is awesome (and HUGE!); good french toast, omeletts, salads, etc.

[Sfuffy]

Judy's does a nice Sunday brunch but its time is short-lived once its sale to the Pif crew closes.

Has anyone tried Royal Tavern for brunch?

[herbacidal]

I second Black Sheep.

Next also has an interesting brunch menu.

Check it out on their site.

http://www.nextbyob.com/flashIndex.cfm

[Greg Ling]

Judy's does a nice Sunday brunch but its time is short-lived once its sale to the Pif crew closes.

Has anyone tried Royal Tavern for brunch?

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Royal does a good brunch and the beer list is great

[stephenc]

i've gotten good breakfast/lunch at Nodding head. They usually have a jazz band playing.

[GregD]

Second the Marigold. Delicious, with several fish dishes most weeks and also fantastic custard french toast.

[serpentine]

...ceases lurking and joins in.

Cafe Sud is fantastic.

[Capaneus]

...ceases lurking and joins in.

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And another one lost to the Dark Side of the Force...

[herbacidal]

Cafe Sud is fantastic.

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That's the one on Passyunk, (northeast of Royal Tavern, I think)?

[KatieLoeb]

Welcome Serpentine!

I've forever been curious about Cafe Sud. For a long time it looked like it was only open at odd hours baking spectacular fondant covered wedding cakes which I'd see on display at various food related events. Then supposedly it opened for for brunch, though I never saw anyone in there, and now they're (again supposedly) open for dinner too.

I'll have to go check this out in person sometime, but it's always been a curiosity to me since I pass by it so frequently and never see any levels of activity within that would lead me to believe it was a thriving business.

[Capaneus]

801 E. Passyunk, Herb, so yeah, that sounds about right.

Edited March 30, 2005 by Capaneus (log)

[Capaneus]

Welcome Serpentine!

I've forever been curious about Cafe Sud.  For a long time it looked like it was only open at odd hours baking spectacular fondant covered wedding cakes which I'd see on display at various food related events.  Then supposedly it opened for for brunch, though I never saw anyone in there, and now they're (again supposedly) open for dinner too.

I'll have to go check this out in person sometime, but it's always been a curiosity to me since I pass by it so frequently and never see any levels of activity within that would lead me to believe it was a thriving business.

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The narrative I've read was of the "things just happened" school of Business Growth. She baked a few pastries she'd sell from what was essentially a cake shop, then her (Moroccan?) boyfriend...

Why am I trying to remember? I *know* my brain doesn't work... Link to Rick Nichols' full-poop story below.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/philly/entertainmen...ols/7929703.htm

[18/10]

Standard Tap has a really good brunch.

Kid friendly during the day(much lees smoking than at night) and with the bigger 2nd floor and outdoor deck-pretty easy to get a table.

Killer bloody marys-though nontraditional-VERY thick-more like runny salsa-but in a good way

[serpentine]

If, like me, you are in no mood to register for another site to read the Rick Nichols article (sorry Capaneus, for dissing your link), here's the Philly Weekly review from when they first expanded, which also explains.

Then supposedly it opened for for brunch, though I never saw anyone in there, and now they're (again supposedly) open for dinner too.

No supposedly about it -- they're open for weekend brunch and dinner (and maybe lunch, I don't recall.) It's a shame that the place doesn't get more business, since the food is terrific and not expensive, but it is on somewhat of an odd corner for walk-by traffic, putting the cafe in the vicious circle of "not crowded enough to attract crowds. (The up side is that I can always get a table without a reservation, so I do, frequently.)

Anyway, they rock. Go eat brunch and dinner there.

[gabe]

We had dinner at Cafe Sud a few months ago. Here's what I remember: terrific, huge Nicoise salad. Great chai tea. "Tagine" that was more like beef stew and lacked any Moroccan flavor whatsoever. Nice ambience. Didn't try dessert, though I'm sure it would have been wonderful given the owner's pastry reputation. I've never seen the place crowded; they must do enough catering/wedding cake business to make it work.

[Sfuffy]

If, like me, you are in no mood to register for another site to read the Rick Nichols article (sorry Capaneus, for dissing your link), here's the Philly Weekly review from when they first expanded, which also explains. 

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Or you could just use Bugmenot to see the article without registering.

[effrontery]

I was surprised that I really liked Jones for brunch. Their banana french toast was excellent...

[serpentine]

I second the Jones recommendation, too. I really do not like their lunch or dinner offerings at all. However, in need of a place last summer for an early brunch in that neighborhood (with my usual options all vetoed for one reason or another), I was very pleasantly surprised.

[Diann]

Second the Marigold.  Delicious, with several fish dishes most weeks and also fantastic custard french toast.

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Just got back from brunch at Marigold. They are indeed fantastic. It was my first time there, and I'm going back on Wednesday for dinner--can't wait!

Unfortunately, I need to be productive today, so no champagne at brunch, but both the coffee (La Colombe) and orange juice were very good and priced right, at $2 each. The table next to us was making mimosas, and I noticed the good stemware.

Rough menu, as far as I can remember:

- Two frittatas: Red bliss potato, and sweet potato/mushroom?/asparagus. Apparently (I didn't get a taste, but I generally don't like frittatas) the former didn't actually have potatoes in it, but rather mushrooms and other unidentifiable (but good) things. The potatoes came on the side, in some kind of mustard sauce; they were the highlight of the plate.

- Cornflake-crusted brioche french toast with cranberry butter, chestnut puree, and maple syrup. Truly spectacular. Finally, french toast that's full of flavor and texture. Plenty of cinnamon in the batter.

- Sausage mushroom and potato fry-up, with three(!) eggs (over easy) -- yum. Served with mesclun greens -- I love mixing wilted greens with egg yolk and sausage...maybe I'm weird.

- Seared Arctic char with asparagus and something else

- Homemade turkey scrapple, "custardy" eggs, spicy ketchup

- Bowl of granola and yogurt; also a salad with vinagrette

- Sides of cheddar grits, thick-cut double-smoked bacon (yum), and something else.

There were probably eight entree choices in total, so that means I've forgotten two. But it was one of the best breakfasts I've had in a long time. I'm picky about brunch, since it usually feels like food that I could have just as easily made it myself, but this was different. I'm so excited to have Marigold AND RX in the neighborhood now.

Next on the list (eventually) is Carman's...

[Furious Flav-or]

Don't laugh (and hello to all those with whom I haven't broken bread in a great while), but if I'm in the city I've become quite a fan of hitting Chinatown and doing soup in one spot, and Vietnamese pork buns at the bakery (forget its name but it's a few doors north of Ho Sai Gai). Little or no atmosphere, zero cachet, but no wait and it still tastes great.

[herbacidal]

I don't think there's a bakery a few doors north of Ho Sai Gai except if you were to turn onto Race.

There is a KC's Pastries a few doors south.

[Furious Flav-or]

I don't think there's a bakery a few doors north of Ho Sai Gai except if you were to turn onto Race.

There is a KC's Pastries a few doors south.

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I might have the geography wrong. It's a Viet place, really nondescript, off Race, and I think I meant south, not north.

Edited April 8, 2005 by Furious Flav-or (log)

[herbacidal]

The only Viet-Chinese bakery in Chinatown that I know of is China Bakery on 11th between Race and Spring. Roughly middle of the block.