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Stopped in for Brunch on Sunday. We started with a mimosa and a Bloody Mary. Both delicious, the Bloody Mary was just the right amount of spice, have a subtle hint of vodka flavor, very well balanced. We asked for a brunch menu, in addition to the regular menu that was offered. We ordered the Salmon Benedict off the brunch offerings. We also ordered a plate of Chilie Beer Cheese fries topped with a couple fried eggs. The salmon was cooked fresh to order, a full filet portion, cut into 3 pieces, served over 3 English muffin halves. Each was topped with a perfectly poached egg. Our favorite part was the made to order hollandaise sauce. Had a hint of lemon, creamy and luscious! The breakfast potatoes were crispy and well seasoned. The Chile beer cheese fries are a regular menu item. They sounded good so I asked to have them topped with a couple over medium eggs. The eggs yolks added a creaminess to the the crispy fries. The tomatoes in the green Chile sauce were fresh, as they still had some texture to them. Our service was exceptional, he had the answers to all our questions and was in top of our needs. We plan to come back for football games in the fall.

Villa de Flora – Menu with Prices – 6000 W Osceola Pkwy, Kissimmee

The best brunch in the Orlando area is at Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in their Villa de Flora restaurant. This is the total brunch experience under their breath taking Atrium, with gardens, caves, waterfalls, turtles and gators! Every Sunday for $40 each, you get to feast on carving stations with prime rib, pork, a pasta station, fresh array of salads, breakfast items such as waffles(with all the toppings), crispy bacon, sausage, my favorite, eggs Benedict, cheese stations, a ton of shrimps on ice, lobster mac and cheese, a whole bread station, with many varieties, paella, salmon and let’s not forget the decadent dessert station! They have much, much more, but too much to list! For $20 extra you can get Unlimited mimosas or champagne or for $10 make your own at their new Bloody Mary station. The service here is always impeccable and our server Cristell was very sweet and was fast with our drinks! Make it a day long experience with brunch, shopping and even spa treatments in this gorgeous resort! Coming soon for the holidays enjoy ICE, their playground in a winter wonderland!

Felix Cocktails et Cuisine – Menu with Prices – 550 King St #100, Charleston

1/13/19 I have been here for dinner and loved it! When I learned that they were serving brunch, I was excited to return! The atmosphere is semi-casual which in Charleston means you could feel comfortable showing up in your Sunday best or flip flops and shorts. It is unpretentious and relaxed but also a place that is date worthy. Our server was attentive but not hovering. We started with some in house made Bloody Mary’s and a glass of wine. I liked that the Bloody Mary wasn’t as harsh as the usual pre-mix stuff you get at other places. Husband ordered the Félix Benedict served on a potato cake. Topped with a crab cake, bacon, poached egg, hollandaise and salade verde. “Oh man, this is so good” after his first bite. Silence after that as he happily continued forking his way through every bite of that dish. It’s on my radar for our next visit, it looked delicious! My daughter and I both ordered the Raclette burger. Two double short rib-brisket blended patties, caramelized onions, dijonnaise, raclette, Brown’s Court sesame seed bun served with house cut pommes frites. This burger is absolutely killer! Juicy, packed with flavor and covered in delightful raclette cheese that is creamy, gooey and nutty. The caramelized onions added a slight sweet flavor and was balanced well with the dijonnaise. It was just thick enough to get a great portion of meat and ingredients but not so thick that I couldn’t bite into it. Because it is was so juicy, once I pick it up, I was committed to it. I cut mine in half, a safe approach, but could not put it down to even wipe my mouth, yea that good. The fries where perfect! Perfectly fresh, perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned! I would recommend them for dinner or brunch!

Scarlett Begonia – Menu with Prices – 11 W Victoria St #10, Santa Barbara

Big let down. We have given this spot a few tries. The only time we had a “thoughtful experience,” was on a slow weekday. Today was that tipping point for us. It started with the cocktails. I had the “signature” lime gimlet, that tasted like store bought lime juice and no gin. If it had any gin, I’d be surprised. Next my wife got the grapefruit rosemary margarita which she asked our server if it was sweet and we were told no because it’s fresh squeezed and handcrafted. To put it nicely, it tastes like agave syrup and a dash of tequila with a rosemary garnish (again, that’s being nice). My cousin was basic, he got a Bloody Mary, like really bad sounding Bloody Mary, tomato juice and vodka. I knew it would be bad and he hated it, but that’s on him. The problem is, our server said she had to charge him still and he said that’s fine but can I just have one of your regular bloody Mary’s, meanwhile my wife also sent back her drink and got a Bloody Mary as well. However, our server didn’t charge my cousin for his drink, she charged us for the more expensive “signature cocktail” the grapefruit rosemary trash margarita. I don’t mind paying for something that’s wrong on my end but don’t charge me for something that is bad quality, that you tell me is good quality, that’s messed up. And it’s also a slap in the face to try to manipulate a larger bill by charging the more expensive drink that wasn’t good rather than the less expensive drink that was wrong on our end. Just get a mimosa, it might take 15 minutes to get it but they can’t really mess it up. Actually just get a glass of bubbles with a side of OJ, that way they don’t have a chance to mess it up. Food wise, it’s all good, but if you’re going for an all around experience I would say go somewhere else or take it to go.

Quaker Steak & Lube – Menu with Prices – In the airport, Concourse B, 5300 Riverside Dr, Cleveland

Airport food is not known for its quality and value. So, I’m here mostly for convenience and opportunity and went in with low expectations. I was greeted by a blonde woman still sucking down a chicken bone. She seemed bothered that she had to walk away from her plate of wings to take my order. I ordered the Bloody Mary because it looked good in the photo. Unlike the photo, she added nothing to the rim what looks like should have been tajin. It was the blandest most tomato juice drink ever. I added hot sauce, black pepper, and even salt to give it some sort Bloody Mary flavor- I don’t even taste the vodka so, I don’t even have that help. Actually, it could be mixed with water too it’s so watered down and easy to drink. In fact, two women sat next to me at the bar and also ordered Bloody Marys and I overheard them talking saying, so you taste alcohol? The other woman said no, and I think it needs pepper or something. I handed them my pepper, salt, and hot sauce and told them this will make it a little better. The omelet was pretty eh, and something you’d get at concession stands served on a paper plate. The home fries like everything else bland AF. NO FLAVOR ANYWHERE! There are tons of old white people here, so maybe it’s a regional flavor thing? Not worth the visit unless you just wang soda or water.

Huckleberry’s Breakfast & Lunch – Menu with Prices – 10000 Fairway Dr #170, Roseville

Our visit to Huckleberry’s was a great first impression. When you first walk in you’re transported to the Bayou from the decor to the music. Staff was friendly and hospitable like folks are in the South. We started with a strawberry mimosa and I tried the Bloody Mary. My only constructive criticism is the Bloody Mary should be in a taller glass so the condiments fit better so it doesn’t fall out the mason jar. The Beignets were a great starter and perfect for two. The cream sauce was amazing as we had to stop eating for our entrees. I had the Tom’s Scramble and the Mrs. had the stacked chicken and waffles. The highlights for the Toms Scramble was the chicken fried steak and the fluffy scrambled eggs. The country gravy had a great pepper flavor but lacked with texture like we’ve found when in the South. The Stacked Chicken and waffles had a good compliment of heat to go along with the syrup and the chicken was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The waffle was buttery and went well with the whole dish. This is a must go to place and we look forward to our next visit trying something new.

Cape Fear Seafood Company – Menu with Prices – 832 Spring Forest Rd, Raleigh

Delicious new seafood spot, food fresh & imaginative. Stopped in at this new local outlet of a 4 store chain. The room is a square with bar at the back, booths around the edges, tables in the center. Gray beadboard along the walls, tiled floors add to the nautical vibe. Our reservation was honored to the minute. Our server Stacie did a great job. She was fun and personable, orienting us to the menu, daily specials and kept the meal moving at a great pace. Thank you! We started off with a round of blackened bloody marys. An excellent bloody mary garnished with pickled okra, olives, a skewer of blackened shrimp with the rim dusted with Old Bay. The bloody mary is well mixed, just the right amount of spice and ratio of vodka, the shrimp crisp, fresh and tasty. An excellent start! In keeping with the theme, we had the bloody mary oysters. These are a dozen oysters, lightly breaded and fried golden brown and served with a traditional cocktail sauce. Not greasy and a nice size portion. Tasty. I tried a great twist on one of my favorites, saltimbocca – offered on this night with snapper. A filet of snapper is wrapped in prosciutto and broiled till the flesh is warm and the prosciutto crispy. It’s served over a bet of sauteed spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes. The whole thing is sauced with demi glace and a light lemon sauce and garnished with a few dollops of goat cheese. It sounded like an unusual combination, which is why I ordered it… and it was FANTASTIC! The earthiness of the spinach meshed perfectly with the tender, moist fish and the crunchy saltiness of the prosciutto. Really good! Being a reformed Floridian, I was compelled to try the Key Lime pie. This was delicious as well. Creamy, tart and not too sweet with a firm crust and just a little whipped cream. Not the best I’ve ever had (since we’re pretty far from the Gulf coast), but delicious. The tab for two with 2 cocktails and shared dessert was $84. Service and execution are great at Cape Fear Seafood. There are plenty of other interesting things to try on the menu, we’ll be back. Recommended.

Vintage Washington – Menu with Prices – 9000 W Airport Dr, Spokane

Needed to find breakfast and a place to hang before our flight today and decided on this place. We ordered a Bloody Mary and a Strawberry Bellini – thought it was odd that there were no drink prices on the menu – Bloody Mary came in a tall tumbler glass, Bellini was presented with a portion of the champagne poured in the glass along with the small Brute bottle with the remaining champagne. Drinks were both decent. Ordered two breakfast scrambles & toast but this is where it gets really weird. Before our food came out the waitress came over and said she was going to take a break and did we mind cashing out now. We said okay even though we didn’t have our food yet. The scrambles were actually pretty tasty but both orders of toast were STONE cold! We still had a lot of time before our flight so we ordered another round of cocktails from the waiter that had taken over our table. This time the Bloody Mary came in low tumbler and the Bellini without the leftover Brute bottle, when we asked why the diff there really wasn’t much explanation other than he said he poured the entire bottle into the flute. And now the kicker, waitress was back and now waiter was going on a break and he asked if we could cash out with him before he went on break. Maybe they didn’t trust each other – don’t know but odd to go on breaks when you have customers and way odd to ask a customer to cash out twice during one meal. Something fishy at this place! We were the only customers during our entire stay. The kitchen also cooks for the Chili’s Too counter that is next door. Wave this place off – btw Bloody Mary was almost $8 and the Bellini was $12.50.

Petit & Keet – Menu with Prices – 1620 Market St, Little Rock

First timer here. We were one of the first to arrive for Sunday Brunch. We were greeted by an infectiously bubbly Jess who offered us our choice of table. We seated ourselves at a table between the bar and main dining room where the temperature was a little warmer. We started with Mimosas and Bloody Marys. They were perfect. The Bloody Mary had just the right amount of spice. Next was the hot pimento cheese skillet which came with crispy pita chips. Normally the Mrs is unenthusiastic about pimento cheese, but this struck the perfect balance between a dip and a skillet recipe, and it was devoured in minutes. Two of our party ordered the shrimp and blintz; one of our party being familiar with variations of this dish commented that it was more flavorful than what he was accustomed and made short work of the blini, and assisted the other of out party with an extra piece of shrimp she couldn’t finish. The author of this review had the pork belly burnt ends with potatoes and poached egg. It was fabulous, and I hated to see the last of it go. The biscuits and gravy are a slighly newer interpretation of a southern favorite; light fluffy biacuits and gravy with a silky smooth texture and flavor. This is a must try if you visit LR or live nearby. This will become a regular stop for us. Kudos to the staff for a perfect service, and excellent food.

Angela’s Cafe Eagle Hill – Menu with Prices – 131 Lexington St, Boston

Wow did I have a spicy brunch here on Saturday! We had to wait a little bit for a 4-person table, but the restaurant is very small (about 8 tables). Service was pretty quick and we got many water refills. Angela’s has a brunch menu in addition to a lunch menu (brunch items come with free coffee which is nice) but my friends and husband and I all opted for lunch items. We started with a shared bowl of guacamole which was very good and came with free refills of chips. For lunch, I got the chicken enchiladas with green sauce (my go-to in most Mexican restaurants) but it was fantastic and super spicy. Most places wimp out a bit on spice, but not Angela’s! The consistency and flavors were all great – just enough sour/tart bite to the sauce. Our mouths were all happily on fire. I had a tasty mimosa to wash everything down – my husband had a bloody mary, one friend had a regular margarita, and her husband a mango margarita. (Everyone said their drinks were great, too). Definitely glad we trekked over to this spot for brunch and dealt with the small wait outside. Food was excellent and I’d definitely recommend it as a lunch or brunch spot. If I lived nearby, I’d be in trouble!

The Southern Porch Menu with Prices 62 N Main St, Alpharetta

The hub and I wanted to try a new brunch place and found Southern Porch on Yelp. We decided to give it a try even though it was a good 20-25 minute drive from our house, passing many other breakfast options. But we love historic Alpharetta so we thought it would be worth the trip. Unfortunately, Southern Porch did not measure up. Not that it was ALL bad–definitely some good points but too many meh-moments that offset them and give the place an overall “just so-so” rating. The place has a great vibe, for sure. It’s an old home converted to a restaurant with wood floors, worn looking shiplap, a great patio. I loved the look. We were asked if we wanted to sit outside in the 90-degree heat and 100% humidity and declined. Ten minutes later, the hostess attempted to seat us outside anyway, which we politely declined and were seated inside where it was marginally cooler than the porch. I started with a mimosa, and the hub got a bloody. These were both just ok. Mimosa had no garnish. Hub’s bloody came complete with a sugar rim. Yikes. Brain fart on the server which we all laughed about and was fixed quickly. No big deal. But you might just want to pay attention before you take a big slug. I ordered the Chef’s Plate (country fried steak and eggs, potatoes, biscuit). The eggs were ordered over medium and cooked perfectly. The potatoes were ok–cooked well but nothing earth-shattering. The country fried steak was tasteless and hugely disappointing. Just no seasoning. I ate about half of it because I was starving and kept thinking maybe it’d get better. It didn’t. The biscuit was on point, however, one of the fluffiest I’ve had. Delicious. The hub got a burger with fries. He wasn’t asked how he wanted it cooked and it was delivered sliver thin and WELL done. (Easy to do when it was as thin as it was. Think: McDonald’s regular patty thin.) Halfway through, he took the bun off to just eat what burger there was instead of filling up on bread, and we saw the burger didn’t even have a center (like a donut.) That was likely a fluke but made for even less protein on the plate. The fries were meager and far from the crispy we requested. He didn’t eat them. So it was a promising place and maybe we just happened to choose a couple of things that weren’t stellar when other things are. But considering our experience, the drive, and the price ($50 before tip), I can’t see going back.

Golden Lyon Vintage Pub – Menu with Prices – 620 E Las Olas Blvd, Fort Lauderdale

It had been a while since I last visited the Golden Lyon but a good friend suggested I check out their Sunday brunch, I didn’t even know they had brunch, I am glad I went back because the food was amazing. I had the steak and eggs, the food was perfectly cooked, quality ingredients and very reasonably priced, plus Mimosas, Bellinis and Bloody Mary specials. The bar is in the inside of Riverside Hotel and it is frequented by locals and hotel guests alike. Great specials like their 10 for $10 menu with options like Burnt Ends and Lemon Chipotle chicken. They have an awesome daily Happy Hour, yes everyday! 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. 50% off drinks and 50% off Specialty Bar Bites Menu. Service was very friendly and attentive.

Canteen Market and Bistro – Menu with Prices – 411 W 4th St, Winston-Salem

We happened in here after deciding against another restaurant. Should have stuck with our first choice. The service was terrible.. slow, forgetful, apathetic. Even the person who appeared to be the manager was unapologetic when the server got an order wrong; an ALLERGY order. The outside seating area seemed like it would be nice, but they only offered us inside. The seating was dark, uninviting, and cramped despite the massive space. They were only serving brunch, and though the options looked good, the food came out staggered and unappealing. For the price point, it was incredibly disappointing. I got the bagel and lox, the bagel was cold, under flavored, and the amount of cream cheese compared to the salmon was nauseating. My husband ordered the corned beef hash and it came out bland and definitely not worth the $13-15 it was. The only thing that looked decent was my brother-in-law’s chicken and waffle, but I didn’t try it so I can’t guarantee. The Bloody Mary bar had 4 bland offerings of toppings. Unfortunate that a place to seem to have such potential is really screwing themselves. Won’t be back any time soon, if ever.