Tag: Sunday Brunch

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Daily Dose Reviews

Hudson House

Bright & Airy Atmosphere with an East Coast Vibe

This place sits on the corner of an unassuming strip mall. Most of their seating space is for groups of 6 or less, which makes this upscale casual locale a bit more intimate. Though our brunch group tends to be about 8 people, it worked out quite well that only the Beau and I ventured out this morning. Gorgeous summer Sundays in Dallas mean dog park visits, iced coffee, and the best brunch outings!

Hudson House was on my list for a very long time. I am so happy we stopped in to feast! Their menu is small, which I find refreshing. I think too many places try to provide a wide range of offerings, but then the food ends up being quite lackluster. That’s absolutely NOT the case with Hudson House. Our waiter was genuinely sweet and provided us with amazing service for a busy Sunday. This spot is known for their bagels and fish offerings, so we were urged to order up their Lobster Benedict or Lox bagel.

We opted for the Fresh Herb Lox on a sesame seed bagel. LOVE LOVE LOVED these flavor combinations! The salmon was brined well, with just a hint of salt and didn’t overpower the herbed cheese or fresh dill; the mandolin thin cucumbers added some excellent crunch, too! Angel drizzled a little lemon over this dish and it was incredible. We’re going back for another one, this I promise you!

We also tried their breakfast sandwich and the berry pancakes. Now, you all know how much I love waffles, but…these pancakes are my next favorite breakfast dish. I was a bit disappointed they didn’t have the warm espresso butter mentioned in the menu, but that would only have made the dish even better. These pancakes were stacked five high and only slightly thicker than a crepe. The berries on top were tossed in a light honey and the syrup was warm and buttery. I highly recommend an order of these on your next brunch visit. I plan to order the lemon pancakes next time.

As if I wasn’t already over the moon with my options, I also ordered their power breakfast (because why the hell not?). The poached eggs were perfectly done and I quite enjoyed the fact that everything was separated on the plate. It was a bit pricey considering there was no starch involved, but the overall feel and taste of this dish was healthy and scrumptious! I did move the bacon over into the egg dish because it felt awkward not to.

The only letdown was their coffee. womp, womp.
It isn’t wonderful and a breakfast this tasty deserves some damn good brew. Maybe they can reach out to @WhiteRockCoffee and work on a partnership. Those peeps never disappoint a girl in need of a caffeine fix.

All in all, I think I’ve found a favorite new brunch spot. We plan on visiting them again soon for their daily Happy Hour (3-6pm). Hudson offers some excellent fish dishes (our waiter mentioned the Halibut with a side of velvet sauce and, I don’t know what it is, but I need it!), as well as half-off their bellinis, martinis, and cheeseburgers. I’d say that’s a winning combo, don’t you? Keep in mind, their dinner menu is pricey; based on this brunch though, I’d say it’s probably worth it.

Soak up every lovely minute left of this weekend!

Categories
Daily Dose Reviews

Mesero – Dallas

Summer

The Beau and I brunched at Mesero on Sunday. We took the pups, which was a riot – because getting to the patio (with a blocked entrance…fire hazards be damned) was challenging.

Our original plan was to eat at a pet-friendly restaurant (which is a short list in Dallas proper). Now, I’d eaten at Mesero before and was not super thrilled to go back. However, we were now trapped by cars on all sides and there was no end in sight to get our Jeep back from the valet…so off we went toward the bright umbrellas (seriously, they’re ORANGE). The seating hostess was nice, but when we got to our table, the group nearest us leaned over to say the service was sub-par. One patron went so far as to point out which waiter to avoid!

Their brunch menu is small, but the portions are HUGE. Here’s wahat you need to know:

  1. They portion control the tortilla chips. Which is completely NOT okay.
    I’m a firm believer in spreading the chips and salsa love; if you see two people at a table, and you serve chips in a tiny 10oz container that can only fit 14 crisps (yes, I counted them) – then, by the sweet Gods in heaven, bring more chips!IMG_1531
  2. The plates look great, but that does not necessarily mean they’re good. My french toast wasn’t cooked. It was a burned glaze on the outside and a mushy cinnamon-flavored mess on the inside. Normally I don’t send food back, but the Beau insisted because they were completely inedible. They did a better job on the second try, but it was still undercooked. 🙁 One redeeming quality is the whipped cinnamon butter that comes with the warmed maple syrup to drizzle over the toast. Absolutely sinful. And yet – tragically – not enough of a reason to come back to this pop stand.IMG_1533
  3. Their chilaquiles (eggs + chicken + salsa + corn chips) were fantastic. Honestly, their salsa verde brings all the ingredients together in a magical concoction. I’d certainly order that dish again. But I probably will not be back here. Two times, you’re out. Their dinner is pricey and you don’t really get much. Basically, if I can make it in my own kitchen – then why bother going to the restaurant?
  4. In a crazy twist – the cocktails are pricey! Nearly every drink cost more than an actual brunch dish. What in the actual hell? Just know, if you do order one (we ordered the Meserita) then you’ll be plastered on just one drink. Fair warning.

wait, what?

Overall, we were not too pleased with this brunch spot. I felt like I could seriously teach the Chef a thing or two about Mexican cooking (or whatever they think they’re actually making…). We will not likely be back, barring some sort of kitchen-staff overhaul and a change in menu options.

I hope you’re enjoying your summer break!

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Daily Dose

Brunch is still Legal…I think

sissys

After all these Executive Orders, I’m happy to report on a happier topic.
The Bestie & I tried a new (to us, anyhow) brunch spot in Dallas.

Sissy’s Southern Kitchen is a kitzschy country kitchen on Knox-Henderson. We’ve visited twice and, with a bit of help from family, tried all (but one) recipes on the menu. Since brunch is basically my favorite meal, I believe I found my happiest place in Dallas. Which, let me be clear, is an amazing feat! I mean, this glorious little once-was house, tucked away behind a few trees and their own Valet stand, rivals bookstores and my own kitchen.
Color me impressed.

If you’re ever in Dallas and need to loosen your belt a few notches, stop by Sissy’s. They’ll be more than happy to whip up a lil’ something for you to nosh on.

These squash puppies are accompanied by whipped butter and a house-made jalapeno jam. Honestly, I could deal without the puppies, but this jam needs to be in my life. It is sweet, with a surprising bite of spice and sass that battles taste buds.

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I’d never tried Fried Green Tomatoes – nor have I read the book – but my Mimi said I was missing out. So we just had to order them. Cut to this interesting take on tomatoes landing in front of us. They’re moderately thick tomatoes, evenly sliced, and generously coated in a cornmeal batter; fried to perfection, accompanied by a shrimp remoulade, green peas, and scallions. Did I say, perfection already?

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The short rib hash is basically a pot roast, diced potatoes, and sunny side up eggs. I wanted to be more impressed, but this just was not among my top favorites. Don’t get me wrong – it’s still quite tasty, but this hash is simply not Sissy’s best effort here. This dish left me feeling underwhelmed.

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Do you see all that buttah? Butter is an essential need to this brunch menu and it’s probably why I love Sissy’s so damn much. The bacon arrived sizzling and introduced the waffles quite nicely.

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This. This here. The crab cake mac and cheese has been a Sissy’s special for a few weeks now. I must say, the chef makes a glorious mac and cheese. Don’t believe me, watch the video below. It’ll make your tummy tingly in all the best places.

 

Now, we were pretty full (jeans unbuttoned) by this point. Then the waitress said they made the best chocolate cake in Dallas. The reigning champ, in case you’re wondering, is the Cheesecake Factory’s Linda’s Fudge Cake. I had no choice but to order dessert.

Sadly, they looked better than they tasted. Good, but not nearly impressive enough.

 

I hope you have a chance to brunch here. You’ll thank me for the suggestion.

Categories
Daily Dose Reviews

Holiday Brunching

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McKinney Ave
Chicken sausage, Broccoli & Onions all enveloped in a scrumptious scramble

I got to ring in my favorite month with none other than my Mama Bear!
We’ve had a long-standing Sunday Brunch date for the past few years just to catch up on weekly adventures and so I could vent about whatever wickedness my professors were throwing my way. -.o
We do our best to keep the date, but sometimes things get in the way.

This holiday season, I am thankful for such a wonderful year. This totes includes you, my wonderful readers! Thank you for sticking with me on my fitventures. Much love to you!

My family spent Thanksgiving in my neck of the woods this year and I luurved every. single. second. When the giggles, mini-munckins and hugs drove away, I was left all alone. this meant two things
1. I had plenty of peace & quiet to study for the GRE on Tuesday
2. There was an overstock of turkey but not nearly enough pancakes.
– Enter Mom.

She whisked me away to Breadwinners this morning for brunchy business.

I enjoyed the McKinney Ave. Mom munched on the Chicken Fajitas.
Which, oddly enough…weren’t really fajitas. They looked much more like chicken breast pieces. Nonetheless, she raved about it. Unfortunately, we both forgot that we usually share our dishes with the beaus, so we had lots of leftovers.

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Chicken Fajitas

Sadly, the tortillas were sorely undercooked on Mom’s plate.
The McKinney avenue really surprised me though! I normally don’t like chicken sausage, but this dish swayed me completely! It was wonderful!

If you’re in the Dallas area, you’ve got to check this location out in Uptown!
A solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Now, lesson plans for my students and picking up the beau at the airport. He comes home today! YAY!
This week…adventures in getting rid of holiday weight.
Be sure to check in for some yummy recipes and several laughs (possible even snorts)!

Much love, Sarah