Brunch in the City

Almond

Posted on 6/23/2010 at 9:00:41 AM

The traffic jam of strollers lined up along the entry way was my first clue that I would not be staggering home midday after a typical booze-soaked brunch this crowd is accustomed to. But don’t be alarmed; the quaint French Provencal décor and large portions of Almond were more than enough to win me over.

First and foremost I should mention that within our party of six, we all arrived (and ate) at different times due to some scheduling issues, and the wait staff handled it all with grace and aplomb. There is nothing worse than being rushed out of a table or forced to wait for your entire party to arrive, especially on a Sunday afternoon. We all nibbled at our leisure, actually enjoying the experience rather than racing through it.

Half of our party (myself included) ordered the Red Flannel Hash, a delightful helping of diced potatoes, beets and scallions with two poached eggs on top. (As I vegetarian, I ordered mine sans bacon, but it is available for those carnivores out there.) Had I been hungover, this would have been a miracle cure. Hearty, savory and filling, I ate almost every bite and walked away feeling satisfied but not uncomfortably so. Almond also served up a basket of amazingly rustic biscuits along with apple butter (divine), raspberry jam and real butter. (Sidenote: the addition of real butter on the table led to a lively conversation on the importance of real butter and how much more delicious it is than margarine.) And while I didn’t taste for myself (again, vegetarian), the macaroni and cheese with prosciutto and truffle oil was another triumph. As I mentioned, the portions here are not for the faint of heart and the leftover mac was enjoyed for two more meals later that week.

All in all, Almond is a great place for a tasty, civilized brunch- the kind of spot I could see bringing my parents to when they visit from out of town. As we seemed to be one of the larger groups there, I would say it’s probably not ideal for a large groups but perfect for a few friends or couples, especially on the open air patio.

Ranking

Ambiance: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

Speed of Drink Refills: n/a (Almond sadly does not offer unlimited drinks with brunch)

People Watching: 2

Good For: Couples, Families