Grille 29 Doing Brunch In Style!

As a kid, Saturday morning breakfast was always treasured. We'd typically wake up earlier than the adults just to grab a bowl of our favorite cereal and binge watch cartoons for what seemed like hours. 
Fast forward to adult hood, breakfast is usually eaten "on-the-go" if at all. 
That's why whenever I get a chance, I treat myself to a nice hearty, warm breakfast or brunch. 

Grille 29  in Birmingham offers the chance to create new Saturday morning memories with their awesome brunch menu. 
On a recent Saturday morning meet-up with a friend, we decided to give Grille 29 a try. 
After making a reservation via OpenTable, we arrived during brunch hours and settled into our cozy booth. 

Atmosphere: This is a very nice restaurant. The space is large enough to accommodate crowds of any size. I don't think space or crowding is an issue here when it comes to comfort. The waiting area up front is spacious. They have booth and table seating. There were a couple of large groups near us, but not too uncomfortably close. They also have a large bar with lots of seating. 

Staff: The staff was incredibly friendly. The hostess was very pleasant and accommodating. Our server, Aaron was incredible. He was knowledgeable of the menu and the brunch favorites. I would request him again. 

What we had: I had the Grand Marnier French Toast: Brioche bread dipped in an orange batter and topped with Grand Marnier anglaise and powdered sugar, served with fresh fruit and I added a side of perfectly cooked bacon. This was extremely good. The fruit was delicious. I ate every morsel. 

My brunch mate had the Chicken and Waffles: Crispy chicken over buttermilk waffles with a pecan butter sauce. This is typically served with fresh fruit also. However, she decided to have a serving of fresh sliced tomatoes. I had a nibble of her chicken and it is legit!

Since mimosa's  are only .29 cents between 10 & 11 during brunch, we definitely took advantage of the special pricing. 

They also serve other breakfast/brunch favorites such as steak & eggs, lobster & shrimp frittata (breakfast pie), shrimp & grits and many more! 

Overall experience: They serve an amazing brunch with customize-able options. The service along with the staff and the mimosa pricing makes this place a winner in my book. 
Have you been to Grille 29? Let us know about your experience. 

For more information, visit them at http://www.grille29.com/Birmingham/
Follow them on social media: 
Facebook @Grille29Bham
Instagram @grille29_bham/
Twitter @Grille29_Bham

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Another Broken Egg Cafe - "Not Just Any Old Hum-Drum Breakfast"

I get tons of inquiries about the availability of a good brunch menu in Birmingham. As the recommendations come in to me, they go out to you. For several weeks, I've received a lot of  recommendations to try a happening place in Mountain Brook called Another Broken Egg Cafe. Certainly if multiple people are encouraging me to try a place, there definitely must be something there.

Atmosphere: 
Another Broken Egg offers outdoor, table and bar seating. The foyer had a small crowd of people waiting to be seated. We were given a 25 minute wait, but were seated after only a few minutes. Normally, my expectations are heightened when I have to wait to eat.  The atmosphere was busy, but organized. I'm always happy to see a full house. The decor is definitely in sync with the overall theme of the restaurant. Their signature chicken logo was strategically (and artistically) placed throughout the restaurant.

The Meal:
Over the course of two separate visits, my assistant and I tried the biscuit beignets-southern style  biscuit balls topped with powdered sugar with a side of honey marmalade, delicious baked bacon( I could taste the difference between baked & fried), cheese grits, city grits (OMG!!)- City grits, are made with Gouda cheese and topped with chopped green onion stems,diced tomatoes and crumbles of bacon. We also tried the seasoned country potatoes & the Mediterranean potatoes-roasted potatoes. The Mediterranean potatoes are topped with feta cheese crumbles and grilled onions. We tried their traditional buttermilk pancakes,scrambled eggs with cheese, turkey sausage links, a buttermilk biscuit and fresh orange juice. WHEW! Makes you almost wish you had been there, huh? Just wait until you see their menu.

The Staff:
Our service was extremely good. We didn't have to wait for refills or attention. Our servers during both visits were attentive, informative and accommodating. A restaurant with great food and sucky service is not worth a return, but that was not the case at Another Broken Egg Cafe.

The Prices:
The prices were not too over the top. Especially for the generous portions we received.  The price for shareable appetizers starts at $3.29. Items from the "Healthy Side" menu are priced  at $4.99 & up. A generous sized pancake will run you about $4.99. They also have a great variety of salads, sandwiches, beverages, coffees, specialty dished & more!! There are so many awesome things listed on the menu. Too many to mention here! However, the link to the menu complete with prices is included in this post. There are also several gluten free and vegetarian options.

Room for improvement:
No major complaints, however, I didn't see a children's menu. I think that would be an awesome revenue booster especially with the weekend crowds.

Overall Experience: Loved it! The portions, service & overall flavor of everything were impressive.

For more information on Another Broken Egg Cafe, please visit their website at http://www.anotherbrokenegg.com/location/mountain-brook

Follow them on Twitter @BrokenEggMB 

Thanks for reading!
~The Birmingham Restaurant Raider

Follow me @RestaurantRaidr
 

Biscuit Beignets

Seasoned Country potatoes w/ baked bacon

Mediterranean potatoes w/ city grits

buttermilk pancake

cheese grits

turkey links, scrambled eggs w/ cheese and a buttermilk biscuit

close up of the City Grits (a must try)

B.Y.O.B. Totally Brunch-a-licious!

*One of the main goals of the Birmingham Restaurant Raider is to anonymously show up to area restaurants and examine the total dining experience. Typically when people know they are being monitored, their behavior will change for the better, thus creating a phony persona for the benefit of the customer.*

My visit to B.Y.O.B. Burger Bar for Sunday brunch was probably one of the most impressive visits to date. After  reading & hearing mixed reviews about this spot, I wondered if this Lakeview eatery would pass or fail. There was only one way to find out. #RAID

Atmosphere: This is a spot that fits very well into the area. Inside you will find a few bistro tables, several booths and a moderate sized bar. It's not huge place, but it's not tiny either. I went on a sunny Sunday so the window seat that we chose had a great view of the beautiful day. One of the features during brunch is the Bloody Mary bar display.

The Meal: B.Y.O.B is widely known for their "build your own burger" concept, but they've added an impressive brunch menu to the line up. I had the Southern Comfort- a biscuit split in half & topped with fresh sausage gravy, warm, creamy cheddar grits with a generous helping of grilled Conecuh sausage.  My brunch-mate opted for the Chicken & Waffles with a side of creamy grits- delicious hand cut white chicken,  2 waffles, topped with fresh blueberries and fresh diced melons. The syrup for the waffles was awesome- made with a touch of bourbon. Mmmmm VERY GOOD! The chef stopped by our table to greet us prior to our order being taken. He recommended the Chicken Scallopini, but we'd already placed our order. He sent out a complimentary tasting of the Chicken Scallopini prior to our actual food order. This dish is one of the MOST AMAZING things ever created in a kitchen. It consists of lightly fried, hand cut chicken on a bed of warm, creamy grits & spinach. It is then surrounded with lemon buerre blanc (emulsified butter sauce ) capers, marinated cherry tomatoes and fresh dill. It's a creation that you absolutely MUST try.

The Staff: Surprisingly, everyone we encountered knew the menu & the impressive detailed preparation methods along with the origin of the ingredients of the dishes. The staff was very attentive and helpful. Fantastic service with a welcoming smile is always nice.

The Prices: Brunch prices range from $9 to $15 dollars. Also on the menu was the brunch burger, grilled veggie quiche, shrimp & grits & southern style eggs Benedict.

Overall experience: I will definitely return to this spot. I enjoyed the service, the food and the atmosphere. 

Their current hours are 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday brunch hours are from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

For more information visit them at http://byobrocks.com/
Follow them on twitter at @BYOBRocks
They are located at 720 29th street South, Birmingham, AL 35233 (205) 541-8140
Thanks for reading & sharing!

Sincerely, 

The Birmingham Restaurant Raider 

Chicken Scallopini

The Southern Comfort

Chicken & Waffles

Creamy grits (we didn't need to add a thing)