The Hash Kitchen (3.5 Plates)

Turn your head the other way if you want a relaxing and quiet Saturday brunch. If you feel like extending your Friday night girls/boys night out, then The Hash Kitchen is your place.

We immediately got a table soon as we walked-in. The vibe was so alive. If you just got out of bed, walking-in to the restaurant would definitely wake you up to the tenth level. They have a DJ on a Saturday brunch. An actual club DJ!!! (I started to look for the dance floor when I walked-in).

The service was really nice. My glass of water was always full. Food was served fast and hot. Our server also gave good recommendations (a sign that he knows the menu). The restaurant was also very clean. Tables were set and cleaned as soon as the customer leaves the table.

The dishes that we had were just OK. I did not get a chance to try their famous Bloody Mary bar (which looked awesome by the way). I'm not a Bloody Mary fan but I guess it's something I'll consider trying the next time. Back to what we had, the food that we ordered had good points and some room for improvement. I had the Breakfast Lasagna and my wife ordered the Herb Fried Chicken and Waffles.

The Herb Fried chicken was a little dry for my taste. A little over-cooked but had some good flavors. The herb wasn't very prominent but you know it's there. The waffles were nice. Soft and tasty on the inside and a bit crunchy on the outside. I would have wanted a little more bacon mixed in to the waffle but it wasn't a deal breaker. I still enjoyed it and the fried leeks on top complimented the dish very well.

The breakfast lasagna was a bit of a let down for me. Maybe I would have loved it if it had a little more sausage and a little less potato. The potato and the lasagna pasta just had very little texture and flavor differences that it tasted very one dimensional. The bacon was crunchy but the dish needed more protein. The egg that was placed on top of the dish helped add flavor. The creaminess of the yolk gave some good points but I couldn't get past the potatoes. There was just too much. To be fair, the breakfast lasagna is new to their menu. That's what the server told us. Hopefully, improvements are on its way.

(The egg was properly poached)

A great place with an OK food selection. I would definitely come back. Maybe I’ll try the Bloody Mary bar the next time. Maybe I’ll order one of the popular options. Maybe they deserve a 5, but for now just a 3.5 (4 at the most).

The Bloody Mary Bar

The Menu

The Grove Cafe & Market (5 plates)

Are you a Breaking Bad fan? Remember those 10AM Tuesday morning scenes between Walt, Lydia and later on with Todd?  Remember the chamomile tea and stevia? If you answered NO to all those questions, then you better start your Breaking Bad marathon on Netflix coz it's bad a$$. If you answered YES, then the Grove cafe & market is the ultimate brunch joint for you. How about eating your meal on the same table where Walt and Lydia discussed about their next business move? Pretty cool, right?

Breaking Bad fan or not, the Grove cafe & market has been serving fine food and great experience in Albuquerque New Mexico’s trendy EDO neighborhood since June 2006. The plan was simple, serve the highest quality food products while focusing on a neighborhood friendly environment.  They simply try to create and offer the best food experience in Albuquerque.

The place...

Let me start by saying that the Grove is a very busy place. You better plan ahead and set some time to line-up, wait for your food and enjoy your meal. To be fair, the only time I get to visit the place is during the Albuquerque Balloon Festival week. Not only is it the busiest month in Albuquerque but also the busiest time for breaking bad die hard fans. So I'd give them a pass for the long lines and serving time. Don't worry, the food is worth the wait. The place is very clean with a lot of natural light. Tables are only assigned after you order your food. So be careful as you walk around with your coffee and water while looking for a table. Be sure to approach their staff. They will help you find that available table for you and your group. Even on a busy day, I think the overall service is acceptable.

The cost...

Prepare to spend an average of $12 - $15 per person. If you want to add a cupcake, that would be another $2 each. The meal size is large enough to share. My wife and I would always share on something and then finish off with something sweet. At this cost, you'll be paying for great flavour, fresh ingredients and ample quantity.

The food...

Our favourites are the Croque Madame and the French Toast (only served on Sundays).

Croque Madame

The Croque Madame is an open faced sandwich with black forest ham, tomatoes, whole grain mustard, gruyere cheese and then topped with a runny sunny side up egg. The sunny side up egg makes a lot of difference as the runny yolk binds all of the ingredients together. The crunch from the well toasted farm loaf gives texture to the dish and additional flavour that compliments the sweet tomato and the salty black forest ham. The gruyere cheese adds creaminess to the sandwich without overpowering all of the other ingredients. Make sure you get small pieces of each ingredient in each bite. Oh, and did I mention.... the egg makes the difference?

The French Toast, they only serve it on Sundays. I sure wish they serve it everyday. The french toast they serve varies every Sunday brunch. When I had the french toast in 2012, it had 3 layers of french toast topped with raspberries, almonds and vanilla creme. Drizzled with a little (or a lot for some people I know) maple syrup and you are off to french toast heaven. Unlike other french toast with bland bread, the toast on its own was fantastic. The fruity raspberry together with the crunch on each almond were a perfect pair with the soft and sweet french toast.

Other must try. The Pork, Grove Pancakes, their cupcakes and cookies.

The Pork - House roasted berkshire pork loin, romesco sauce,
fennel, arugula, lemon aioli over easy egg on toasted brioche

The Grove Pancake - French Pancake with fruits

Overall, the Grove is not falling short on their philosophy to create and serve the best food experience in Albuquerque. I rate my meal experience at Grove cafe & market with 5 plates. Try the french toast, it may be better than the blue stuff Heisenberg is offering.

Visit their site at http://www.thegrovecafemarket.com

Benedict's (4 Plates)

Eating at Benedict's made me feel like having brunch at my favorite aunt's house. The place was homey, the service was warm and the food was comforting. 

The place was small and only had a few small tables. There were some tables outside that offered seating for larger groups. I can easily understand if it would take a while to get a table on a busy day. Good thing (or unfortunately) we got to Benedict's a little past lunch already. We immediately got a table and we were greeted as soon as we went through the door. I don't think they have a lot of servers. Take note of this when you visit this place when it's busy. I would think everyone would scramble to make sure everyone is helped and taken cared of. As I've written, the place felt like home, even my own mom or aunt would have a hard time managing several guest at one time.

The service was hands-on. The lady who served us during our visit was very warm. She was engaging and very friendly. Again, like what I wrote, she was just like my favorite aunt. I did have some concerns, else I would have rated this with 5 stars. I ordered 3 items from their menu that were not available. Thus, why coming here late might be a disadvantage. They ran out of fruit for the crepe, challah bread for the french toast and avocado for the California eggs Benedict. Would have been nice to try it out. Maybe i'll come in early the next time so I get to try what I want.

The food that were served to us was very good. Let me correct that, it was very good. It was better than other big time brunch places that I have visited. it was original and full of flavor. We had the Arizona eggs benedict and their egg and bacon croissant sandwich. The croissant sandwich was soft, airy and tasty. The additional kick on the sandwich was the pesto sauce. The egg was cooked nicely and the bacon, though not as crispy as I wanted had a good bite as well. My wife loved the Arizona eggs benedict. It had tomatillo sauce instead of the usual hollandaise sauce. There was also a hint of corn tortilla taste on the sauce that gave the dish a mexican finish. Eggs were poached perfectly and the runny yolk complimented the sauce. The sausage wasn't bad as well. Not too salty and but had enough kick at the end to tell you that you are eating a sausage. 

Coffee and pastry were also very good. Add the warm ambience and service with good, Benedict's Cafe just felt like home.

Croissant Sandwich

Arizona Eggs Benedict

Visit their site at http://www.benedictscaterers.com

Chelsea's Kitchen (3 Plates)

Free cookie!!!!!

My wife and I decided to try Chelsea's Kitchen for our Sunday brunch date. I think we got there just in time since we didn't have to wait for a table.

I ordered a french pressed coffee soon as I got to the table. It was perfect to start my brunch. 

Since we didn't have an idea on what to order, we just asked for recommendations. The server was so knowledgable of the menu. She gave us recommendations on every part of the menu. We decided to order tuna tartare & guacamole for starters, Chilaquiles and Short ribs for our entree.

The tartare & guacamole was big enough to share. The guacamole was placed on top of the tuna tartare. I would have wanted a little more seasoning on my guacamole and maybe a little bit of a kick. Maybe some chili peppers would do. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad. I just had better tuna tartare and guacamole.

The short ribs at $20+ was tender, juicy and full of flavour. It was served on top of mashed potatoes and some grilled carrots. Again, it was around $20+... I can have the same good meal for $12 and still get the same satisfaction.

The chilaquiles was a different story. I think it's appropriately priced for the size and the flavour. I enjoyed the crunch of the corn tortilla, the balance of the chicken flavour and the compliment of the spicy sauce. It was original. At least it was the first time I had a mexican lasagna made with corn tortilla, chicken and spicy sauce.

Overall, Chelsea's kitchen had its pros and cons. The pros outweighs the cons. It may be pricey, it may have an ordinary menu but if you dig in just a little bit more... you might find some good food.

I will still come back to Chelsea's. Maybe next time i'll try the short ribs taco. The next table ordered it and it looked amazing.

By the way, they give free cookies on your way out. It was really good. Maybe the best thing I ate at Chelsea's that day were the cookies. Take note, THAT DAY. Maybe it would be different the next time I visit.

Visit their site at http://www.chelseaskitchenaz.com/

Crêpe Bar (5 Plates)

Brunch on a Tuesday???? Yup!!! We were around the Tempe area for an early appointment so we decided to have brunch around Tempe as well. We decided to have crêpes. If you want crêpes, you go to a place that specializes on Crêpes, right? If a place is called Crêpe Bar, I guess that means they do good crêpes.

We found the place off of S Rural. The place is small but can probably sit 50 people. The vibe of the place was upbeat. Music played in the background but it wasn't very loud. Just kept the place cozy and vibrant. The colors on the walls were appealing. Hues of blue and grey fill the place with accents of green, orange and pastel colors.

Let's talk about their food. It was AWESOME!!!! My first five star on Yelp. From the service, to the place and ofcourse the food... IT WAS AWESOME (it was so awesome I wrote it three times already). We had The Burro (savory), The Grand Prix (savory) and the Vanilla Bean Custard (sweet) crêpe. We also had the Maya tea and the Hot caramel latte for our drinks.

The Burro... this is your breakfast burrito on a crêpe. Crêpe was chipotle flavored with scrambled eggs, chorizo, avocado and pepper jack cheese. I would have wanted a little more of the sauce used for plating. I feel that it really complimented the dish. The little sauce on my plate did not make the experience less enjoyable though. There was a surprising kick on every bite with a hint of sweetness from the crêpe and savory delight from the chorizo. The avocado definitely completed that southwest flavor and added a refreshing flavor to the dish.

The Burro

The Grand Prix was my favorite. I love the creamyness of the fat from the pork belly that was cooked to perfection. It melts in your mouth. There was also the added crunch from the maple glazed pork jowl. The pork glory is placed on a bed of coffee Crêpe topped with a sunny side up egg. I would have loved it more if the egg was little runny but overall I would order it again and recommend it to everyone. 

The Grand Prix

We ended our meal with the vanilla bean custard with strawberries, almonds and salted caramel. It wasn't too sweet considering the salted caramel and vanilla custard. The perfect bite would be a piece of crepe, a bite of strawberry, a dash of candied almonds, topped with custard and salted caramel. Everything just goes well together.

We would definitely come back. Maybe we'll bring friends with us next time to share our new found favorite Crêpe bar in Arizona.

Certified yum for the buck!

Visit their site at http://www.crepebar.com/

Butters Pancakes and Café (3 Plates)

         Happy Easter!!!! We decided to have brunch and celebrate Easter after a few days of fasting and abstinence. After getting vetoed by the wifey on the choice of brunch location, we ended up at Butters Pancake & Cafe. 

I don't know if it's just because of Easter brunch or if this is a usual Sunday wait but we waited for our seat for 40 mins. Could be a good sign that the food is that good or a bad sign that the service is really slow (after finishing the meal, I found out that it was the good food that made the line. Actual food service was really really fast). 

We were given a patio table on a 80 degree sunny day. Good thing they have mist all over the patio area that made the whole place cool. The patio was right beside a fountain that made you feel like enjoying a scene from a french movie. 

The food... I ordered California Scrambler with a side of fresh fruit and protein power pancakes. My wife got a Veggie omelette with a side of french toast. The California scrambler was very original for my taste (maybe its because I never lived in California) because of the avocado mixed together with the scrambled eggs. It worked for me. Just enough yum for my taste. The protein pancake was really good. Maybe its my love for cinnamon but I think it is also the texture added by the nuts and oats that made me want to finish my plate.

My wife had a veggie omelette. It was a little bland for my taste. I would have liked a little more salt and pepper but my wife loved it. Maybe it was the swiss cheese that made her finish her plate. 

Overall, the place is nice. The food is a little above the usual. Anything special? My brunch, not so much. They do deserve another visit to be fair and to try their lunch menu. Would I come back? Yes.

Patio Scene

Visit their site at http://butterscafe.com/

St. Francis Restaurant (4 Plates)

The place is really cozy and the setup of the whole place is very relaxing. They offer indoor and outdoor tables which allow you to enjoy both the great winter and spring Phoenix weather while also giving some needed cover during those hot summer days (and nights). 

We enjoyed the Eggs Benedict. It was really good!!!! Order it with the salmon. Hollandaise sauce was one of the best i've tried.

We also ordered The French Onion burger. It was just OK. I ordered it to be cooked medium, but it was served well done instead. It came out a little dry for my taste. The fried onion and argula were great.

Let's see what the pancakes would be like...

Waiting for the pancake for 15mins now...

Food was served fast earlier...

Ok, Let's do a follow-up on my pancake...

Looks like they forgot our order =(

Manager went out to speak to us about the delay. He did apologize for the delay and informed us that they are preparing our pancake and it is off the bill. Good! nope... GREAT!!!!!

Pancake? It's worth the wait! The crispy edges from cooking it on hot iron skillet and brick oven mixed with caramelized apples and dark chocolate was really really good. 

Will I come back? Yes! In a heartbeat! I do have some recommendations.. Menu is confusing. They have a different menu for sundays and saturdays as compared to weekdays, different menu after 3pm, and a different menu after 5pm. Its hard to keep up..

Visit their site at http://stfrancisaz.com/