Whether you’re looking for a place to fuel up before getting the party started for St. Patrick’s Day or know you’ll need a place to recover from the celebrations on Sunday, Pub & Kitchen in Graduate Hospital is a great place to do it.
According to marketing coordinator, Bonnie Bonsall, they’ve been serving up brunch since they opened in 2008, and like to change things up.
“You can definitely expect something new every week,” she says. “A few of our brunch items are swapped out weekly, as our menu is based on seasonal availability.”
The cozy restaurant has a modern English pub feel, complete with string lights in the bar area and dark wood throughout – perfect for resting those weary, hangover-suffering eyes.
Luckily for me, I wasn’t hungover in the least when I went to try Pub & Kitchen for the first time last Sunday. Without coffee in my system, however, I nearly missed the place. There’s no sign outside, only their symbol, which Bonsall calls the “pabbit” – a silhouette of a rabbit-pig hybrid. The area is so lowkey, it’s easy to overlook this gem. Once you enter the space, however, it’s buzzing with energy. The locals know where it’s at.
Before even looking at the menu, I ordered my usual black coffee and prayed that it wouldn’t be weak. A steaming hot mug of La Colombe soon arrived and all was right with the world.
My friend and I kicked things off by ordering something small to nibble on and the Castle Valley corn griddle cake caught our eye. It was sweet yet had some savory elements: the honeyed fromage blanc really paired well with hints of chili.
Bonsall notes it’s the brainchild of Coco, one of their brunch cooks.
“Coco had the idea to make a carrot corn cake,” she says. “He was reading a recipe in a Mexican cookbook and was inspired to make something a bit more savory by adding add ancho dried chili powder.”
As far as the main course, I tend to lean towards savory brunch options and ordered the fennel sausage baked eggs ($15).
The Shakshuka-inspired dish was beautifully presented, with the eggs sitting lovingly in the middle of a cast iron skillet, with swirls of broccoli rabe and a healthy dose of sausage lining the bottom. Two hearty pieces of crusty bread accompanied it and were necessary for dipping.
Other savory items that caught my eye were the house smoked salmon toast with cucumber and whipped scallion cream cheese, with a side of mixed greens ($18) and the personal pan pizza with fried egg, green meadow canadian bacon, cheddar and tomato sauce ($17).
If you have a sweet tooth, there was one option for you: the marscapone sourdough pancake ($13), which my friend got. It’s one giant pancake and it would be impressive if you could finish the whole thing in one sitting, as it comes loaded with cameo apple, peanut butter praline and maple syrup.
Bonsall reveals that it’s one of the more popular items on the menu, along with the fried egg sandwich, but you might want to come in soon to give it a try, as they’re about to change things up a bit for spring.
“We swap out their accompaniments seasonally, but they’re always on the menu in one form or another,” she says.
Of course, you’ll also need some booze to go with your brunch. They’ve got a solid menu of cocktails that includes an aperol spritz, Moscow mule and Pimm’s Cup #1 (a British cocktail that mixes Pimm’s Cup with lemonade and cucumber) in addition to the standard bloody mary and bellini.
Brunch is served at Pub & Kitchen on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Pub & Kitchen is located at 1946 Lombard St.
For more information, visit: thepubandkitchen.com.
