The morning after a night of excessive, debauched revelry, brunch is less of a trendy breakfast/lunch straddling meal than a biological imperative. Come January 1, 2012 we're going to need Bloody Marys and we're going to need you to keep em' coming. That, plus something greasy and carb-based (plus cheese. And bacon. Lot's and lot's of bacon) to soak up the champagne/whiskey/tequila/whatever the hell we end up pouring down our throats once the clock strikes midnight and all inhibitions are lost to 2011. In that spirit, we've rounded up just a few joints around town that we know are serving up brunch New Year's Day. Now we just have to decide between a BBQ-Pork breakfast plate at Deep Ellum or BACON WAFFLES at Forum.
PRIX
FIXE BRUNCHES
EAST COAST GRILL |
1271 Cambridge St,
Cambridge | If you've stopped by the ECG for brunch before, you know their
spicy, Mexican-style brunch is just the thing to help you shake off that
hangover. Today's three-course menu has hearty options like shrimp n' smoked andouille
gumbo with jalapeno cornbread crackers, tidewater crab cake benedict with fried
green tomatos and Smithfield
ham, and more | 11 am-3 pm | $30 | 617.491.6568 or eastcoastgrill.net
RUSSELL HOUSE
TAVERN | 14 JFK St, Cambridge | If
you've been to Russell House during morning hours before you know they make a
mean brunch. Dishes include their E.B.L.T. on a toasty croissant, hickory
smoked pork loin Sammie with sharp cheedar cheese and maple ginger aioli, melted
cheese with tomatos, bacon, and a griddled brioche (cheeeeeeese), a full raw
bar, and more | open until 1 am | a la carte or a special three-course menu for
$49 | 617.500.3055 or russellhousecambridge.com
CRAIGIE ON MAIN |
835 Main St,
Cambridge | Prix fixe three-course New Year's Day brunch menu includes dishes
like chicken fried pork terrine with a farm-fresh fried egg, fresh herb and
two-cheese quiche with a black truffle salad, coriander and cashew granola,
their signature "Craigie on Main" donut and more. As a special New Year's
treat, two tables will have their meals comped...sort of makes chancing the
steep brunch bill a bit more palatable, no? | 11 am-2 pm | $50 | 617.497.5511 or craigieonmain.com
OPEN
FOR BRUNCH
FORUM | 755 Boylston
St, Boston | Their
deep fried bananas with chocolate and mint should help you sponge up some of last night's
booze. Other tasty options include bacon or chicken waffles (!), buckwheat
pancakes with berry Preserves and crème Chantilly,
a special hangover burger with sausage and a fried egg, classic eggs benny, and
more | 10 am-4 pm | Meals typically run $10-$15 | 857.991.1831 or forumboston.com
OM RESTAURANT
& LOUNGE | 92 Winthrop
St, Cambridge | Om is offering extended brunch
hours today for those of us who aren't going to be crawling out of bed til
sometime around nightfall. The menu includes their own version of a hangover
burger, shirred eggs with pork sausage and grits, a kerala scramble with smoked
salmon and green chilies, stuffed French toast, and vanilla waffles. Plus,
dessert...if you can find room | 10 am-6 pm | Meals typically run $10-$17 | 617.576.2800 or omrestaurant.com
THE FRIENDLY
TOAST | 1 Kendall Square,
Cambridge | Ok, so this joint
will probably be a mad-house (it always is, and we have a feeling the New Year's
day crowd is even more intense than usual) but it'll be worth the wait. Our
reader's pick for Best Brunch in our 2011 best poll has got all the staples: French
toast (and drunkard's French toast if you want the extra kick) their signature
king cakes, eggs any way you could possibly want em, and much more. Brunch on. | 8 am-10 pm | a la carte | 617.621.1200 or thefriendlytoast.net
THE FIREPLACE |
1634 Beacon St, Brookline | These guys have a special "New Year's Day Pajama
Brunch" (don't even have to get dressed...we like that) with menu options like a
"Treat Yourself Tower" with tiers of fresh shellfish ($60), steak and eggs with
hash browns and seven-grain toast, lobster and truffles eggs bendict, pan
seared foie gras over johnnycakes and a stewed apple and cranberry compote, and
more. Uh, yum. | 11 am-4 pm | a la carte | 617.975.1900 or thefireplacerest.com
TORO | 1704 Washington St, Boston | Prefer small bites? Toro is open
for brunch today with small plates like foie gras with pear and
bacon chutney, and dates filled with maracona almonds and blue cheese, wrapped
in serrano ham. They've got full meals too, including ‘huevos con asparagus' with potatos and
sourdough toast, huevos rancheros with
black beans, hominy, and cotija cheese, corned beef tongue hash, and more | 10:30
am-2:30 pm | a la carte | 617.536.4300 or toro-restaurant.com
TRYST | 689 Mass Ave, Arlington
| Tryst has some classic brunch options with a twist including eggs benedict
(with housemade breakfast sausage and griddled English muffins), French toast
(on Portuguese sweet bread with cinnamon cider apples), and a breakfast pizza
with housemade sausage, herbed goat cheee and caramelized onions | 11 am-2:30
pm | a la carte | 781.641.2227 or trystrestaurant.com
THE BLUE ROOM |
1 Kendall Square, Cambridge | Planning on working up an
appetite NYE? They've an all-you-can-eat buffet with a ton of different
options including buttermilk pancakes, smoked salmon with crème fraiche,
brioche buns, eggs any style, housemade granola, pumpkin breadmarble poundcake,
roasted Vermont pork loin, cheese pumpkin soup, and much more. Plus, sweets and
desserts including cheesecake, brownies, cinnamon rolls, pecan pie, and
chocolate chip-pecan scones. You won't leave here hungry....but they might have
to roll you out the door | 11 am-2:30 pm | a la carte | 617.494.9034 or theblueroom.net
DEEP ELLUM |
477 Cambridge St,
Allston | They don't have a special New Year's brunch menu but their regular
brunch is good enough for us. Sure-fire hangover helpers include killet fries
smothered in gravy, their BBQ-pork breakfast plate. buttermilk bisquits and
gravy, or the Deep Ellum breakfast burrito stuffed with scrambled eggs, pepper
jack, green onions, tomatos, hot sauce, and housemade sausage. Plus, you know they can
whip you up a mean morning-after cocktail | 11 am-4 pm | Meals typically run
$8-$14 | 617.787.BEER or deepellum-boston.com
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