This week we take the brunch blog to Lavomatic in the 'Gateway Quarter'. While white people are busy making inroads into a black neighborhood through the gateway, we were simply interested in some brunch. (kidding.)
On this particular morning we were one of two tables at Lavomatic. We had our choice of almost any table in the restaurant, except, unfortunately the rooftop patio tables (rained all day). The refurbished outdoor dining area overlooks Vine Street and is nestled between two taller buildings for a pleasant, intimate urban atmosphere.
In a trend noted by Michael Pollan, local chefs are starting to pair up with local farmers and are even promoting the growers by naming them on their menus. Lavomatic is one of the first places we have seen in Cincinnati to do this.
Their menu is made just the way I like it: small. One side of an 8.5x11 is all they needed to display their nine entrees that vary week to week and small selection of sides. This week they offered: Eggs Benedict, the Monte Cristo, Steak and Eggs, the Porkopolis, Fruit Pizza, French Toast, an Omelette du Jour, Curry Chicken Salad, and a Poached Salmon Salad.
After strong campaigns by the Steak and Eggs (doomed by its $14 cost) and the French Toast (thought I'd want something savory), we opted for the Monte Cristo and the Porkopolis.
The Monte Cristo is actually a french toast sandwich, filled with bacon, turkey, swiss, and small bits of pineapple. The pineapple was tasty, but there wasn't enough of it to radically change the character of the sandwich. Even with the French toast, it was still just a turkey sandwich. (delicious nonetheless) It was served with a mountain of greens dressed in the lightest vinagrette. I never realized how appropriate a huge pile of subtle greens could be for brunch, but it was probably our second favorite element of the brunch.
The Porkopolis description reads: Findlay sausage links over Brickdough stuffed with hot slaw of green cabbage and bacon, bourbon butter, and topped with a fried egg. Sue didn't like the cabbage or the huge rod of a sausage that was 'too meaty', but she was a fan of the 'filo doughish' brickdough. Again, I thought everything was delicious. (Perhaps I'm too easy to please?) In addition, this dish completely blew my previous conception of Lavomatic - that the portions tasted good, but didn't fill you up - out of the water. I was satiated nicely, however Sue couldn't finish all of her portion.
Drinks were a mixed bag. The coffee at Lavomatic is amazing: a very dark french roast served in attractive little cups and saucers. (the coffee was my favorite single component of the brunch) All you can drink of course. They also offer alcoholic brunch beverages, such as the Bloody Mary and Mimosas. Sue went out on a limb and ordered the Salty Dog, which is grapefruit juice, gin, and a salted rim. The drink ended up being a huge disappointment. The grapefruit juice came straight out of an Ocean Spray plastic bottle, was bright pink, and tasted just OK. For $7, you'd think they could offer some fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, or at the very least a juice of a little higher quality than the neon pink ocean spray stuff.
Overall, Lavomatic is a touch more expensive than other brunch spots we have covered, but for the most part the extra expense is worth it. The dishes were innovative and did a great job of somehow mixing density and flavor with delicate, light elements. Just stay away from that Salty Dog!
Lavomatic
hahahaha hooptie you said sue didn't like the huge rod
ReplyDeleteMy first thought was that, while I like the washing-instructions icon motif, they need to not have those symbols on their menu all huge and rotated and screened behind the type. NO. UGLY.
ReplyDeleteThen, I laughed forever because I can hear John making fun of Sue for calling a sausage "too meaty," which is such a Sue thing to say. I miss being your third wheel, guys.
Sue, you should have gone with the bloody mary! ...but maybe they would have used V8, who knows.