Liv2Luv: Food

This past Saturday my girlfriend and I decided to venture out into the city and try a restaurant we had not yet been to. With a handful of Scoutmobs to use, we were going to try Wisteria or Il Localino but after a quick call I realized both only opened for dinner. Based on previous recommendations we decided to try Empire State South. Just like with the others I called to be sure they were open and was delighted to find out they were serving brunch (I absolutely love brunch).

We started off with cocktails. I opted for the Bloody Caesar (Clam & Tomato Juice, Worcestershire, Olive Brine, Tabasco, Black Pepper, Lemon) and my girl friend went with the Corpse Reviver #2 (Blue Coat Gin, Triple Sec, Cocchi Americano Appertivo, Lemon Juice, Absinthe Rinse). Two very different drinks but equally delicious and refreshing on a hot summer day.

We decided to split a starter and of course the first thing that jumped out at me was the word BACON. She let me decide what to order and I just wouldn’t be satisfied if I didn’t try their pimento cheese with bacon marmalade. Yes, bacon marmalade. I wish I had a photo because it was pure bliss on toasted bread. We didn’t leave one bit in the small jar it was served in. I could eat this every single day.

Already pleased with our cocktails and starters, we were excited to move onto our main entree. Everything listed was so enticing we had trouble deciding. When going to brunch, I have a hard time not ordering steak and eggs when it is on the menu and this time was no different. But this was not your ordinary steak and eggs.

It was grilled hangar steak with a root vegetable hash and a perfectly basted egg. I savored every single bite. I took my time because I did not want this food experience to ever end. The steak was cooked perfectly and was succulent and juicy. It was minimally seasoned so that you could really appreciate the natural flavor of the steak. I ate the root vegetable hash with the egg on the toast and afterward sopped up every bit of egg yolk with the remaining toast.

My girl friend and I could not stop commenting on how good the food was (she had the duck confit which was also devine). Just when I thought our experience was over, our server asked if we needed anything else and I saw a twinkle in my friend’s eye. I knew this meant she wanted dessert. He brought us a menu but when he mentioned a dessert table we were more intrigued by that.

He walked us to the other side of the restaurant where there was a dessert table that was reminiscent of one you would find in an old country store. My palette was not craving anything sweet but there were a number of delectable choices that I couldn’t leave empty handed. I grabbed a small to go box and left with a phatty pie (sweet mascarpone filling sandwiched between 2 ginger cookies) and a ginger cherry scone.

Kudos to Executive Chef Ryan Smith for delivering such a unique Southern brunch menu. It was hands down the best brunch I have ever had. I can’t wait to visit them for dinner.

Yesterday I had brunch at one of my fave brunch spots- Urban Pl8. It had been quiet a few months since I was last there but it was still a pleasurable experience.

I couldn’t break away from my usual- hanger steak cooked medium rare to medium with a horseradish cream sauce, scrambled farm eggs (simple yet delicious), and oven roasted sweet potatoes.

The bf had Alsie’s vegan tofu vegetable scramble, oven roasted sweet potatoes and bread.

We shared a yummy housemade spicy pinto cake (I want to find a good recipe for something similar to this).

And I washed it all down with bottomless mimosas. Not pictured, but they also had a KILLER sriracha bloody mary- was told they used olive juice in their housemade mix (which made me like it even more).

All in all, I have to say it was a VERY good brunching experience on a beautiful Sunday in Georgia (shout out to our awesome server Michelle!).