Eating House
“bk” Hash Browns – Oven Roasted Ketchup, Dry Rub
Cap n’ Crunch Pancakes – Condensed Milk Syrup, Candied Cap n’ Crunch, Whipped Vanilla Butter
Chicken & Waffles – Fried Chicken Thigh, Foie Gras Waffles, Candied Bacon, Maple, Hot-Ranch
Cuban Bread Torrejas – Guava/Iron Beer Syrup, Whipped Cream Cheese, Maria Cookie Sugar
Selected as a late-lunch based entirely on positive word of mouth from folks worthy of trust a 2:30 reservation at Eating House found the small, hip space filled to capacity and although the crowd seems to trend towards the post-club “Ali G” sect the food proved well worthy of the substantial praise – the current brunch menu only slightly less innovative than the options offered at dinner, though that certainly did not prevent our four-part order from allowing the rapid-fire kitchen to show its strengths.
Eventually seated at a cozy four-top with a full view of the kitchen as well as televisions displaying the NFL alongside a whimsical bookcase of Miami paraphernalia it was not long before a waiter greeted our trio and with menus distributed it was mere moments before the order was decided, items coming out as they are readied with ‘hash browns’ harkening tater tots soon to arrive, the golden fried exterior intensely crunchy with a bit of spice while the interior was not dissimilar from mashed potatoes, the overall effect truly alluring particularly when paired with smoky tomato puree bright with acid and only minimally sweet.
Unfortunately forced to shout at one another over the mimosa and cocktail energized din it was perhaps twenty minutes before the second round of food appeared tableside and although the waffles were a touch soft with no discernible sapor from the liver to be found nearly every other aspect of both dishes were divine, the well-brined bird intensely juicy and well complimented by both maple and spice while the cereal studded pancakes were an onslaught of sweetness atop fluffy clouds of golden batter, the textural contrasts and flavors both on par with the best flapjacks tasted to date.
Rounding out the afternoon with thick bread lightly soaked in syrup suffice it to say that the crispy exterior was as unexpected as it was delicious and although light hoppiness proved an admirable foil to crumbled sugar cookies and pronounced sweetness from amply drizzled guava it was the airy cream cheese, presumably from an ISI Container, that truly brought the plate to new heights – each bite utterly indulgent yet surprisingly light, a perfect conclusion to an already heavy day of eating leaving plenty of room for more conspicuous consumption later that night.
http://www.eatinghousemiami.com
