Canele
Shrimp and Cheesy Grits
Thick French toast with poached prunes and mascarpone and LAMill Coffee
Baked pancake with Meyer lemon custard
Brandade with tomato confit and toast
Moving up the coast from first-seating brunch at MBPost to last-seating brunch at Canele a day that had started out well continued to march on in grand fashion when I met another friend at the jammed packed restaurant finding a fifteen minute wait before we were seated at a snug two-top near the back. Having passed on the French bistro in the past but this time actively contacting them to see if, perhaps, a few items from the dinner menu could sneak their way into our brunch it turned out that in addition to this could indeed be done – a two course feast awaiting us as we spoke loudly above the din while drinking Americanos.
Starting savory and finishing sweet a first round of crunchy toasted bread paired with smoky jumbo shrimp in creamy cheese, pimento pepper, and grits arrived alongside a bowl of briny brandade resting atop sundried tomatoes; both minor tweaks on classic dishes and all the better for it with the shrimp taking on a slightly Korean flavor while the golden cod was not only brightened by the tomatoes, but also made textural, not unlike hash browns, with a butter golden oven finish.
Moving on to the sweets, both baked and essentially “souffled,” the dutch baby served in cast iron was light and restrained with the lemon and cream slowly melting over the dish and saturating it to a custard while the celebrated French Toast arrived as three massive slices that proved unexpectedly light both in texture and in sweetness; the prunes packing a slightly boozy touch over notes of cinnamon and the richness of the mascarpone. Another great brunch and excellent service in a city where both can sometimes prove elusive and right on the same block as Proof – definitely an area that should be on everyone’s culinary radar.