My Favorite Meal

There really isn't a time when I don't enjoy eating. Just woke up? Starving. Back from a jog? Immediately famished. Sick? A snack usually always makes me feel better. Choosing my favorite meal time may appear to be challenging, but what would normally be a difficult decision is surprisingly easy. My favorite meal is brunch. It's the best of both breakfast and lunch. Genius.

In addition to the word itself (it sounds so bright and elegant and deliciously promising) and the fact that it's usually served on a weekend (relaxation), brunch offers several of my favorite things. Coffee? Yep.
Prefer champagne? (Who doesn't?) Check. Breakfast choices when your sweet tooth is flaring up (like French toast or pancakes)? Yup. Savory indulgences like Eggs Benedict smothered in hollandaise? You betcha.

A few months ago, we went to brunch at Enoteca Vespaio and enjoyed a relaxing morning of coffee, conversation, and brunchy bites.

We were both feeling more savory than sweet, even though I was tempted by the bread basket served with Nutella and marmalade. Ryan ordered the Croque Madame, a classic French version of a ham and cheese sandwich. Gruyere cheese and smoky ham, baked until golden bubbly and then topped with two perfect eggs. Mmmmmm.

I settled on the poached eggs with spinach, roasted tomatoes and brown butter hollandaise and was not disappointed. Fresh spinach, intensely flavored tomatoes, golden yolked-eggs cooked to perfection. The side of carmelized onion homefries alone were worth the price of admission. Yum. And the brown butter hollandaise? I seriously considered licking it off the plate.

Truthfully, Ryan's looked prettier (hence the pic), but mine tasted better. Both were good, but mine was awesome.

The next time we have a hankering for a bistro brunch, we plan to head back. I've already got my eye on the pressed prosciutto, fontina, arugula, and truffled egg panino. Doesn't that sound amazing?

Ahhh, brunch. Where are your favorite spots?

Happy Searching!