On Sundays, We Brunch
Brunch in Chicago is a serious thing and it’s fast becoming my favourite thing about the weekend. Trying out a different place every week seems to me to be the perfect way to see different parts of town, eat two meals in one go and drink before noon without judgement.
I’ve recently made some new friends (I know, right? Friends!) There we were, at an open day for the Alliance Francaise in Chicago, signing up to French classes while drinking wine and eating cheese, when a little group of people, who’d recently moved to Chicago and had lived in France, started to form. Who knew there were so many of us in this little city?
By the time the administrators took our wines – because two plastic cups of wine is quite enough now, thank you, bon soir, au revoir – we were exchanging numbers and arranging to meet for brunch.
The next Sunday, we were eating French toast and eggs benny, while sipping on mimosas, laughing about bureaucracy in France and all the things that are weird/awesome (delete as appropriate) about Chicago. I told them of my not-so-secret mission to try all the brunches, which they wholeheartedly supported. You’ve got to love expats or city newbies. They’re always the keenest to try all the things and that’s probably why we’re drawn together; this feeling that you need to make the most of your time in this new place by exploring it and eating everything in it.
Right now though, the current top of the brunch pops is The Bongo Room in Wicker Park. This was where I had my first ever breakfast burrito and a Bloody Mary with meat and cheese on top. You would think these things don’t go together. You would be wrong.
This is a ‘thing’ in Chicago apparantly: the more food on your bloody Mary, the better. I once had one with a slice of pizza on it.
According to my current favourite website Thrillist.com, there are plenty of places I have yet to try with ridiculous Bloody Marys. One of them has an entire hot dog on top because, well, who doesn’t think: you know what my drink is really missing here? Sausages.
I also hear there are places where they serve bottomless Marys and Mimosas. I should probably not go there.
The other thing I’ve noticed about brunch here: half the women are wearing gym gear, their outfits saying: “Just letting everyone know, I just worked out, so it’s ok. Bring those pancakes, with bacon, extra maple syrup, and mimosas.”
Speaking of yoga, I’m currently trying to up my game and go three times a week. It helps keep me calm in the brain and, at some point, I’d quite like to be able to stand on my head.
So, anyone know of any serious brunch contenders I should try in Chicago?
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