New brunch alert! City Perch recently shook up the brunch menu at their Pike & Rose location in Bethesda. After the delicious dinner we had there a few months back, we knew we had to get in on the brunch action as well.
The new City Perch brunch features a $20 deal that includes an entrée and a drink. You can opt for nonalcoholic options like coffee, juice and tea or get a mimosa, sangria, Moscow mule, Bellini or bloody mary for the same price. Make the drinks bottomless for only $10 more.
Much like our City Perch dinner, brunch was not a diet-friendly affair. Although they do have healthier options that look tasty, we gravitated toward the comfort food. I chose to partake in the slow poached egg and short rib with mascarpone polenta and bacon braised kale.
City Perch does short ribs very well, and this dish is no exception. The egg was cooked perfectly as well and melted beautifully into the soft, fluffy polenta. The kale was also a nice touch, although I’m not sure the bacon fat was necessary on top of all the other rich flavors.
Tom shockingly turned down the option of fried chicken and waffles (his brunch mainstay) and opted for the pulled pork sandwich with smoked gouda, a fried egg and pickled red onions.
He really liked this sandwich, especially the tender pork. It’s definitely a messier option if you choose to eat it with your hands, but who says brunch should be neat and tidy?
We also got a sneak peek of some of the other menu items that will please anyone with even a hint of a sweet tooth. First up, the decadent thick sliced brioche French toast stuffed with farmers market berries and whipped mascarpone.
I am not usually a sweets person at brunch, but this French toast was insanely good. The creamy mascarpone added just a touch of a savory element in comparison to the sweet berries. A corn flake crust also made for a fun, crunchy texture.
The sweets didn’t stop there. In addition to the brunch boxes, the menu also features several brunch sides including smoked salmon stuffed popovers, spiced brown sugar “candy” bacon and this beautiful specimen – monkey bread babka.
Topped with a coffee, cocoa, cinnamon, hazelnut chocolate sauce this is definitely not for the faint of heart. While it was a tad too rich for me, Tom was immediately obsessed. If you like chocolate croissants or coffee-infused pastries, you will love this.
Even though several of the menu items could serve as dessert in and of themselves, you may want to save room for one final sweet touch.
This banana split tart, which was a special that week and unfortunately not currently a regular menu item, was out of this world. Dessert isn’t usually my thing, but I couldn’t stop going back for just one more bite. I don’t know what I loved more, the flambéed bananas or the crispy sprinkle-covered sugar cookie on top. In my humble opinion, this dish dessert should definitely be added to the menu immediately.
The next time you’re craving a hearty brunch that won’t empty your wallet, head to City Perch. As a bonus, you can check out the charming Pike & Rose district afterward for perhaps a little shopping to burn off some of those calories.
City Perch brunch runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
That’s too bad that the banana split tart isn’t a regular option on the menu. I agree that it looks appealing enough that it could be a top seller for City Perch!