I am curious about what the Coronado community thinks of brunch. Because it’s a rather controversial meal in the culinary world. The late celebrity chef, Anthony Bourdain, once said, “Then there are the People Who Brunch. The ‘B’ word is dreaded by all dedicated cooks.” Food writer Jeff Gordinier has described brunch as “the gastronomic version of the walk of shame.”
And while gastronaut skeptics may have a point, with brunch bringing a certain crowd of demanding customers, and perhaps hungover ones, it also comes with a sense of tradition.
And that is Sunday. And not just any Sunday, but a sun-filled, ritualistic, Easter Sunday. And at Crown Bistro, the Easter glow is in full bloom, with yellow umbrellas polka-dotting the sidewalk, pastel egg decorations in the garden, tulips on the tables, and mascarpone French toast on the menu. Even on a gloomy week, this restaurant casts rays of sunshine that cascade over the whole block. It might be a little happy-clappy for my taste, but brunch is supposed to be happy-clappy.
The menu offers classic modern American breakfasts: omelets, benedicts, trendy French toasts (they had a Dubai chocolate special), and waffles.
I ordered the “By the Border Benedict” and the “Very Berry Mascarpone French Toast” to try one sweet thing and one savory.
The benedict featured a chorizo sausage patty, a poached egg, smashed avocado, and hollandaise sauce over an English muffin, served with a side of hash browns. The chorizo ignited my curiosity immediately. It was a Mexican chorizo, not the cured Spanish variety, but shaped like a patty nonetheless.
Layering it with the benedict made sense; however, the meat was quite tough to cut. Most chorizos I’ve had are tender or even ground, saturated with a spicy oil that you want to mix with potatoes or eat with a crispy bread. This one was dry, and the texture made it difficult to chew. Still, I enjoyed the addition of spice to a softer sauce like hollandaise. The poached egg was perfectly done, and the creamy sauce drenched everything in a buttery richness. The hash browns on the side were crispy and crunchy, not overly greasy or soggy.
I ate the French toast directly after since it was served at the same time as my benedict. I will note that everything came out within 15 minutes and the server ended every conversation with a smile. The French toast was deliciously displayed, with a single flower resting on top. The toast was drenched in a thick strawberry sauce, with some cooked strawberries still intact.
The mascarpone was dolloped in the center, and I blurred it in with the sauce to homogenize everything together. I drenched it all in a luscious maple syrup and took one succinct bite. The blueberries, sprinkled on top, were fresh and poppy, and the French toast was warm but not as thick and gooey as others I’ve enjoyed before. The mascarpone balanced the acidity of the berries and left me satisfied.
I still left not knowing exactly what I think of brunch. Is it the “girlfriend recap” meal? A time to gather the family? A simple excuse to dress in pastels and linens? Or is it just a pseudo-meal — something that attracts crowds and should be avoided at all costs?
Crown Bistro, located at 520 Orange Ave. is open Monday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dinner is currently closed, according to the restaurant’s website.
