Brunching in Boston

Why is brunch so special? Maybe because unlike our other three meals, brunch is generally only eaten once a week. Or could it be because people look forward to an occasion where family and friends get together and share an afternoon? Perhaps the most obvious reason is simply the food itself – usually served in generous portions and buffet-style with plenty of choices. Regardless of why brunch invokes both fond memories and piqued appetites, there is no debating that it is truly a meal to be savored.

Whether you’re visiting Boston, hosting out-of-towners, or simply in need of a treat, the city’s restaurants and hotels provide plenty of opportunities to engage in this special meal. Below we’ve provided an insider’s view to the world of Boston brunch. Stick to a hotel buffet, which always has something for everyone, or indulge your palate by trying one of our more unusual recommendations. Either way, enjoy, and of course -- bon appetit!

A Great Find
An excellent choice for brunch that’s just minutes from downtown Boston is The Blue Room (617-494-9034,) a popular "international grill."

Though the selection of dishes is certainly eclectic, the Blue Room’s brunch is strongly tempered with flavors from the South. On a recent excursion, we found one of our favorite dishes to be the grits with corn and peas – what would seem a potentially unappealing combination to us Yankees turned out in fact to be a mouth-watering, richly textured and extremely tasty dish! Other southern-inspired fare includes bananas in brown sugar, homemade pork sausage and black-eyed pea salad. The Salmon with Tomato-Caper Vinaigrette, grilled to tender-but-flaky perfection and served with superbly smoky home fries, was also a hit.

In an effort ot offer something for the health-conscious, the Blue Room offers a fine selection of interesting salads and lighter fare. Two especially notable combinations are the aforementioned salad with black-eyed peas and sautéed onions, and a cold pasta dish with chick peas, eggplant and roasted red pepper. Other good menu choices include Moroccan Spiced Chicken Thighs, Black Bean and Monterey Jack Quesadillas and Hot Salted Shrimp.

While those sticking to "breakfast only" can delve into silver dollar-sized buttermilk pancakes, we implore you to save your sweet tooth for the pear crisp, rum raisin cheesecake, spiced biscotti and banana bread pudding. Fresh fruit and melon also are available. Coffee is included with the buffet and is served piping hot: a strong, rich blend perfect for the end of an excellent meal.

The ambience of The Blue Room is subtle and appealing, accented by contrasting dark-wood beamed ceilings and blond-wood, chrome-topped tables. A lively piano player provides pleasant musical accompaniment to this veritable feast, and the wait staff manages to be helpful yet unobtrusive. Though its hard to find one, the only complaint about brunch at the Blue Room would have to be the lack of certain brunch-time staples – we admit to missing custom-made omelettes and good ol’ bagels with cream cheese. But if you can bear this slight deviation from the norm, we highly recommend this brunch option.

Downsize Your Itinerary
If you’re visiting Boston from out of town, you undoubtedly have an overwhelming list of places to go and things to do. If a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) is planned and you’d also like to indulge in brunch, why not knock two items off your itinerary in one afternoon? The Museum of Fine Arts Restaurant, located on the second floor of MFA, offers an a la carte menu from 11:30 AM to 3 PM on Sundays. The restaurant takes reservations for an 11:30 seating only.

The brunch menu at the MFA restaurant is predominantly seafood. Though traditionalists can try a spin on breakfast staples, such as New England "Shirred" Eggs (with roasted potatoes, country ham and Vermont Cheddar), or French Toast (stuffed with blackberries and cinnamon), we recommend branching out via some of the more unusual selections. On a recent visit, we sampled the Spicy Mussel Hot Pot, an appetizer served over Thai-seasoned noodles with an assortment of fresh vegetables. The flavoring was mild and well-suited to a late lunch, and the crisp asparagus, carrot and zucchini added a nice touch. The dish was served with four tender mussels. Other interesting first courses include Tempura Soft-Shell Crab, served with a vegetable spring roll, and Maine Shrimp Cocktail.

For a main course, we chose the Open-Faced Shrimp Omelette with garden tomatoes, asparagus and herbs and Pan Roasted Cod Cakes with a salad of toasted corn, potatoes and balsamic vinaigrette. The eggs were light and fluffy, and though the combination was pleasant, the flavor of the un-named "herbs" was lost in the mix. If you enjoy fishcakes we would recommend the cod – with the warning that they were heavy on both salt and oil. The flavor of the cod was nicely balanced by the corn and potatoes. Unfortunately for your reviewers, the kitchen was out of Devilled Maine Peekyote Crabmeat Springroll during our visit; you also can choose from Barbecued Atlantic Salmon and Wild Mushroom & Chicken Quiche.

For the final course, MFA brunch-goers are offered a number of cakes and pies at the restaurant’s self-serve dessert table.

The atmosphere at the Museum of Fine Arts Restaurant is airy and light. Diners are surrounded by an abundance of natural light as well as a sampling of MFA’s paintings. Although, in all honesty, the food does not compare to The Blue Room’s brunch, we found the museum setting lovely.

Hotel Brunches
All of the major hotel restaurants in Boston and Cambridge serve a Sunday brunch. If you’re looking for something divine and can spare the cash, we recommend trying either Aujourd Hui at the Four Seasons Hotel (617-338-4400), or Café Fleuri at the Hotel Meridien (617-451-1900). Both are renowned Boston restaurants whose reputations carry over to their extensive Sunday brunch buffets. If you can’t quite justify a $40-plus early meal (though we promise it will be your only one all day!), Turner Fisheries in the Westin Hotel offers a wide selection of food at its $28.50 brunch buffet. Choices include shellfish (oysters, clams, shrimp), salads, Belgian waffles, eggs benedict, carving stations and made-to-order omelettes. Reservations are recommended (617-424-7425).

Other Suggestions
Though we realize that part of brunch’s allure is the opportunity to sample so many different dishes, those in search of an unusual meal may want to try a number of interesting a la carte options. The first is the well-known Biba, a hip-chic spot on Boylston Street in Boston’s Back Bay. The brunch selections at Biba range from White Anchovy Baked Brioche with Endive Caesar Salad to Salmon on Spinach Leaves Charmoula and Crisp Chick Pea Fries and Risotto with Rapini and Plump Chicken Livers. The desserts are meals of their own: Crisp Tartlet of Autumn Apples with Spiced Cider Sauce and Butterscotch Ice Cream and White Chocolate Queen’s Cake with a Crush of Fresh Chilean Berries are among the options.

If you’d like the Back Bay experience but aren’t willing to go as far out on a culinary limb as Biba will take you, considering brunching at Stephanie’s on Newbury (617-236-0990). The address is trendy as is the clientele of this attractive bistro.

For something closer to Faneuil Hall and the waterfront, we recommend The Hungry I (617-227-3524) on Charles Street. A "country French" restaurant with the reputation as one of Boston’s most romantic eateries, The Hungry I offers an a la carte menu.

by Allyson Krieger

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