J and I are big fans of brunch. I mean, how could one not be, right? What else could you possibly want to do on a brilliant Southern California Sunday morning but enjoy a leisurely meal and a couple of mimosas. Yum.
While J and I certainly have a couple of go-to brunch spots, we decided this morning to give something new a try. We recently attended a wedding at the Hotel Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica, which has a little restaurant on the main level with a pretty phenomenal view of the beach and Santa Monica Pier. Neither of us had ever eaten there, however, and figured that today was as good a time as any to give it a shot.
We arrived at about noon and, despite there being at least a dozen empty tables, were told the wait would be about 30 minutes because all those tables were “reserved.” Uh huh, right. Not a good sign… Nonetheless, we were already there, so we grabbed a drink at the bar and waited for a table. J had some delicious fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, and I had a mimosa, which mollified me a bit (my stomach was definitely growling away at this point, after all), as did our being seated at a nice little table by the window.
The brunch menu at Casa Del Mar is prix fixe – you choose an appetizer, an entree (or omelette) and a dessert – for $29/person (not including drinks). For our appetizers, I chose a Shellfish and Avocado Salad, and J chose Grilled Asparagus with Shitake Mushrooms, a Poached Egg and Balsamic Vinegar. Both certainly sounded delicious. Another 30 minutes passed before our food arrived, however, and what we received was less than impressive. Mine came on romaine lettuce (which I was not expecting) and was underseasoned. J’s, while seasoned properly, was cold, leaving the asparagus and mushroom (he only got 1/2 of a mushroom) shriveled, and the egg coagulating. Huh.
Another 30 minutes or so later, our entrees arrived. J ordered the French Toast with Honey Glazed Figs and Vanilla, and I ordered the Veal Sausage with Potatoes and a Fried Egg. While this course was at least warm, it was likewise uninspired. J’s french toast appeared to have been made with regular white bread instead of, say, challah or brioche, which would have given it more substance and crispiness. I was given 1.5 sausages (which, like J receiving 1/2 of a mushroom, is just weird), and the potatoes were mushy. Oof.
Dessert, interestingly enough, was the best of the three courses, although it once again took another half hour to arrive. We ordered the Chocolate and Espresso Souffle and the Fresh Strawberries with Tahitian Vanilla and Creme Fraiche. The souffle was warm and nicely gooey on the inside and was served with a delicious vanilla bean ice cream. The strawberries were fresh and had just a hint of vanilla and a giant dollop of creme fraiche. If only we were bigger dessert people….
All in all, while a leisurely brunch is nice, there is a difference between a meal served at a relaxing pace and a meal where you feel like you’ve been forgotten, or worse, ignored. Factor in the poorly executed food, and you’ve got yourself a restaurant to not return to.
Cheers!
