Brunch this Weekend: Béarnaise

The Croissant Sandwich

Chef Spike Mendelsohn is making it hard to leave Capitol Hill for good eats.  With We, The Pizza, Good Stuff Eatery and Béarnaise lining the 300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, it is hard not to stop in and try at least one of his establishments while strolling through this neighborhood.  Béarnaise, the establishment from Chef Spike and his sister Micheline Mendelsohn, recently launched their brunch menu, which is competing with the same reasons people visit this spot for dinner.  Minus the French Onion soup, you can get a fair share of their steak and homemade sauces, in addition to fresh baked croissants during the brunch hours.  Here a few things to consider when you place that order:

The Chef’s Hangover Cure

1. The Chef’s Hangover Cure will throw you for a loop with its ingredients but it is not at all the look you are imagining.  The Crispy Pig’s Feet Hash served with bacon leeks and béarnaise sauce is not at all the chunk of hooves that you find in your local grocery store.  Rather this dish takes on the form of a tender brisket with all the chunk of hooves that you find in your local grocery store.  Rather this dish takes on the form of a tendtease of vinegar paired with a farm fresh egg that should be mixed in for the proper appreciation of this dish (*Thanks to Jamal, our waiter at Béarnaise, for this tip.)
2. The Croissant Sandwich should be ordered in the event that you have not ordered one of their dishes with the fresh baked bread.  Warm and crumbling to the bite, I had to put a restraining order on myself not to eat more than this sandwich.
3. The French Bennie is served with a thin slice of ham which I appreciate over the thick over cooked pieces I tend to find in restaurant benedicts.  Should you go with this option, make sure you request how you like your eggs poached.  Mine were a tad bit runny but I cannot complain, I did not specify.

Chef Spike’s Bloody Mary with Brussels Sprout wrapped bacon

Brunch in the District is not complete without the cocktails.  Béarnaise has the usual suspects lining the menu including bottomless mimosas or Bloody Marys for $14.  Try one of Spike’s Bloody Marys if you want more Spice and flare (*they are served with garnishes such as the bacon wrapped Brussels sprout that I had on my visit).

Tags: Béarnaise, brunch, Chef Spike Mendelsohn, restaurant reviews, washington dc

Category: Brunch, restaurant reviews, Washington D.C.