Week Thirteen: At the Silver Legacy Casino

Today, dear reader, we bring you an international report. That's right! Brunches Without Borders!

Catie loves brunch + Dave loves brunch = We love brunch

Recently we found ourselves in Reno, Nevada. It was a Tuesday morning, and the crowds were gone from the casinos. Deserted street after deserted street greeted our eyes, but then we saw the Silver Legacy. We went inside.

After a brief wander around, we settled on Café Sedona. A few other couples were there, as it was Valentine's day, but it was blissfully free of heart decorations. I ordered my traditional orange juice and Catie her coffee, and we tried to decide on somehing good.

The Belgian waffle ($6.79) was Catie's choice, tastefully accessorized by a side order of bacon. Note to tourists - bacon in Canada and the US can be different. What you want is called "country bacon." Fortunately, though, the maple syrup was the same. The waffle covered the entire plate!

I ordered a breakfast burrito, which, to my surprise, included potatoes! It was a good deal at $8.39, and I especially enjoyed the guacamole. This bacon *inside* the burrito idea is a good one, and I may have to steal it. The servers were pleasant.

Something we really liked about this café was that though it was inside a casino, it didn't smell of smoke (yes, smoking inside is legal, and perhaps encouraged) like others that we visited did. Perhaps this is because it is a newer complex, but, either way, we appreciated it.

This was a pretty tasty brunch, though it's distance from our home renders it an impractical choice for the title of Perfect Brunch. Would we go again, if we were in the area? I think so, though we'd have to do something about our gambling skill... but that's a different story!

Week Twelve: Crave at last!

So this week, like several before, we left the house with a firm plan to go to Crave. However, in marked contrast to weeks past, we actually made it! Well worth the wait, I must say.

Catie loves brunch + Dave loves brunch = We love brunch

We arrived at 9:05, and were quickly shown to a comfy table. The service was spot-on, neither overly attentive or slow. Having made my mind up to have an omelette, the server told me of the New York steak hash ($16.) My mind was no longer made up. Catie chose the Eggs Your Way ($9.50) with back bacon, and I ordered the special.

Catie's eggs were served with the aforementioned back bacon, which was thickly sliced, multigrain toast, and golden brown potatoes. My steak was done to a turn, pink in the middle, juicy, and hot. Two poached eggs, hollandaise, potatoes, and caramelized onions was a lot of food, but totally tasty. There was a slice of watermelon that I ate before we took the picture.

This was a heck of a breakfast. A good quantity, lots of taste, and reasonable ptices made our trip to Crave worth the wait. There's a tantalizing looking back patio that we'll have to try out when the weather warms up, too.

Was this the perfect brunch? It's certainly a contender...

Weekend Eleven - Chaise on Main

Being awoken by hunger early on Sunday morning narrowed our brunch options substantially. We had meant to walk to Crave in another brunch attempt, however as we walked past Chaise we were persuaded to stop by the smell of cooking bacon.

Catie loves brunch + Dave loves brunch = We love brunch

Chaise is a restaurant that is all things to all people. The exterior is beautiful with dark wood and large windows. It has a hip interior, but not so hip to be off putting. It has a few flat screen t.v.s around the bar area that continuously show various sports events, as well as two t.v.s that show beautiful landscapes all day long.

From previous experiences at Chaise, I had experienced a range of service from poor to excellent to smothering. Today the service was on the poor side. It started well but the waitress was constantly distracted by answering the phone. Unfortunately, this caused her to attempt to take our order and then forget about us for 10 minutes. It also prevented her from refilling the hot water in my tea pot.  Distractions aside, she was very friendly.

For brunch, I had a Breakfast Sandwich with bacon ($8). It was served on Focaccia bread and was very tasty. On the side it came with grilled potatoes that were extremely uncooked and hard in the middle. Dave ordered the Traditional Omelette ($11). Dave was incredibly satisfied with his breakfast and was too full to help me finish mine.

This brunch was not the perfect brunch for many reasons. However, I have been there for lunch and as a cheese lover I am in love with their Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich. We may have to revisit brunch at Chaise in the future...