Earls
Kitchen + Bar – Main Street
204-989-0103
Fax: 204-989-2003
September,
2013
I normally
don’t review chain restaurants; I prefer the small restaurants where the
owners/chefs are on hand to caringly make your foods and ensure that you enjoy
your meal. I don’t like the idea of
eating at a transnational corporation where the menu comes out of somewhere in Texas
I would
have thought no different of Earl’s until Head Chef Matt Frost contacted me and
said that he’s very excited about their new Brunch menu. We’ve always had good food at Earls but when
the chef takes the time to invite you down, there must be something good on the
horizon.
We didn’t
know what to expect. When you hear
“brunch,” you often think “buffet.” Chef
Matt explained that they don’t want to do a buffet. Buffets work when you have a lot of turnover
to keep the food hot and fresh. He
prefers the menu where you get everything made to order and fresh. Chef Matt emphasises that they try to use
fresh and seasonal ingredients so the menu changes accordingly.
The
adventure starts with mini cinnamon buns; we’re told that all meals start with
these cute complimentary little intros.
I’m not a
big fan of cinnamon buns; I often find them to have too much dough and bread,
filling you unnecessarily. Not so with
these compact little dumplings. Their
diminutive size ensures that every bite zaps you with the sweet and delicious
cinnamon flavour.
The
Sourdough French Toast comes next.
Immediately, my mind senses an incongruence with using sourdough as a
conduit for sweet foods. My best
memories of sourdough come from San Francisco
Chef Matt
explains that they make their sourdough from scratch and that the sourdough
isn’t as sour as some. He proudly brings
out a whole loaf, measuring no less than two feet in length. The cross section here comes wonderfully
fried and topped with fresh berry puree (today’s feature is raspberry) and
blueberries. The chantilly cream and
maple syrup add another layer of depth to this excellent brunch item.
Next on the
list, the Croque Madame is my personal favourite. For those not in the know, a croque monsieur
is basically a toasted ham and cheese sandwich and the croque madame adds a
fried egg topping.
Earls’s
rendition comes with Virginia ham, Swiss cheese and serrano cream on the same
sourdough. I love the accompanying
roasted serrano pepper, which easily chops up and adds a wonderful zip to each
bite. Judging by the orangeness of the
yolk, I’m guessing that Earls uses free range eggs. I don’t think I’ve had a croque madame this
good since I wandered the streets of Paris
Perhaps the
most visually appealing brunch dish, the Frittata sparkles with shiny colours
on a cast iron pan presentation.
The lovely
side salad has a basic dressing, allowing the spicy arugula to stand out. The chevre adds a delicious dimension that
carries over to the frittata main. The
earthiness of the roasted oyster, crimini and button mushrooms taste fabulous
contrasting the freshness of the grape tomatoes and fresh basil.
The
delectable mushroom mixture also appears with the Chorizo and Mushroom Hash
plate. Essentially an eggs benedict with
the ham swapped out for spicy sausage, this dish has the bonus of crispy fried
potatoes. Although the potatoes have a
wonderfully light crunch, a few sprinkles saw a bit too much heat and have a
burnt edge to it.
Just in
case this rich dish isn’t hearty enough for you, avocado chunks add substance
and colour to the presentation.
If you
prefer the original Eggs Benny, Earls’s version still features the lovely fried
potatoes.
The subtle
hollandaise does not overpower this delicate creation, allowing the saltiness
of the Virginia ham to naturally season the eggs and the sourdough.
Most of the
brunch items are quite heavy, rich and filling.
If you’re in the mood for something a little lighter and more health
conscious, the Granola and Yogurt Parfait comes loaded with house made flax and
oats. Dried fruits provide the depth to
the fresh berries, and pecans and almonds add texture. This is a fabulous dish.
Mimosas
make the perfect accompaniment for brunch and Earls’s is delicious. We would never have known that the orange
juice is not freshly squeezed on site as the glass comes complete with pulp and
rind.
Chef Matt
is very proud of his dishes and with good reason. Everything that comes to us today looks
stunning and tastes fabulous. I just
want to add the caveat however that Chef Matt invited us to dine at the Chef’s
Table, complete with the VIP treatment. Our
experience today is not the usual, anonymous critic among the crowd affair—Chef
Matt and his staff made every effort to deliver a superior experience to
us. Although Chef Matt saw to our every
need and described each presentation to us, we were not the only table he
attended. He frequently roamed through
the dining room conversed with the guests, which is always a sign of pride in
one’s creations.
I want to
extend a special thank you and acknowledgement to our server Kelly, who was
eminently professional, efficient and friendly.
Thanks Chef Matt, Kelly and Earls for a sampling of your delicious
brunch and we wish you great success.
****½ /5
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