A comforting fall brunch

Yesterday was a perfect "early" fall day.  It was the kind of day that started off cool and crisp -- with a slight breeze rustling the changing leaves still clinging on to the giant oaks and maples -- and slowly warmed up to a comfortable temperature.  Days like that make me long for afternoons spent basking in sunlight with a good book in hand.  My sweet partner and I decided to spend the day together relaxing, since the last few weeks have been busy for us both.  After browsing through the Morningside Farmer's Market (more on that later, perhaps in my next post) in the Virginia Highlands, we decided to grab some lunch nearby.  Our options included Doc Chey's (your generic, Americanized noodle house), Alon's (a gourmet shop that sells fancy cheeses and meats, sandwiches, and ready-made foods), and Rosebud.  Now, we walk through this area of town a lot, since Joe lives very close by.  But every time we even think about going to Rosebud, the thought is dismissed by an assumption that we've always made -- that it's far too expensive and our money would probably be spent elsewhere.  See, we make these assumptions about most fancy restaurants (or what we label as 'fancy' restaurants).  In our minds, most upscale foodie restaurants serve small morsels of food for exorbitantly high prices.  And we know we can likely get food just as good, if not better, from small hole-in-the-wall dive bars or "Mom and Pop" shops around town.  And besides, it's more fun to search for these hidden treasures.  Anyway, I digress.

We decided that this time, we'd take a look at the Rosebud menu to see what they offered, and assess whether their food was available at reasonable prices.  We were shocked to find that, indeed, it was.  Even better, we were given outdoor seating on their fabulous patio.  Did I mention it was a beautiful fall day yesterday?  Ain't nothing more relaxing than basking in the sun while eating delicious food with good company.  

I have to say, it was difficult for both of us to choose what to order for our entrees.  After much contemplation, I went with the housecured salmon frittata, while Joe decided to go for the fried oysters and grits.  We also ordered a side of brunch potatoes (as if we weren't getting enough food).  Very rarely do we order entrees that we both genuinely love.  We generally share a small portion of our entrees with each other so we both get to try everything, but it's usually only a bite or two.  This time, the two of us not only delightfully devoured our own entrees, but we were openly taking spoonfuls of each other's dishes without asking!

I'll start with my entree.  The housecured salmon frittata was heavy with egg and rich salmon, but balanced with sweet peas, asparagus, and bits of fennel.  The heaviness was further cut by the green salad that topped the frittata -- it was flavored with bits of goat cheese and a simple vinegarette.  My favorite part?  The warm goat cheese melted into the frittata, adding a creamy texture to the dish.  When our waitress first served me the dish, I was sure I'd have leftovers.  Truthfully, though, I kept telling myself, "maybe just one more bite" after every bite, and before I knew it, the entire frittata was gone.  In conclusion, this dish was rich, decadent, flavorful, albeit balanced small bits of vegetables and a simple green salad.  I'd order it again in a heartbeat.  

Joe's entree was equally tasty, but even more decadent.  The fried oyster and grits were more like a hearty soup, the base being a generous helping of chicken gravy peppered with pieces of smoked bacon.  Is that not rich enough for you?  Well, it was topped off with a poached egg, the yolk still runny and creamy.  The gravy had a hint of sweetness, which I couldn't quite put my finger on.  I thought maybe the chef had put a splash of Marsala wine in the gravy.  After asking the waitress whether she could disclose the chef's secret ingredient, she revealed to us that it was not, in fact, Marsala wine, but a dash of maple syrup.  Eureka!  It all made sense; nothing pairs better with smoky bacon than a hint of maple syrup.  

The brunch potatoes were served in a tiny iron skillet.  The size of the dish was deceiving, though -- we had plenty for the both of us!  Generously seasoned with white onions and paprika, and topped with bits of smoky bacon, these potatoes were a perfect side to our main dishes.  

What gluttons we were yesterday!  Needless to say, we both needed naps to recover from our extended brunch.  Pictures to come!