Davios Philadelphia Brunch

Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse goes beyond simple steaks. Regional Italian dishes abound on the menu, with a focus on quality ingredients and unique pasta creations. With ten locations in Massachusetts, Atlanta, Manhattan, and of course, Philadelphia, Davio's emphasizes their well-executed dishes, along with attentive service. They also go beyond lunch and dinner, offering up breakfast and weekend brunch service as well.  

I was able to enjoy a taste of their brunch menu, hosted by Sembat from PhillyFoodLove. Expect your meal to start off with one of my favorite pastries - the popover. A wonderful crust emanates the sharpness of gruyere and reveals soft, warm bread within. Easily enjoyed with a pat of butter. A build-your-own-bloody bar is also on offer. With vodka, gin, or tequila as your base, feel free to pair it up with the spicy kick of their house-made bloody mix, along with stuffed olives, celery, citrus, cucumber, and yes, crisp, thick-cut bacon!

Clockwise from Top Right: Caramel Pecan Waffles | Creme Brulee French Toast | Philly Cheesesteak Rolls | Cannoli Pancakes

Whether it's happy hour or brunch - the must-order at Davio's has to be the Philly cheesesteak rolls. Think cheesy, well-seasoned beef encased within an egg roll. It's then topped with crispy onion strings and a housemade spicy ketchup and mayo. Davio's amps up brunch with the sweetness of creme brulee french toast and caramel pecan waffles. Cannoli pancakes are a stunner - artfully plated with a mini cannoli on top.

For your mains, you have a range of frittatas, including preparations with either lobster or Kennett Square mushrooms. Enjoy a rich pasta carbonara, with an egg yolk ready to be mixed right alongside the pancetta. You'll be hard-pressed not to order the crab cake eggs benedict. But if you want a showstopper, go for the grilled filet mignon - it comes topped with poached eggs and hollandaise, surrounded by a popover shell.

And if you have room for it - Davio's has got your sweet tooth covered with their dessert cart. Enjoy port or limoncello, along with tiramisu, creme brulee, panna cotta, or a chocolate mousse. If you need some caffeine to perk you up, perhaps an affogato to end your meal.

So if you're looking to up your brunch game, look beyond Sabrina's or Green Eggs and head over to Davio's. I know I'll have to stop by again to check out more of their pastas and steaks for dinner. 

FTC Disclaimer: Thanks to Davios Restaurant and PhillyFoodLove for inviting me in. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased. 

Autograph Brasserie: Brunch

Regular readers know I'm a fan of Autograph Brasserie in Wayne, PA. As one of the Fearless Restaurants, expect creative decor and local ingredients on top of well-executed dishes. Before a recent KoP shopping trip, the GF and I decided to stop by Autograph to try their brunch. 

Bread Service

We started off with a few mocktails. The GF enjoyed the Peaches & Tea - light, with the honey and lime balancing out any bitterness from the tea. I loved my Off the Daisy Chain - lemonade, pear, and honey amped up with the kick of cayenne and a bit of effervescence from soda water.  Bread service came in the form of foccacia - lightly seasoned with salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Perfect little bite for our first starter ...

Lobster Bisque 

Lobster bisque was rich, decadent, and creamy-dreamy. Close-your-eyes comforting, there were plenty of chunks of lobster and an enjoyable hit of acid from some tomato.  Glad we saved some of the foccacia which made for the perfect dippers. Brunch allows for no judgement, right?

Breakfast BLT [$15]
Fried egg, avocado spread, applewood smoked bacon, tomato, chipotle aioli 

For her main, the GF opted for the breakfast BLT. Buttered toast housed plenty of smoky, crisp bacon, fresh tomato, and crisp lettuce. The heft of the fried egg and avocado brought each bite over the top. As a side, she decided to go with the house-made chips - nicely fried and lightly seasoned. 

Open Face Crab Melt [$18]
Super lump crabmeat, beefsteak tomatoes, gruyere, grilled sourdough

I appreciated that the sourdough was nicely toasted, allowing for a juxtaposition in texture, especially with the creamy gruyere and the sweet crab meat. The tomato allowed for a subtle acidity that broke through the richness of each bite. I went with the side of fries which are just the way I like them. Crisp, but with a bit of chew upon mastication. And seasoned to boot! 

Chicken Fried Bacon [$8]
Honey, thyme, hot sauce

Bacon lovers unite at Autograph. Wait for it. Chicken. Fried. Bacon. How could you say no? Thick-cut pieces of bacon are deftly fried. Both the bacon and batter are crisp, but yield to a satisfying chew. On top of the execution, the combination of honey, thyme, and hot sauce really makes each bite. Get this! 

Autograph Signature Sundae [$12]
Dule de Leche & Vanilla ice cream, chocolate brownie, peanut butter cookie, milk chocolate pretzel bark, salted peanuts

There's nothing wrong with ending brunch on a sweet note. And there's nothing sweeter than Autograph's signature sundae. It boasts two scoops of rich dulce de leche and vanilla ice cream. Pair a bit with some chocolate brownie, peanut butter cookie, or a sweet-and-salty chocolate pretzel bark. Or do what I did and get a bit of each, along with some of the whipped cream and chopped peanuts. 

So if you're coming from the city to shop at King of Prussia, don't relegate yourself to the confines of the mall. Head over to nearby Autograph. In addition to the great food, it's located in the East Village Shops area, which has plenty of cute boutiques if you're looking for the perfect after-meal stroll.  

FTC Disclaimer: Thanks to Autograph Brasserie and the Fearless Restaurant Group for hosting us. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased. 

Autograph Brasserie
503 W. Lancaster Ave.
Wayne, PA 19087
(610) 964-2588
www.autographbrasserie.com

Shoo Fry: Breakfast Menu Review

After traveling through Canada, Matt and Rachel Baida decided to share their passion for poutine with Philly. After a 6 month stint as King of Prussia pop-up, they decided to take over the previous Underdogs space with a permanent location in Rittenhouse. The craze for poutine has clearly taken off, so they've recently expanded with a second location in Fishtown.

Top Right: Shoo Fry Proprieters Rachel & Matt Baiada

But that's not all that's been going on. They've also expanded their menu to include breakfast offerings. Think breakfast sliders and diced hash browns covered with all of your typical poutine fixings!

Breakfast Sliders
Original [American Cheese, Pickles], The Blue [Blue Cheese, Bacon, Fried Onions, BBQ], Scrapple [Fried Egg, Cheddar, Ketchup], Pepper Goat [Goat Cheese, Bacon, Pepper Jelly], Poutine in a Cup [Fried Onions, Cheese Curds, Gravy]

With the exception of the Poutine in a Cup slider for $4, the rest are only $3! It doesn't get more Philly than with a scrapple slider. The thin patty was nicely crisp and redolent with porcine flavors. This melded well with the fried egg and cheddar. It's all housed in a soft, pillowy, potato roll. Just the right size and perfect for breakfast. Grab two or three of these to go!

Breakfast Hashbrowns

Looking for something more substantial? You know Shoo Fry's got great poutine. So expect the crisp texture of hash browns to soak up all of Shoo Fry's toppings. I tried a trio of the chipped beef, cheesesteak, and the Sugar Shack.

The latter's a clear ode to Canada. Maple sugar shacks offer up sweet treats by dripping maple syrup into cold shaved ice. Shoo Fry's maple bacon melded sweet and savory flavors nicely, emanating a nice balance for breakfast. And obviously, everything's better with an egg on it.

So stop by Shoo Fry and check out their new offerings. Satisfyingly satiating, Shoo Fry's breakfast menu will get you through the work week.

Shoo Fry 

132 S. 17th Street 

Philadelphia, PA 19103

(267) 639-2104

www.shoofry.com

Sunnyside Farm Coffee & Bakeshop Review

With a population under 1,000, McBain is a small sleepy town in Missaukee County, Michigan. The GF's family regularly spends their summer weekends by Missaukee Lake and luckily for me, I had the pleasure of indulging in some stick-to-your-ribs and down-home eats at the popular McBain breakfast & lunch spot, Sunnyside Farm. 

As you drive up to the picturesque farm, you'll first notice gorgeous red and white barn overlooking the bakeshop itself. Opened in 2015, delightfully quaint does not aptly describe the al fresco seating by the garden and patio. Trust me - it's needed with the overflow they get for their delicious breakfast and lunch fare. 

If you don't have time to dine in, feel free to pop on in to pick up cupcakes, cakes, pies, and of course, Pam's famous cinnamon rolls!

Originally owned by the DeBoer's in 1908, Sunnyside Farm was purchased in 1955 by Pam (Hendricks) Pluger's parents in 1955. And currently, Pam & Mike Pluger own and run the daily operations of the farm itself. Since 2000 (because there wasn't already enough to do), Pam operated a successful baking business which was parlayed into the Coffee & Bake Shop, much to the delight of McBain's residents and guests. 

Breakfast Special [$6.75]

Two eggs your way, hash browns, choice of bacon, ham, or sausage, and choice of pancakes, biscuits, toast, or cinnamon roll

The GF went with the breakfast special which featured a little bit of everything. Eggs were fresh, with the over-easy yolks oozing into each crevice of those delicious hash browns. Shaved thinly, the lightly seasoned spuds were crisped on the griddle to provide nice texture. And the bacon? Unreal! Thick-cut, crisp, and with plenty of heft, I had to steal a slice. I'm sure the bacon gods will forgive me. 

Not to be outdone, Pam's bread program is on point. House sourdough was thickly cut, buttered and toasted, with plenty of pillowiness within. Emanating that mild tang you'd expect, this was perfect to spread with the housemade strawberry jam. 

Breakfast Sandwich [$5.25]

Two eggs, cheese, meat of your choice

I went with the breakfast sandwich which was housed within that spectacular sourdough. Substantial housing indeed because it had to hold eggs, cheese, and more of that bacon. 

Don't worry, there's plenty of bacon in this sandwich to satisfy any porcine palate. 

Biscuits & Gravy [$5]

Not to be outdone, I had to try the biscuits & gravy. Large chunks of well-seasoned sausage studded the thick country gravy. And yes, somewhere underneath it all were the pillowy, buttery biscuits. Stick-to-your-ribs for sure, but I downed it all. Much to the surprise of patrons at a neighboring table who had to let me know they were impressed. I aim to please.

Cinnamon Roll

Pam bakes 600 dozen of her famous cinnamon rolls every year. So if you're keeping count, that'll satisfy the sweet tooth of every McBain resident! And certainly, her cinnamon roll was the sweet ending to my meal at Sunnyside's Coffee & Bakeshop. A nice contrast in textures, this was buttery, sweet, and everything you'd want for your final bite. 

So if you're headed "Up North" as they say in Michigan or if you're simply hankering for some comfort classics, be sure to stop by Sunnyside Farm. Pro-tip: they're only open on Fridays and Saturdays from 7AM to 4PM and 3PM, respectively. For my money, I'd head over on Fridays to beat the crowds. But if you can't make it during those hours, trust me - it's worth the wait! 

Sunnyside Farm Coffee & Bake Shop
6700 W. County Line Road
McBain, MI 49657
(231) 825-2342