Erin Jackson
The new brunch menu at 100 Wines is a beast, in the best possible definition of the word. Far from your standard list of egg dishes, pancakes, and boring eggs benedict, it’s fully stocked with so many imaginative options that it’s tough to choose. For starters, there’s a sunny side egg and tater tot-topped flatbread pizza, bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with manchego, and pistachio apricot baklava milkshakes, should you prefer a drinkable dessert to a bloody mary. Luckily, I had Executive Chef Katherine Humphus making the decisions for me. Since everything I sampled was excellent, I’ll pass her suggestions for the optimal meal plan on to you.
First, start with one of the shareable appetizers, like manchego stuffed dates ($7.00) or honey dough fritters ($6.00). The triple hit of flavor on the sweet/salty/fatty dates made for an irresistable combination, while the fritters were livened up with some citrus zest. My party of two had no problem polishing off both plates.
Erin Jackson
For mains, Katherine suggested the osso buco eggs benedict ($12), and apple butter hot cakes ($10). Try them both. The tender veal marinated in a smoky sauce becomes undeniably lucious with the addition of a runny egg yolk and holladaise sauce that’s kicked up with a little Tobasco. It’s so tasty, its existence is unfair to every other benedict.
Erin Jackson
The apple butter pancakes are equally great. Stacked four high, they’ve got apple butter mixed into the batter and are finished with tart cherry preserves. The construction of the dish is pretty smart. Between each layer, there’s a dollop of maple bourbon syrup, which soaks into the pancakes, transforming the stack into a moist and mapley layer cake.
100 Wines is located at 1027 University Ave. in Hillcrest (map). Brunch is served on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.