The Brunch Birds are back after a hiatus. With our return, we bring you three brunch reviews in one. J
The Paramount (Beacon Hill)
Having Mondays off is great for running errands but less than great for arranging brunch. Most places do brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, leaving Mondays for breakfast or nothing at all. Dan and I planned on going to Trina’s in Somerville since it was the only place on our list that serves brunch on Mondays but brunch was not until noon and we had made other plans.
We ended up at The Paramount in Beacon Hill. The area was very nice and I was excited to have my first ever meal in the famous Beacon Hill area of Boston. I was disappointed.
It has been some time since the actual meal at The Paramount in Beacon Hill and sadly I do not remember much about the place except the disappointment I felt after the meal.
-Candice
Overall grade: C-
I feel pretty much the same as Candice. I’ve had industry friends talk up this spot for 5 years and I was really disappointed with the food quality, portions and taste. The only really outstanding aspect was unobtrusive service (cafeteria style with 1 porter monitoring about 10-12 tables removing empty plates), Freshly squeezed OJ will be my lone fond memory but after ordering eggs, bacon and their “famous” banana pancakes I just really wanted to go to Ihop…one should never leave brunch hungry and we both did.
-Dan
Overall grade: C-….they are saved by fresh OJ
2 people under $40
Trina’s Starlight Lounge (Somerville)
I was really excited to try Trina’s after hearing quite about it in the last couple of months. I was a little bit weirded out by the curb appeal of the place. It looked like an abandoned building and I thought maybe the restaurant had moved to a new location. Once inside, I was a little turned off by how dark the place was. All the furniture and walls were painted black and the two windows in the dining area were covered. Brunch to me feels light and airy; the décor at Trina’s definitely did not fit with what I wanted. However, I LOVED the food and our waitress ;)
I ordered the Starlite Slam and a homemade PopTart. The hashbrowns were so yummy. I also tried some of Dan’s French Toast and it was the best French Toast I have ever had in my life.
Overall Experience: A-
Trina’s is a little hole-in-the-wall in Somerville, think Mary Anne’s in Cleveland Circle but more sketchy from the outside. I was very skeptical walking in but figured why not try it. I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered the French Toast with a side of Bacon and the food was excellent. I would come back in a heartbeat. My only knock on them is from the dining room we heard a bartender talking to another employee yell “I just wish he would f***ing stop emailing and trying to call me”…everyone needs to vent but at work during Monday brunch is not the place. Service wise Trina’s was excellent, comfortable booth, friendly décor and great food make this a must eat at.
Overall grade: A-
Bill total was $50
Cheesecake Factory
I really really like The Cheesecake Factory, especially the nachos and the drinks. For years I have thought of it as fine dining and defaulted to it when deciding on a place for dinner with friends. I assumed that brunch there would be equally as awesome. I did not enjoy my morning meal there at all. I felt like I could have made a more delicious brunch for Dan and I at home. I ordered the basic breakfast and pancakes. I really do not remember much about the meal but our waiter was pretty hilarious. He talked too much and too fast but was very sweet.
I don’t think I would go back to Cheesecake Factory for brunch especially not now when I know a few cooler and tastier options are available.
Overall Experience: B-
We figured we couldn’t just go to random spots and this is a favorite of ours for a nice casual dinner and drinks. Cheesecake factory is a much mellower place for brunch and we chose the Chestnut Hill Mall location since the others are just way too busy. We had a bartender for our server and he was way too over the top, even for the cheesecake factory. He was literally running with plates from the kitchen to his tables.
I ordered the French Toast knowing I’d pick off Candice’s plate…Cheesecake factory’s portions are as big for brunch as they are for everything else. They brought out the same great breads to start off with and then the food came out: Fresh OJ and a massive plate with 4 pieces of French toast, each of which was cut in half. Our server had to bring it back to the kitchen because they forgot to put powdered sugar on it…he really did not need to tell me this. The food was awesome and almost didn’t need the syrup…almost. The overall atmosphere of the restaurant and the overwhelming server that early in the morning was enough to knock the grade down. Brunch should be enjoyable with invisible service and all about the food but Cheesecake Factory did not think that out.
Overall Grade: B-
Total Bill for 2 people $45
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