New To Brunching

Brunch sounds good about now. And thanks to a few new (new to brunch, that is) places with offerings like bottomless mimosas and bread pudding French toast, options are plentiful.  Forte Tapas is celebrating their ten-year anniversary with Sunday brunch highlighting eastern European house favorites such as the boat-shaped Adjarski Khachapurri, smoked salmon toast with Russian egg salad, Bulgarian grilled meats and caviar service called “secret service,” which changes each week and “Bump and a Toast,” 10 grams of caviar with a bubbly shot.  The Black Sheep’s Sunday brunch offerings range from classic Steak & Eggs, to Hot Chicken and Waffles and bottomless rosés.  Also, look for Chef Jamie Tran’s Smokey Heirloom Beet Salad with watercress. The Factory Kitchen, inside The Venetian, catches not only locals, but visitors  who check out at 11a.m. with a weekend-long brunch from 11-5. Besides bottomless mimosas and housemade bloody Marys, Italian kitchen favorites include Egg Raviolo, pudgy with braised greens and organic egg filled pasta, pancetta-wrapped filet mignon (steak amore) and my favorite, the Pancotto - toasted ciabatta crostone topped with a sunny duck egg, smoked speck in a sea of potato velluta.  Draw your finger across the “velvety” velutta - go ahead and lick it. Downtown at Esther’s Kitchen, start with the Pie Felicia cocktail made with blueberry-infused bourbon. If you’re into breakfast toasts (beyond avocado toast) they’ve got the selection. Try the house-made sourdough bread smeared with luscious cream cheese, red onions, capers and wait for it… ocean trout!  For something sweet, Bread Pudding French toast will send you right to the couch for Sunday afternoon television binge-watching, or amp you with enough energy to get you through the day. Your choice.