Keystone Grill – Eagleville, PA

Last weekend, the wife and I decided we would get our Sunday brunch on, and after driving for a few minutes to what I had planned as our original destination, I realized that I had not been paying attention and had mistakenly been driving in the wrong direction (yay me). Without realizing where I was, I pulled into the Keystone Grill’s parking lot to turn around and head back the other way down Main Street. Once I saw where we were, I said to the wife, “Hey, you wanna just check this place out?”. She agreed, so we did. Keystone Grill – also known as the Family Bistro – is one of many diners along Main Street in the Norristown/Trooper/Eagleville area of Montgomery County. Although I would classify it as a slight step up from several other “greasy spoon” eateries in the area, one of their main attractions is a really good diner-style breakfast, which always gets huge brownie points from me.

The restaurant is quite a bit larger than I expected inside, with the main dining area seating probably a hundred or so people in both tables and booths. They also have a small overflow dining area in the back of the house that was full too! They were quite busy on the morning that we were there, with clientele of all demographics seemingly enjoying their meals. We took this as a good sign – either the food was great, the prices were good, or both! And even for as busy as they were, it didn’t feel overly crowded. I hate being smashed when I eat. One thing we both noticed was how it felt like it should be a lot darker inside than it actually was. Thankfully there was an abundance of keystone-shaped windows letting in lots of natural lighting. Otherwise, it might have felt like we were eating inside of a military bunker or something. Seriously though, it was very open and comfortable.

We waited for about 10 minutes for an open table, and there were probably 4-5 couples waiting behind us as we were seated. What was it about this place? As soon as I opened the menu, I knew. The large menu (as in actual size of the pages) was filled with tons of classic diner food options, a few specialties, build-your-owns, a kids menu, drinks and more…and the prices were terrific! Aside from the steaks, I don’t think there was a single meal on the menu above $7.99! The wife and I browsed as our friendly waitress brought coffee and water. She was very pleasant, but too busy to chat, which was totally understandable.

Ok, so I couldn’t pick just one breakfast. The first thing that caught my eye was the Florentine Benedict ($6.99). I mean, how can you go wrong with that? Slightly crisp English muffin, sauteed baby spinach, feta cheese, poached eggs, and hollandaise. It came with a side of fried potatoes which were really tasty.

To me, this benedict was perfectly executed. The muffin was toasted with a slightly crispy edge but still soft in the middle. It was constructed with a good helping of feta and spinach underneath of the poached eggs, and the hollandaise had a great consistency and flavor. Sometimes I’m a little leary about hollandaise, because when it’s too lemony, it’s all just ruined for me. But this was about as good as I’ve had.

Keeping with the hollandaise vibe, Mrs. Grub Guy ordered the Massachusetts Omelet ($7.49), which was a 2-egger made with fresh ingredients. They have a dozen or so “State Omelets”, but I’m not really sure how they decided which states got which fillers. This one had sliced turkey breast, bacon, onions, peppers, tomatoes and was topped with that delicious hollandaise. This is where my breakfast pet peeves come into play. Many restaurants and diners confuse what I would call a “scramble” for an omelet. I totally understand that it’s quicker and easier to mix everything together this way rather than to cook the traditional fold-over egg blanket with the filler in the middle, so…why not just call it a scramble on the menu? Anyway, the wife enjoyed it. She said it all tasted really fresh and had good flavor, but it would have been better as an actual omelet. She also got some potatoes and buttered rye toast with her breakfast.

We also tried the Grilled Cinnamon Roll ($2.49). This came out more like a cinnamon roll french toast. It was yummy for what it was, but it could have been outstanding had it included a sweet icing drizzle, or maybe some maple butter or something. Heck, I’d have even taken some basic maple syrup. As it was, we just added a little butter and ate it that way. Like I said, it was pretty good, but it could have been great with a little more effort.

And so we come to my second breakfast. Yes, I ordered two breakfasts. I couldn’t resist. Sausage gravy & biscuits are just my thing, and I really haven’t found it all that often in this area (I guess it’s a cultural thing, as I’ve found that more diners around here lean more toward the creamed chipped beef option instead). Keystone Grill’s Sausage Gravy & Biscuit ($5.99) was a very pleasant surprise. It was one split biscuit topped with a river of very creamy, white sage gravy and a ton of sliced sausage link pieces.

Oh my gosh you guys…this gravy was SO GOOD! It was on the thinner side, which was fine, and the flavor was amazing! The heaviness on the sage gave this a really unique taste, and the plentiful sausage pieces added a bit of spice. It wasn’t greasy at all, neither was it too floury. The biscuit itself was delicious too – soft, moist and fresh. It also came with a big helping of the fried potatoes, which we doggie-bagged, along with one of the biscuit halves covered in gravy and sausage. I’d go here again just to get this!

Overall, we were really pleased with breakfast/brunch at Keystone Grill. Some of the things we ordered were really on point (hollandaise, sausage gravy) while others might benefit from a little refining (omelet, cinnamon roll), but more importantly, everything was really fresh and flavorful. The service was good even for as busy as they were, and the staff was friendly. And as for the prices, bottom line is it’s tough to beat this place. Honestly, considering these factors, it’s a better option for my money than some of the other diners in the immediate area. I’m sure we’ll be back whenever we’re in the mood for a quick family breakfast.

Keystone Grill is located at 2838 W. Main St, Eagleville, PA 19403 (MAP). They’re open 7 days a week from 6:00AM – 10:PM and serve breakfast all day. To find out more, visit their Facebook page HERE.

Grand Day Café – Columbus, OH

 

Grandview is really one of my favorite areas of Columbus. It has pretty much anything you would want: fancy shopping, fine dining, quaint little shops, breweries, local coffee, pubs & bars, bakeries, trendy eateries, and comfortable family-style cafes. When it comes to the latter in Grandview, in my mind I immediately think of places like Grand Day Café. GDC is squished inside of a strip mall along busy W. 5th Ave, surrounded by lots of other local businesses. It’s a casual, medium-sized restaurant that serves breakfast all day, seven days a week.

Grand Day Café has that simple breakfast place feel. It’s been around for several years as its current incarnation, but the space itself has been a breakfast mainstay in town even in its prior life as Rise & Dine Restaurant, a concept very similar to GDC. We visited on a Saturday morning at around 10:30am, and the place was packed. What makes that last sentence a little more impressive was the fact that it was raining cats & dogs outside. When the weather is pleasant, you can usually expect big crowds. But on this day, the weather sucked, so I was pretty surprised at the volume of business they were doing.

The restaurant is set up with a small entryway in the middle, with a counter straight ahead and a seating area on either side. While we were waiting for a table, I struck up a conversation with a guy who has been coming here every Saturday for the last couple of years and sitting at his usual spot at the counter. That’s him in the hat. I love stories like that.

And the other side of the room…packed.

The menu at Grand Day is about as all-inclusive as you can get. It covers all of the usual breakfast bases  – like breakfast combos, steak & eggs, wraps & sandwiches, corned beef hash, omelets and the like – but also adds some nifty dishes that you don’t often see, like a Kentucky Hot Brown and eggs benedict made with fried chicken or shrimp. I was surprised, however, that the kids meal section only included three or four options. Thankfully, Grub Boy doesn’t venture far from his usuals.

One interesting item on the menu is the Benedict Sampler ($8.99). The idea is that you can create your own combo from any two benedict dishes that they offer and sample one of each, along with hash browns or home fries. The choice was tough since GDC makes about eight different varieties.

I chose one Fried Chicken benedict and one Avocado benedict, along with a side of hash browns. On the up side, I loved the huge portion of well-cooked hash browns that was on my plate. They were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, just the way I like them. The benedicts, on the other hand, were a little hit & miss for me. I loved the concept of both, but the execution fell a little flat. The meat on the fried chicken benedict consisted of two small slices from a breaded chicken patty, which tasted good, but I had wished there was a little more to it. The poached egg was overcooked and had very little runniness to the yolk, and the hollandaise was really heavy on the lemon, almost to the point that I couldn’t eat it. The avocado benedict was better – the egg was a little less overcooked, but the hollandaise was still tough to get past. Both were topped with some tasty crumbled bacon.

Our boy went with his favorite dish, French toast ($4.49), from the kid’s menu. It came with his choice of bacon or sausage, and he chose the salty pig strip, which was cooked nicely.

Mrs. Grub Guy ordered one of GDC’s specialties, their breakfast version of a  Kentucky Hot Brown ($7.29), and it looked absolutely delicious. It was a big slice of Texas toast topped with some really nice sliced, smoked turkey breast, a poached egg, hollandaise, and bacon. It came with her choice of potatoes, and she too went with the shredded hash browns.

This dish was a hit with the wife. The turkey was thick-sliced breast meat and had a really amazing smoked flavor. Her egg was poached perfectly (tender but firm whites with a smooth, velvety yolk) and she didn’t mind the lemony flavor of the hollandaise. It was topped with two strips of bacon that just added another layer of goodness. I’m still not 100% sold on the hollandaise for this dish…I’m thinking maybe if I were eating (or making) it, I’d prefer a traditional cheese sauce for this one, but she said it was very enjoyable.

Pro Tip: Grand Day Café offers a “Free coffee before 8:00am” guarantee every day!! Their coffee is standard, slightly weak diner brown, but I’m still chugging down two or three cups every time I go!!

There’s a lot to like about Grand Day Café. They do breakfast well, and offer a menu with enough variety to satisfy everyone from the enthusiast to the casual fan looking for a plate of bacon and eggs. It’s the perfect place to take someone who’s stuck in the Bob Evans/IHOP/Sunny Street Café rut because it’s just got that same kind of feel, but it’s much more enjoyable to someone like me who’s big on supporting locally owned businesses.

Overall, we enjoyed our most recent visit, as we have the previous ones before it, and even though the food was a little off this time, I’m sure we’ll be back.

Grand Day Café is located at 1284 W. 5th Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 (MAP). They’re open Monday – Sunday, 6:30am – 3:00pm. For more info, check out their website, or their Facebook or Twitter pages.

 

Matt the Miller’s Tavern (Grandview) – Columbus, OH

The brunch buffet at Matt the Miller’s Tavern has been calling my name for quite some time now.  It’s one of those places that I’d had on my “must try” list, but for one reason or another, I  just hadn’t gotten there yet. And I’m not really sure why not. With restaurants in three different areas of town – Grandview, Dublin, and Polaris – there really is no excuse. But when I recently spoke to our friends at MtM about collaborating with the blog for our bi-monthly gift card giveaway (stay tuned for details!!), I figured this was the perfect opportunity for me to get my brunch-lovin’ self over to check them out. So with Mrs. Grub Guy and the boy in tow, we visited their Grandview location recently to partake in the mega-brunch buffet madness.

Matt the Miller’s offers an upscale, casual atmosphere with a kitchen that serves a delightful menu of tavern-style favorites. The interior of the Grandview space was comfortably designed to feature such modern trends as partially exposed brick walls, chalk-board-like signage, and comfortable seating.

In addition to their delicious food, MtM offers a fully stocked bar, making it a popular destination for happy hour.

They’re also passionate about beer, offering a constantly rotating inventory of craft, draft, and local beers. When we visited, several selections from local craft brewers like Seventh Son Brewing, Four String Brewing, and Columbus Brewing Company were on tap.

Although I don’t usually pass up the chance to throw back a local brew, I just wasn’t feeling it this morning. Breakfast grub was what I was looking for, and thankfully I didn’t have to look far. The brunch buffet is a killer spread of breakfast favorites, as well as other options like baked ham, really good scalloped potatoes, fresh salads, and more. In addition, for a few bucks extra, they offer a Bloody Mary bar and a coffee bar featuring local roaster, Crimson Cup Coffee.

The brunch buffet action takes place on the bar side of the restaurant, with a line of catering tureens on one side opposite additional platters displayed along the bar. It’s an up one side, down the other kind of thing, and it seemed to keep the constant long lines (I waited for the crowd to clear to snap this pic) of hungry brunch-goers flowing.

The Ultimate Bloody Mary Bar ($7.00) was kept fully stocked and was definitely a popular destination for thirsty fans of this brunch-time mainstay.

I didn’t waste any time checking out the Brunch Buffet ($16.95) after we were seated. My first plate consisted of a big pile of nicely cooked hash browns, scrambled eggs, a couple of strips of bacon, eggs benedict, a couple small squares of a margarita flatbread, and some fruit (gotta stay healthy lol).

Grub Boy was intrigued by the waffle bar and the build-your-own-omelette station. The guy working this area did a great job, and he was probably the busiest dude in the whole place. He smiled, nodded, and seemed to cook every order perfectly. Since there were so many other options that didn’t require waiting for food to cook, none of us went with an omelette, but I definitely will next time. The waffle bar offered toppings such as fresh whipped cream, berry compote, a really yummy cinnamon-sugar butter, chocolate chips, pure Ohio maple syrup and more.

The boy’s plate was filled with a waffle, some delicious pasta Primavera (topped with a pesto sauce), and a rustic turkey hash, made with yellow squash, zucchini, red onion, peppers, red potatoes, and diced turkey breast.

One of the highlights of the buffet to me was the addition of some really amazing flatbreads. While we were there, they put out probably 4-5 different ones, and each of them looked incredible. I tried a couple of them, and my favorite was the one that featured slices of tender steak with an earthy, balsamic drizzle on top. My wife liked the goat cheese & tomato. She said she could have eaten that all day.

Here’s another plate of some of the aforementioned buffet items. Included though, are a couple of house-made donuts that we really enjoyed. They were not your typical donut holes, but were a bit more dense and chewier, which I liked. They were rolled in cinnamon-sugar and were served with the option of chocolate drizzle. Really yummy.

One feature I thought was especially nice was the kids brunch buffet table. Included in the regular kids price (kids under 2 yrs old eat free/3-4 $5.95/5-10 $7.95), it’s a nice option for those little picky eaters who don’t want anything but typical kids stuff. Mac & Cheese, Chicken fingers, and tater tots were kept toasty in the warmer, while cups of applesauce and even Oreos for dessert were the kiddies other offerings. They also offered kid-friendly silverware for little hands.

This round, I pulled a few sliced chicken fingers from the kids table, piled them on top of my waffles, and coated them with maple syrup.  I also grabbed a couple of those donuts, and added the drizzle. Plus some more eggs and some of that slap-yo-mama-it-was-so-good steak flatbread I mentioned earlier.

Another component that we really enjoyed was the Crimson Cup Coffee Bar ($2.95). There were four choices – Armando’s Blend, Sticky Toffee Caramel Creme, Celtic Grogg, and Armando’s Decaf. I loved the concept, but would have enjoyed seeing some fancy extras like maybe some flavored creamers or something.  I don’t always use them, but when I do, I love me some fancy little creme cups.

Being that it’s St. Patty’s Day weekend, we both drank the Celtic Grogg with a splash of half & half. It was really, really good, and completed the meal perfectly.

And then, as if we actually had more room in our bellies, we decided to finish with a couple of desserts. The wife and boy chose the chocolate mousse, and I had cake. Yeah, they were both just a tasty as they look.

Matt the Miller’s brunch buffet definitely has my seal of approval. Everything we ate was extremely flavorful. Our boy even made sure he told our waitress how much he loved the food, and that he liked it even better than Chinese food (which is a HUGE compliment coming from him – Chinese is his favorite!!) The staff at MtM was great too. Our server was hopping and never let our drinks get too low or our table get too stacked with dishes. The buffet runners kept a fresh, hot round of food on the buffet at all times, which was really impressive given the number of people going through the lines, and the size of some of their plates. Great job, ladies and gents.

Seriously you guys, if you’re a fan of buffets, go here. My only complaint is that they only do it once a week. When you visit, be prepared to wait. We arrived at around 11:30, and waited for about 45 minutes which wasn’t so bad, because they let you sip your Bloody Mary and coffee while you’re waiting, plus they treated us to some pre-buffet flatbreads. People LOVE this place, and for good reason. So do yourself a favor…wait. It’s worth it.

Matt the Miller’s Tavern (Grandview) is located at 1400 Grandview Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 (MAP). They’re open Monday – Tuesday, 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM, Wednesday – Saturday, 11:00 AM – 1:00 AM, and Sunday 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM, with brunch from 10-2. For more info, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

The Pearl – Columbus, OH

Although I’m not a fan of oysters, or a whole lot of different seafood for that matter (white fish, shrimp and crab are about all I go for), The Pearl has been on my list of brunches to eat in Columbus since they opened in early 2013. Its branding and theme have been built around their fresh oyster room, which calls to seafood lovers from all over the city. But even though soft, squishy creatures encased in shells aren’t really my thing, Cameron Mitchell restaurants most definitely are. His family of restaurants are very well-known throughout Cbus, from the upscale M at Miranova, to the newly opened Guild House right across the street, so it was a safe bet that The Pearl was poised to deliver the freshest quality foods and service, as all of CM’s restaurants are known to be. It’s  situated right along High St. in the Short North, and it was buzzing on a frigid Valentine’s Day morning when the wife and I stopped in for brunch.

It’s safe to say that The Pearl is a combination of several styles and dining atmospheres all in one space. First, the main seating area is divided between 3 separate dining rooms. It’s dimly lit by amber-tinted ceiling lights, and the decor provides a tavern-like ambiance, with a slight antique boutique feel thrown in for good measure.

An example of this was the huge room divider that we were seated right next to, which was made up of shelves filled with all sorts of tchotshkes.

The bar area features several high-top tables as well as bar seating. The Pearl serves an exclusive collection of ales, lagers and stouts as well as classically inspired cocktails.

Then there’s the oyster bar – a unique feature of The Pearl that many patrons love. It is functional for lunch and dinner, as well as brunch, and there were several folks dining in this section when we arrived. There are several varieties of oysters and other shellfish to choose from, as well as colossal blue crab, peel & eat shrimp, clams and more. A glass case is situated right along the top of the bar which is filled with fresh oysters on ice, and a side cart next to the counter holds condiments such as spices, sauces, and horseradish to customize your meal to your tastes.

The brunch menu is separated into sections: Snacks, Starters, From The Oyster Room, Entrees, Sides, and Fresh Pies. The Snacks section features small appetizers like fried cheese curds, lamb meatballs, and spiced pickles. Starters are a little heftier, with selections like jalapeno spoon bread, salads, and a delicious charcuterie board. Entrees features some amazing main dishes such as huevos rancheros, a scrumptious-looking short rib poutine, steak & eggs, a Pub burger, and a Cuban sandwich. In addition, sides and desserts are available individually.

I’m not sure if it was a special touch specifically for V-Day, or if they have them all the time, but the small candles at each table added a nice little romantic feel. Additionally, Mrs. Grub Guy really loved the vintage silverware, the rustic, wooden tabletops, and all of the details that added charm, like the glass bottle chandeliers, which I missed getting a picture of.

The wife and I started our meal with a homemade Cinnamon Roll ($4.00) to share. It was fresh and warm, and was covered in a creamy and smooth vanilla icing.

We also shared an order of Deviled Eggs ($6.00), which won the award of the day for presentation. Arriving on a cutting board and a chicken-shaped egg scale, these were perhaps the tastiest deviled eggs I have ever eaten. They were nicely chilled, and the smooth filling had a bit of a bite.

As far as entrees go, Mrs. Grub Guy decided on the Chicken & Waffles ($14.00). While the portion size of this dish was a little small for the price in my opinion, the two waffle quarters and medium-sized, boneless, southern fried chicken breast was fresh and flavorful, according to the wife. The waffle was crisp on the outside, and the Ohio honey-glazed chicken was tender, hot and juicy. It came with a warm blueberry compote that she topped both her chicken and waffles with.

I ordered the Tavern Benny ($12.00) which, according to the menu, appeared to be a combination of two of my favorite breakfast/brunch dishes – eggs benedict and sausage gravy & biscuits. This dish was big and filling. It consisted of a fresh split, buttermilk biscuit, topped with house made sausage patties, two poached eggs, and homemade sausage gravy.

Assembled in the same fashion as a traditional eggs benedict, this version replaces the English muffin with a hot and flaky biscuit. The house-made sausage was absolutely outstanding and packed with flavor. Each patty was approximately 3/4″ thick, and was topped with a perfectly poached egg. It was smothered in a generous serving of homemade sausage gravy that was rich and creamy. I enjoyed it very much and would definitely order it again on a return visit.

After our meal, our bill was delivered tucked inside of an old book, inside of which notes, jokes, and witty sayings were written by past guests. This delivery method is a trend I’ve seen several times in the last few months, and I really like it. It’s creative, it’s different (from what most places do anyway), and it’s fun.

We both really enjoyed our Valentine’s Day brunch at The Pearl. The atmosphere was casual and cool, and the staff was pleasant and friendly. The Pearl probably has one of the larger brunch menus I’ve seen in a while, but every dish seems like it fits.

If oysters or other seafood is what you crave, The Pearl is definitely the spot for your brunching needs. You can grab a few mollusks on the half shell, and enjoy some excellent land-based brunch food, too! But if you’re like me and prefer to pass on the seafood, there’s still plenty to fill your table…and your belly.

The Pearl is located at 641 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43215 (MAP). They’re open Monday – Thursday, 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM, Friday, 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM, Saturday, 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM, and Sunday, 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM. For more info, check out their website HERE, or the Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.