There's nothing quite like a leisurely Sunday Brunch. A relaxed pace. A gorgeous spring morning burning the dew away on the golf course outside. A perfect end to a nice weekend.
In our case, our trip to the Boar's Head Inn's Old Mill Room for brunch meant just a bit more. For us, it meant the end of a delicious chapter in our lives. And what a way to go out.
Leave your jeans and shorts at home -- the Old Mill Room requires much classier dress. The amount of seersucker we saw this weekend could only be surpassed tomorrow at Foxfield.
Be prepared to spend a pretty penny on this feast, $27 a person. Yet, as you'll see, we thought ever bite was well worth it.
In our first trip to the buffet, we quickly scanned the four main tables and discovered a plethora of choices such as eggs, waffles, fruit, ham, sausages, biscuits, salads, chicken, cheeses and cakes.
We began at the omelet station. There we selected a made-to-order omelet (Daniel: cheese and mushrooms, Allison: cheese, mushrooms and tomatoes) that was quickly prepared by one of the restaurant's fine chefs. The omelet was fluffy and well presented, making it the perfect beginning to our meal. The omelets had the perfect amount of filling, making each bite a blend of textures and flavors.
Next, we moved left at this same table and filled our plates with waffles and ham. Two intricate Belgian waffle makers rested on the table, each producing three individual waffles for patrons. These waffles, however, were shaped like a boat, leaving a nice pool in the center for us to add fresh strawberries, whipped cream and maple syrup. We enjoyed the gravy boat addition, (it kept the syrup in the right place instead of running all over the plate) and appreciated the small portion.
Although we were hoping for traditional country ham, we instead were sliced a few thin pieces of a smoked Virginia ham. It made for a nice complement to the fluffy omelet and the soft waffle.
During our second trip to the buffet, our eyes definitely grew larger than our stomachs. We grabbed sausage, hash browns, cinnamon raisin bread pudding, gouda cheese, bacon, fresh fruit and grits. And to tell you that we enjoyed everything we tried would be completely true.
Of the lot, the grits, bacon and cinnamon raisin bread pudding topped our list. The grits were tender, flavorful and not runny -- a runny grit is one of the worst brunch items out there. The bacon was crispy and seemed to melt in our mouths as we indulged.
One of our favorite items, the cinnamon raisin bread pudding easily could have been our dessert -- it was that sweet and delicious. But we knew we had to go back for seconds and push on.
Next, we officially had brunch, making the transition from breakfast to lunch. We selected the Thai chicken, the marinated mushrooms, the tomato and mozzarella salad, the marinated artichoke salad, the assorted vegetable salad, the rice pilaf and the lobster and crab medley.
The Thai chicken, the lobster and crab medley and the marinated artichokes were exceptional. The chicken was grilled and topped with a light Thai peanut dressing that accented the chicken's slightly smoky flavor.
Allison loved the lobster and crab medley. As has been the case throughout the year, we have enjoyed fish at almost every restaurant, and this stop was no different. The fish was tender and moist, leaving a nice sauce to accompany the seasoned vegetables in the medley. It could have been a whole meal in itself.
Taking a nice rest before dessert, the two of us recounted all of our fine dining experiences throughout the year. Here are a few of our secrets . . .
1. No, we never told the restaurants we were coming.
2. Daniel "just got a digital camera" about 20 times, giving him a good excuse when his flash went off in nice places like Zo-Ca-Lo.
3. The day he found out he could take pictures without his flash was a day that will live forever.
4. Allison is the one who ordered the duck and venison -- hey, she's from P.G.
After all the reminiscing, our stomachs had stretched and were ready for dessert. Not wanting to go overboard, we selected three -- the chocolate cream crepe, the two-layer chocolate cake and the banana tort.
Of the three, the winner was the chocolate cream crepe -- a rich and smooth chocolate cream folded inside a delicate crepe shell. The bite-sized desserts were of perfect buffet portion. We had two each.
As a student at the University, it would be a shame to graduate without having done brunch at the posh Boar's Head Inn. The service is first rate, the food is excellent for a buffet brunch and the atmosphere cannot be rivaled by anything in Charlottesville. It was quite a treat. And it has been our treat as well.
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