Brunch is very, very important in DC (and Arlington), and I've been shirking my duty over the last few months. The city is teeming with all sorts of brunch places - they range from boozy cereal milkshakes (everyone should try these at least once) at Shaw bar Satellite Room, to lush sweet potato pancakes at Tupelo Honey in Arlington's Courthouse neighborhood.
In the New Year, one of my unofficial resolutions is to eat more brunch. This is a little problematic, as I'm also working on exercising more and eating more salad... but I'm crossing my fingers that my 2016 goals aren't TOO contradictory, because long-term happiness (gym-attending) and short-term happiness (brunch-eating) are both important. Or so I'm saying, a week and a half into the year.
I started my brunch close to home, in Arlington. Rhodeside Grill offers a pretty classic brunch menu, with a couple of unexpected twists. As a vegetarian, I'm used to taking my Eggs Benedict with spinach instead of Canadian ham - but I'm a sucker for alternatives to sometimes mushy greens. So when i saw Fried Green Tomato Benedicts on the menu, I was sold.
This is big for me. I've been vegetarian for about 14 years now, but tomatoes are definitely not my forte. I'm also a recent onion convert (I still can't bring myself to eat them raw), and I can really only tolerate mushrooms and eggplant when they're expertly disguised in soup or seriously unhealthy amounts of marinara sauce and cheese.
In the New Year, one of my unofficial resolutions is to eat more brunch. This is a little problematic, as I'm also working on exercising more and eating more salad... but I'm crossing my fingers that my 2016 goals aren't TOO contradictory, because long-term happiness (gym-attending) and short-term happiness (brunch-eating) are both important. Or so I'm saying, a week and a half into the year.
I started my brunch close to home, in Arlington. Rhodeside Grill offers a pretty classic brunch menu, with a couple of unexpected twists. As a vegetarian, I'm used to taking my Eggs Benedict with spinach instead of Canadian ham - but I'm a sucker for alternatives to sometimes mushy greens. So when i saw Fried Green Tomato Benedicts on the menu, I was sold.
This is big for me. I've been vegetarian for about 14 years now, but tomatoes are definitely not my forte. I'm also a recent onion convert (I still can't bring myself to eat them raw), and I can really only tolerate mushrooms and eggplant when they're expertly disguised in soup or seriously unhealthy amounts of marinara sauce and cheese.
So with a little trepidation, I put on my adult-iest voice and ordered a the Fried Green Tomato Benedict, with a side of fresh fruit (because healthy). The hollandaise was creamy and a tiny bit spicy, which was a great addition to the otherwise mildly spiced dish. And the tomato was happily delicious as well, though it slipped out of its breading every now and then. I was a little overwhelmed by the greasiness of it all - I'm not sure what I was expecting from a fried green tomato, but the oiliness of it all threw a wrench in my health goals for the day. The potatoes it came with were pillowy with crunchy exteriors, and mixed with skillet peppers and onions. Breakfast potatoes are my biggest brunch weakness. Even more than benedicts, they determine my rating of a brunch. So they more than made up for a slightly slippery, heavy main dish.
However, the pièce de résistance of the brunch menu at Rhodeside is an unlimited waffle and omelette option. They offer all the omelette fillings you could dream of, plus an amazing selection of fresh fruit to top your waffle. You also have access to as many breakfast potatoes, biscuits with gravy and bacon strips as you can eat. A word to the wise - they also have bowls of whipped butter and whipped cream out, unlabeled and next to each other. Don't make the mistake of taking gobs of whipped butter, as my unsuspecting brunch-mates did - it doesn't go as well with fresh fruit as the slightly sweet and light whipped cream.
Oh, and this all costs $15. For all you can eat EVERYTHING. The same as my benedict and fruit cup. From what I heard of the waffles and omelettes, they were fairly standard buffet fare. But for $15, they've got to be one of the best deals in the DMV!
The biggest downside to brunch was the wait for the check. We sat for about 30 minutes after we finished eating before we got the bills. Our waitress was very sweet, but must have gotten distracted - it was as though she'd forgotten we were there at all! So if you visit, be prepared to wait, or be more aggressive than we were about flagging your server down.
Overall, I'd give my meal 6/10 greasy tomatoes (and to be honest, the service was mediocre at best) - but if you're in the market for a brunch buffet, I would highly recommend the waffle and omelette option. PLUS, there was no wait at 11:30 on a Sunday, and tons of space. If you have the hunger and time, Rhodeside Grill is definitely good bang for your buck.
Overall, I'd give my meal 6/10 greasy tomatoes (and to be honest, the service was mediocre at best) - but if you're in the market for a brunch buffet, I would highly recommend the waffle and omelette option. PLUS, there was no wait at 11:30 on a Sunday, and tons of space. If you have the hunger and time, Rhodeside Grill is definitely good bang for your buck.