coffee

Briarpatch

Posted on by leolawrence94

Briarpatch, Winter Park, Florida

We’ve hopped stateside! A short hiatus from Sydney leads us to Orlando, Florida for the next few posts. Enjoy!

Orlando, Florida: The home of Disney World, Universal and all things synonymous with fun (unless you’re a heartless scrooge). While no trip to Orlando is complete without a visit to these amusement parks, there is much more of ‘The City Beautiful’ to be discovered, unbeknownst to many tourists. The city has undergone something of a renaissance in recent years with its downtown neighbourhood’s revamp into a vibrant and, most notably, pedestrian friendly area. However, the neighbourhood whose praises I will be singing throughout this post is Winter Park, a beautifully dreamy amalgamation of fountains, green parks, boutiques and quaint restaurants. Also home to Rollins College, Winter Park is the playground for college students and retirees alike, living harmoniously in this sun-drenched Floridian oasis.

Strolling down Park Avenue, one is presented with a plethora of dining options with outdoor seating spilling onto the pavement beneath colourful awnings. Upon recommendation, Ole Sib, Papa L and I headed to a restaurant called Briarpatch for brunch with my aunt and uncle in tow – a merry gathering! Sadly we were unable to secure seating outside given our party size and the popularity of the restaurant and its al fresco area, however the inside of Briarpatch was bright and airy, with snazzy light fixtures and modern art adorning the walls. The disappointment of not being able to dine in the sunshine was nothing a couple of blood orange mimosas (a wonderful twist on the classic) couldn’t solve. Next up: the impossible task of deciding whether to head down the sweet or savoury route for brunch, perhaps the only serious downfall of this revolutionary mealtime (see post: Imperium brunch). While the french toast was no doubt trying to woo me, I opted for savoury and chose the California Eggs Benedict, for what is brunch (or life, for that matter) without eggs?

Now perhaps you are wondering what the difference is between a classic eggs benedict and this blonde, tanned Californian version. Let me put you out of your misery. This west coast take on the favourite breakfast dish came with avocado (the most fashionable fruit around) and a chipotle hollandaise sauce that went down like a house on fire with a heap of golden home fries. The bacon was also of the streaky variety, whereas the typical eggs benedict tends to feature ham or back bacon. All in all, Briarpatch’s California Eggs Benedict blew the regular version out of the water. The inclusion of avocado was welcome, because a breakfast instagram post without the familiar green hue of this popular food is quite frankly insufficient in this day and age. Furthermore, while hollandaise does not tend to rank highly on my list of condiments, this smoky chipotle version was a fantastic alternative and went swimmingly with the home fries.

In great spirits and full of eggs, we took a stroll down Park Avenue to soak up the sun (shout out to those Sheryl Crow fans) and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of Winter Park. In the name of full research and because it was so gosh darn good, we returned to The Briarpatch a mere two days later to head down the less travelled sweet brunch route and sample some good lookin’ french toast and my oh my was it worth it. All boxes checked, it can safely be said that Briarpatch is the hottest spot in town for all your breakfast and brunch needs (and the menu looks pretty good for those less hip mealtimes, too!).

Muriel’s Kitchen

Posted on by leolawrence94

Behold the inaugural restaurant post! Many posts are in the making and will be posted shortly but here’s the first one to get the ball rolling…

Muriel’s Kitchen was the chosen retreat from the elements on this week’s rainy Tuesday afternoon in Richmond. As soon as we stepped in the door to avoid the British version of Storm Jonas, the atmosphere was relaxed and inviting with a homely feel and great lighting. The rustic tiled floor complemented the wooden tables and the quirky cooking implements that acted as wall decorations. The vibe was almost that of walking into the kitchen of classy country cottage. So far, so good.

Upon being seated at a quaint table with a tiny potted plant, we opted for a skinny cappuccino and a hazelnut latte. Both arrived promptly and were of a great quality – I’m a big fan of foam so that was a win. When they arrived, despite having said we were just here for drinks (life on an unemployed budget), we ordered a red velvet cupcake and a dulce de leche brownie.

It turns out these were excellent choices. The red velvet cupcake was beautifully presented, albeit slightly challenging to consume owing to its towering nature. The history behind red velvet cake is intriguing. Beetroot colouring has been used since wartime to add colour to bland ingredients, however the original red velvet recipe originated in New York in the 1960s in the famed Waldorf Astoria New York. After the secret recipe was leaked, it became a fashionable choice of New York’s affluent population for their classy gatherings.

Given its history, popularity and current fashionable nature, the red velvet cupcake is a highly scrutinised cake. Luckily, Muriel’s Kitchen’s take on the classic did not disappoint. The cream cheese icing was perfection – tart enough to enjoy in more-than-moderation without being sickly – and the cupcake itself was moist (I bemoan the use of this word but am awaiting the world’s discovery of a better word to describe good cake).

Our other choice, the dulce de leche brownie, was a dark, gooey piece of chocolaty goodness marbled with soft caramel that oozed from the centre. The only downside to this brownie was having to precisely and delicately divide it to ensure we both got an equal amount of caramel. As the younger sibling, I object to being short-changed in this manner. The exceptional thing about the desserts we sampled was that, although they were visually striking, they exuded the Grandma’s cooking vibe that was described in the menu. Another success for the chefs of Muriel’s Kitchen.

An all round solid culinary experience was only added to by the excellent soundtrack in the restaurant, from jazzy swing music that transported us to the Bayou to contemporary Florence and the Machine and Jessie Ware to old school Fleetwood Mac and The Pretenders. I was digging it. Despite only going for coffee and cake (which maybe turned into a bottle of wine as well…), the menu was appealing and extensive and reasonably priced for such an enjoyable experience. Muriel’s Kitchen most definitely lived up to its ‘Home Sweet Home’ slogan and we will surely be returning to enjoy it once more.

http://www.murielskitchen.co.uk

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