NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Commons Club, the flagship restaurant, bar and lounge located inside the newly-opened Virgin Hotels New Orleans has been receiving praise for Executive Chef Alex Harrell’s thoughtful ingredient-driven cuisine served in a stylish, modern setting. Now, the team is pleased to announce the launch of Weekend Brunch beginning Saturday, Oct. 16. Local foodies and visitors can indulge in Harrell’s inventive brunch menu featuring Southern seasonal cuisine with Mediterranean influences every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tantalizing treats include “churro” fritters dusted with cinnamon sugar, and a Dutch baby served with whipped cream cheese, fruit compote and cane syrup. Savory offerings include pimento cheese toast on multigrain bread served with crispy Benton’s Ham, freezer pickles and dill; fried egg sandwich with Benton’s bacon or country ham, fermented chili aioli and cheddar, served on a bagel or croissant; Gulf shrimp and Bayou Cora grits served with smoky tomato and fennel broth; crispy boudin served with Bayou Cora red corn grits, sunny up egg and Red Eye gravy; and a delectable wagyu burger with freezer pickles, smoked gouda, bacon fat aioli and Alex’s mustard, served on a potato bun with a side of fries. Since brunch isn’t complete without boozy drinks, a variety of creative cocktails will also be available. Virgin Hotels New Orleans is located at 550 Baronne St. in the city’s Warehouse District. For more information on Commons Club, visit commonsclub.com/neworleans and follow Commons Club New Orleans on Instagram at @commonsclubnola.
TUJAGUE’S
Experience the flavors of Old New Orleans at Tujague’s, the Crescent City’s second oldest restaurant serving up traditional New Orleans cuisine with robust flavors. At Tujague’s, diners can indulge in brunch Friday – Sunday. Highlights include charbroiled oysters – ½ dozen or a dozen; shrimp or brisket poboy; hot honey chicken biscuit – fried chicken tossed in hot honey sauce, served with fries; shrimp and grits – Parmesan stone ground grits, andouille, baby shrimp, roasted peppers, jumbo head-on shrimp, New Orleans-style BBQ sauce. Sure to make any brunch experience memorable are Tujague’s unbeatable drink specials, which include $18 bottomless mimosas; $4 Guilhem Rosé; $4 Tujague’s private label sparkling; $5 Grey Goose martinis or New Amsterdam martinis. Brunch is served on Friday from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Tujague’s is located at 429 Decatur St. Telephone: (504) 525-8676; tujaguesrestaurant.com
BIRDY’S BEHIND THE BOWER
Birdy’s Behind the Bower is a breakfast, brunch, and lunch spot perched in the back of the Framework building, serving Southern-inspired, locally-sourced American cuisine alongside a welcoming outdoor courtyard. Diners are welcome to enjoy Weekend Brunch at Birdy’s every Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Favorites include huevos rancheros – black beans, slow simmered chicken in adobo, pico de gallo, cilantro, avocado, two eggs any way; shakshuka – tomatoes, greens, feta, poached eggs, herb salad, grilled baguette; and banana bread french toast – whipped ricotta, candied walnuts, salted caramel. Not-to-be-missed are the fabulous Birdy’s boards: brunch board – donut, granola, slab bacon, hot coppa, bubble waffle, fruit, seasonal jam, mini cookies, mini pancakes, house syrup, triple cream cheese, soft boiled eggs; pastry board – seasonal fruit tart, mini deep dish chocolate pecan pie, Italian cream cake, macarons, tiny brownies, sunrise bread, assorted cookies, meringue; and the biscuit board – whipped local honey butter, seasonal jam, chicken sausage gravy. Birdy’s Behind The Bower is located at 1320 Magazine St. Telephone: (504) 302 2992; birdysnola.com
JACK ROSE
Jack Rose, named the #1 “Best Hotel Restaurant” in the country according to USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice, is offering Weekend Brunch complete with inventive seasonal fare and champagne specials. Foodies and imbibers can indulge in Chef/Owner Brian Landry’s tantalizing dishes including the saffron orecchiette – butternut squash, walnut pesto, coconut; pork belly – white beans, fennel, turnips, salsa verde; fried shrimp + grits in étouffée sauce; chicken + waffles, pepper jelly; and steak + eggs – Wagyu flank, sunny side up eggs, crispy potatoes, salsa verde. Upgrade your brunch with Veuve Cliquot bottle specials for $60, or opt for one of the eatery’s famed cocktails. Jack Rose is located at the Pontchartrain Hotel, 2031 St Charles Ave. in New Orleans. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Telephone: (504) 323-1500; www.jackroserestaurant.com.
COMPÈRE LAPIN
Brunch aficionados can delight in an array of delicious eats at New Orleans’ gastronomic gem, Compére Lapin at The Old No. 77 Hotel. Brunch is available every Sunday from 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Brunch favorites include the everything bagel– tuna tartare, Calabrian crema; buttermilk biscuits – ricotta, preserved fruit; tater tots – crème fraîche, caviar; ricotta cavatelli – maitake mushrooms, sweet corn, bacon; and Chef Nina Compton’s wildly popular French toast – rum caramel, pecan, mint. Guests can opt in for the prix-fixe option, which includes three courses for just $35 per person. Brunch at Compére Lapin wouldn’t be complete without creative cocktail concoctions. Drinks include Copper Hopper – Absolut Elyx vodka, cardamom, pineapple, GH Mumm champagne; Madeira Cobbler – Rainwater Madeira, Rancio Sec, Fino Sherry, Grapefruit Oleo, lemon; and Beer for Breakfast – [frozen] coffee stout reduction, vodka, Averna, Crème de Cacao, Fernet, milk. Compère Lapin is located in The Old No. 77 Hotel at 535 Tchoupitoulas St. in New Orleans. Reservations can be made on Resy. Telephone: (504) 599-2119; comperelapin.com.
TOUPS’ MEATERY
Since brunch first launched in 2019, Chef Isaac Toups’ flagship restaurant Toups’ Meatery has been a bustling hotspot to spend weekend days in Mid-City New Orleans. The restaurant continues to serve Weekend Brunch every Saturday 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.; and Sunday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Brunch favorites include Louisiana shrimp fried rice made with crab fat and ham; coffee cake – caramel coffee sauce, candied bacon; fried redfish benny – catfish, braised greens, poached eggs, smokey green hollandaise; seared foie gras – buttermilk sourdough biscuits, Red Eye gravy, crispy onions; and buttermilk fried chicken sandwich – hot sauce butter, braised greens, gruyere. Of course, the famed cracklins, Toups Burger and Meatery board are also on offer. Boozy brunch offerings include a variety of seasonal cocktails and $15 Bottomless Mimosas. Toups’ Meatery is located at 845 North Carrollton Ave. in New Orleans. Telephone: (504) 252-4999; toupsmeatery.com.
