What do classic soul jams, Bloody Marys and massive breakfast crepes have in common? Resto bar Magdalena’s Party weekend brunch offerings. I remember back in the day when it was nearly impossible to find anything reminiscent of a good ole’ USA styled brunch – times have changed and bruncheando is a new local pastime (ranked right below waiting in lines). This bar located on the corner of Thames y Costa Rica in Palermo Soho brings delicious breakfast favorites on Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm – 4pm.
The menu is very reduced, only offering about 5 brunch dishes: two sweet, two savory and a healthy granola-fruit-blahblah-Iordersaladsondates-boring option (actually, just go home if you are ordering granola for brunch). On top of that they offer Bloody Marys, mimosas, organic coffee and the oh-so difficult to find chai tea.
It was that kind of morning where a Bloody Mary sounded like a spicy glass of heaven and this cure to the common resaca did not disappoint. Packed with liquid gold – real tomatoes, real spice and extremely fresh goodness, this version will be a strong contender in the Bloody Mary category of the Best of BA Awards, a fictitious awards ceremony that I just made up.
Onto the Belgian waffle (AR$30). In good Argentine fashion this comes with butter, dulce de leche and whipped cream. There is also the option to add blueberries, seasonal fruit compote ANNNND PURE Canadian maple syrup (adding an extra $5-$10 per topping). I really wanted it with blueberries, but they didn’t have any fresh in stock (#TIA), so instead I had it with an apple compote and maple syrup. I haven’t had maple syrup in months, so I was happy.
The waffle was light and delicious, reminded me of what I’d get in my favorite diner at home. Cooked just right – soft and fluffy inside, slightly crunchy and chewy outside, all around tasty. I wish it had the option of an assortment of fresh fruit on top, or fruit of the day that could be substituted without an extra charge for the DDL and whipped cream – that way it won’t disappoint if there isn’t one ingredient in stock (arándanos), brings some more color to the plate, and a lighter option. OBVIO in a dream world there would be a maple syrup dispenser on the table with endless supplies of the sweet nectar, where I could hold the spout to my lips and drink. A girl can dream, can’t she?
Magdalena’s Cali Coast Omelette (AR$45), a thick crepe filled with eggs, ham, black beans and cheese – topped with pico de gallo, avocado and sour cream and served with a side of breakfast potatoes. I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting the omelette to consist of a crepe and the thought scared me a bit, reminding me of the SNL “Taco Town” commercial. But this one of a kind dish was quite good – unique, hearty and satisfying – the kind of food you want to shovel into your face after a long night out. Insides all worked well together, especially with the pico de gallo and avocado… the black beans definitely made that a winning dish – the ham was a surprise since it wasn’t listed as one of the ingredients, but I enjoy being a bad Jew once in a while.
Despite the delish-ness, with my Great Depression Argentina Style mentality, no matter how tasty, it’s hard for me to fork over $45 pesos on one brunch dish.
Probably the least exciting out of the mix, the American Diner Special (AR$40): 2 eggs, breakfast potatoes, bacon and toast. One good thing is that you can change the toast for a pancake, a pretty large, fluffy, I-want-more-pancakes-right-now with a side of that crispy bacon. The bacon was BOMB, some of the best I’ve had so far in the panceta loving city. The portions were a bit off – huge pancake, generous potatoes, about 1 or 2 small strips of bacon and 2 scrambled eggs. Also, a bit pricey since a similar dish (but not as good) at Gringa or Oui Oui would cost around $25 – $30 and include coffee.
It doesn’t go unnoticed the small details that really make it extra special – bottles of Heinz ketchup on the table, imported chile habanero sauce, great funky music – all aiding to an overall pleasant brunch experience. I’ll be back soon to try some more pancakes. If they add a few more things to the menu, dishes that don’t already exist in the city – like a delicious breakfast sandwich or breakfast burrito (at accessible prices) – it could become THE hotspot brunch destination.
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New to BA sortof says
I recently y stopped by on windy pollen filled brilliant spring Sunday. Aside from the hay fever attack, and multi-mile trek to get cash from the nearest ATM (no credit cards accepted), the experience was perfect. I had pancakes, bacon and real American coffee. The food was great and the service very friendly. I even got some apartment shopping advice, who could ask for more