Lazy Ox Canteen - Brunch

Enjoyed my dinner experience here, so I was excited for brunch. Brought a group of friends, all first timers. It was carmageddon weekend so I didn't think there would be a need for reservations. Took the Metro Red line and a short stint on the Gold line.



The brunch menu was impressive. A nice variety of small plates and entrees. We had a party of six, so getting a taste of several dishes would not be a problem. We ordered the following:











fried eggs with crumbled sausage, semolina & salsa verde
bellwether farms ricotta fritters with saffron honey
turkey and pork belly sandwich with bacon & yuzu aioli
8 oz lazy ox burger with cantal cheese & green peppercorn mustard
roasted shell on fava beans with mint
pig ear "chicharon" with pickles, radish & horseradish
crispy surf clams with caper & pickle aioli
grilled green cabbage salad with piquillo pepper, caper & shrimp
roasted cauliflower with chile, mint & pine nuts
pork & beef ragu with egg pasta & fried egg
butterscotch pudding

There were several highlights in this list. But the pig ear "chicharon" was my favorite. The crispy exterior and the slightly chewy interior, the horseradish and pickles add a nice acid and heat.







My entree was the turkey and pork belly sandwich. The sandwich itself was a bit dry and bland, more aioli would have helped. But the worst part about the sandwich was the fact that it arrived 10 mins after we had eaten all of the other dishes.

Overall brunch was delicious, besides a few execution issues.

Wurstküche

Had to check out this place since I was thinking about hosting a party here. Really wanted to take a look at the "private room", I knew the food and beer would be decent.



We ordered the Filipino Maharlika with carmelized onions and spicy peppers. Also had fries with white truffle oil and chipotle ketchup. The sausage was good, but I thought the flavor was very subtle and overpowered by the onions a peppers.

I really like the decor of the place, it's industrial and everybody sits at long communal tables. Didn't try any of the beer, I'll be back for that.