Postcards from Bunny: Max's Wine Dive Saturday Cartoon Brunch

A few weeks ago when Bunny was gallivanting around town looking for great places for a drink, she noticed something she thought should be brought to Brandy's attention.  "I know you said you'd been to Max's Wine Dive, but did you ever go back for their Saturday Cartoon Brunch?" Bunny asked Brandy.  "You know, I haven't yet," Brandy mused, "But honestly, how special can a Saturday brunch be?  Everyone knows the good stuff is served on Sunday."  "I'm not so sure about that," said Bunny, "It looked to me like they had a bunch of special items that were only served on Saturdays.  Dishes I have definitely not seen anywhere else."  "Is that so?" Brandy responded, "Well then, I had better check it out."

Not having grown up in American (nor, indeed in the age of television), Brandy had to have some elements of the cartoon brunch explained to her by Max's General Manager Kate Bocson.  It seemed that the concept of all the Saturday morning specials originated from the idea of a child's fantasies come to life and made more adult.  To add to the theme, cartoons played throughout the restaurant and classic games like Hungry Hungry Hippos and Don't Break the Ice had been set out for the patrons to enjoy.  "Well, my idea of a nice Saturday morning usually involves some needle point and a nice cup of tea, but what do I know?" Brandy shrugged.

First off, there was the mind blowing Candy Mimosa Bar, which instantly brought out Brandy's inner child.  The idea behind the mimosa bar was that Max's, being wine focused, originally didn't plan on stocking other spirits, and therefore could not make the brunch staple cocktail that is the Bloody Mary.  Taking all the fun of a make-your-own-Bloody-Mary bar, Max's converted it to fit their signature mimosas and gave it a cartoony twist.  There were carafes of Kool-aid, containers of gummy bears, Swedish fish, and other rainbow colored confections, and a tall glass with bunches of red licorice whips.  At first, Brandy was a little skeptical of adding such sugary sweets to her fairly high quality mimosa, but after plopping in a couple of peach flavored gummy rings, she started to see the fun of it.

After delighting her senses with candy, Bunny dove into the special Saturday brunch menu.  First up was the Pizza Bagel; a Red Hen Bagel toasted and coated in gooey cheese and pepperoni.  Though unfamiliar with the American tradition of pizza bagels ("Why would you want a hole in your pizza?" Brandy kept asking), Brandy did like that the bagel was very tender and soft, making it easy to eat.  The slightly spicy pepperoni had a nice bit of chew to it, complimenting the brilliantly melty cheese.

Setting a foot on either side of the sweet and savory line were the Pancake Dippers; strips of bacon coated in pancake batter and served with a side of maple syrup for dipping, hence the name.  Brandy found herself wishing the bacon used was a little bit thicker, as the pancake element seemed to take over.  The pancake itself was firm enough to keep its structure as Brandy dipped it into the syrup, though it did have a slightly grainy texture that Brandy didn't enjoy as much as she would have liked to.

After that came the house French Toast, which Brandy had sampled during her previous visit, but had been revamped to account for the season.  Now, the French Toast came topped with lots of cinnamon, sugar, and macerated clementine segments, which Brandy thought was a very interesting choice.  She sort of liked how the acid of the oranges cut through the sweetness of the sugar and when combined with the cinnamon provided a very old fashioned flavor combination that definitely did remind her of Christmas.  The toast itself had the same great texture Brandy had enjoyed the first time around with a good bit of crispiness on the outside and a soft, custardy inside.

The Scooby Snack was the next dish to the table, and the mere sight of it had Brandy swooning with delight.  The plate was a mile high stack of chocolate chip pancakes smothered in fudge sauce and topped with graham cracker pieces and a toasted marshmallow fluff.  Not entirely understanding the cultural reference of the dish's name, the waitress kindly directed Brandy's attention to the classic cartoons playing on the televisions above the kitchen.  "But you couldn't give these pancakes to a dog!" Brandy exclaimed in horror, "They're not supposed to have chocolate!"  As expected, the dish was decadent and rich, though the pancakes were actual quite light in texture.  The glistening chocolate sauce had been finished with just a little hit of salt, which really elevated what could have been a tooth achingly sweet dish, and the bits of graham cracker kept everything lively with a bit of crunch.

Just when Brandy thought she couldn't take any more, Chef Jessica Brumleve emerged from the kitchen with a devilish grin on her face, carrying what looked to be a small mountain contained inside a punch bowl.  As it was set down in front of her, Brandy suddenly realized what it was: The Six Person Sundae.  Looking like something out of a movie, the monstrosity came topped with everything imaginable, including colorful cereal, crisp bacon, potato chips, brandied cherries, peanuts, more marshmallow fluff, chocolate sauce, and enough ice cream to satisfy a football team.  There was even what appeared to be a chocolate lava cake in the middle of the thing, possibly added for a little more wow factor or for structural stability.  Brandy could hardly believe her eyes.  "Am I supposed to eat this or swim in it?" she asked.  Had she not already been so stuffed full of deliciousness, she might have faired better, but Brandy did her level best to make a respectable dent in the colossal masterpiece, a thing truly born from the imagination of a child.

"Well, how was it?" Bunny asked the next time she was on the phone with Brandy.  "My dear, it simply needs to be eaten to be believed," Brandy said, shaking her head, "I may not have experienced the typical Saturday morning cartoon thing in my youth, but everything about that brunch made me feel like a child again, especially that magnificent sundae, mostly because the damn thing was so big that it made me feel about three feet high!"

The writers of this blog were invited to dine by the restaurant free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Postcards from Bunny: Cocktails, Wine, and Beer

Brandy has just been so darn busy these last few months that she simply can't seem to keep her schedule straight, which is why she completely forgot that Bunny was due into Chicago for a brief stay in between her husband's archeological digs.  "I just don't know if I'll have the time to do more than have a quick drink," Brandy apologized to her oldest friend over he phone, "I've become very much in demand since you left Chicago, you know."  "Of course you have," Bunny replied, her eyes rolling so hard they were nearly audible, "Well, if time for a drink is all you can spare, I guess I'll have to find a way to entertain myself.  I know!  I'll find us the absolute best places to grab a drink in the meantime!  After all, you're sooooo important, it would be unseemly for you to be seen at just any old pub."  "Brilliant idea!" Brandy gasped, "Give me a choice of where to get the best cocktails, wine, or beer, and then we'll see what kind of a mood I'm in." "Challenge accepted," affirmed Bunny.

Cocktails at The Barrelhouse Flat

Bunny started her quest off at The Barrelhouse Flat, a speakeasy style bar and lounge in Lincoln Park that prides itself on hand crafted cocktails using an incredible array of artisan ingredients, right down to their hand carved ice cubes.  The cocktails there are intricately designed twists on classics, as well as original concoctions, all of which are invented by the team of highly skilled and highly knowledgeable bartenders (they don't like the new-fangled term "mixologists" there).  Bunny loved seeing that the Featured Cocktails section of the menu was an especially exciting playground for the bartenders to invent some seasonal drinks.  First she tasted Mrs. Hudson's Smash, a delightfully bright cocktail, inspired by the Victorian punches of old, and made with gin, strawberry, lemon, allspice dram for a little kick, and a sprig of fragrant mint.  Another favorite was the Apple-Tiki, a tribute to tiki-style drinks from the height of their popularity on the 1930's and 1940's.  This cocktail had apple brandy, lime juice, cinnamon syrup, a few obscure herbal liquors, and some absinthe, which all combined for a surprisingly sophisticated beverage that wasn't too sweet and had just the right amount of fruitiness and spice.  The food at The Barrelhouse Flat wasn't bad either, consisting of smaller bites like sliders, root vegetable chips, and rustic almond macaroons that wouldn't overwhelm or over shadow the artistry of the cocktails.  "I think the thing I love most about this place is that they play period appropriate music," Bunny said, smiling as she closed her eyes and listened to a vintage recording of Louis Armstrong playing softly throughout the bar, "Makes you feel like you've stepped back in time.  I'd take a speakeasy over a night club any day!  Alright, cocktails, check.  On to wine!"

Wine at Max's Wine Dive

Bunny was very impressed by Brandy's description of her visit to Max's Wine Dive a few months ago, but she did have one criticism.  "How did you go to a place labeling itself as a "wine dive" and not drink oodles of wine?!" Bunny had asked her.  Well, now that it was Bunny's turn to visit, she decided to go whole hog, so to speak, and try a bunch of different wines, paired expertly by wine director Kristin Irwin with some of Max's new fall dishes, created by chef Jessica Brumleve.  Among Bunny's favorites of the evening were the Avancia Godello, an oaky white wine with touches of fall fruits that paired extremely well with the rich bone marrow jam on Texas toast, the  Flora Springs Triology, a red blend with bold notes of anise, sandlewood, and red fruits, paired with an apple cider braised pork belly, and the Jorge Ordonez & Co. ‘Victoria No. 2’ Moscatel, an absolutely addictive dessert wine, served with a caramelized apple crisp that came topped with a scoop of salted caramel ice cream from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams.  Bunny could have stayed and sipped every single one of the 100+ wines Max's had on offer (indeed, there were quite a few varieties that caught her eye, and luckily, as it turned out, Max's offers a to-go service with any of their drinkables), but she knew she had to keep to her mission.










Beer at SideDoor

Last on Bunny's list was to find a swanky beer bar, which was probably the hardest item to cross off, as so many places in Chicago have such outstanding beer programs.  "I need somewhere with attention to detail, history, and knowledge of product," Bunny mused before finally settling on the relatively new SideDoor, a so called American style gastro-pub with a beer menu so extensive that parts of it are kept secret from the population at large.  Beverage Director Jeff Van Der Tuuk keeps some of his most prized acquisitions off the main menu, hoping to find customers who are looking for more adventurous and exciting beers to enjoy along side Chef Brian Kwak's dishes.  Bunny had the chance to taste some of the rarer prizes from Van Der Tuuk's cellar, including the Rodenbach Caractere Rouge, a red Belgian brew with a little touch of acid from raspberry and cranberry, which went perfectly with Chef Kwak's pear salad with arugula and candied pecans, the Boulevard Saison-Brett, which had a slight lemongrass flavor and a smooth, dry finish, which matched the succulent smoked chicken wings with bleu cheese dressing to a tee, and the Revolution Very Mad Cow Milk Stout, possibly the sweetest beer in the house, paired with a divine sticky toffee pudding.  These perfect pairings were probably due to the tight cooperation between Chef Kwak and Van Der Tuuk, who plan the ever changing menus together, matching the beers in Van Der Tuuk's stash to each new dish.  "I can't imagine a better way to truly enjoy a beer!" Bunny squealed with delight, "I just know Brandy will be pleased.  And if my eyes don't deceive me, it seems they serve brunch here too!  Perhaps I'll have to plan a return trip..."

And so after her extensive research into exactly where she and Brandy should get a drink, Bunny had a contender for every category on her list she felt sure Brandy would approve of.  "You've certainly done your work well!" Brandy said admiringly, "But it's so bloody cold outside...what do you say we sit in by my fireplace and mix a couple of hot toddies?"  "Oh no, you don't!" Bunny exclaimed, "You get your coat on right now!  We're going to all three spots tonight!"

The writers of this blog were invited to attend the events mentioned in this post at no charge in exchange for an honest recap.

Max's Wine Dive or Comfortably Paired

The Slow and Savory Review

Now that this little blog is nearing it's fourth year of existence, it's not a surprise to anyone to say that Brandy has eaten quite a lot of brunch.  "I don't call myself an expert lightly," as Brandy likes to say, "But if there's anyone in this city whose seen more pancakes, mimosas, or benedicts, I'd like to meet them.  And commiserate with them."  It is perhaps this very odd set of food expertise that has made Brandy a sought after guest at some of the finest establishments in Chicago who wish to have their brunches ranked among her favorites.

Recently, Brandy was contacted by a new comer to the national pub scene (and more specifically, the Chicago brunch scene), Max's Wine Dive in Wicker Park, who have launched their full brunch service of classic dishes, created by their fearless head chef,  Jessica Brumleve.  Brandy enlisted the help of her friend Bernais Bamboo (a cheerful Sunday school teacher who prefers to brunch on Saturdays, for obvious reasons), as she had previously expressed an interest in studying Brandy's methods of brunch deduction.  "It takes a lot to surprise me these days," Brandy told her, sagely, "Which is why I tend towards the original and creative.  But if a classic dish is prepared well, I won't be turning my nose up at it.  You wouldn't believe the amount of squishy French toast, over done eggs, and watery cocktails I've had in these many years, so as long as it's done right, I'll tip my cap to it."

Even the outside of Max's gave off a strategic rusticness with the placement of barrel beside the matte black doorway.  Just inside was a wall hung with classic rock album covers, which matched the selection of music playing to the narrow, but sunny dining area.  Brandy and Bernais were taken to their seats straight away by a smiling and chatty hostess, who presented them with the menus, which, unusually, contained both the wine list and the food.  "The philosophy behind Max's is the pairing of good wine with comfort food, which makes the drinks less intimidating and the cuisine elevated," the hostess told them.  "Well, as it's brunch, I can think of no better pairing with our food than a mimosa," Brandy said cheerfully.  The hostess smiled.  "Of course!  Orange or grapefruit juice?" she asked.  Brandy raised a knowing eyebrow.  "Well played," she said, nodding, "Grapefruit, if you please."  "Orange for me," Bernais grinned cheerily.

The mimosas were pretty typical, but done perfectly, with a nice quality of champagne that wasn't hidden under the fresh and vibrant juice.  Brandy noted with approval that the menu actually gave the diner a choice of bubbly to have in their morning drink.  "I like the option to make my mimosa more or less posh," she told Bernais, "No more guessing as to whether the drink you've ordered is really worth the price.  It's right there in black and white."  Bernais scribbled notes into a paper pad as Brandy spoke.

Then the barrage of dishes began to appear.  First up was the Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes, which came topped with fresh berries, almond granola, and a drizzle of lemon curd.  The pancake was a bit on the denser side, but the crunchy granola on top kept each mouth full fresh and exciting.  "I find a whole plate of pancakes can sometimes be a little too boring after the first few bites," Brandy said thoughtfully, "But this little bit of texture on top eliminates that kind of problem."  Bernais appreciated the brightness that the lemon curd added and that not only were there blueberries on top, but also inside the pancake.  "They're like little blue bits of happiness!" she giggled.  Brandy surreptitiously moved Bernais's mimosa farther away from her reach.

Next up was the Vanilla Bean French Toast, a thick slice of Texas Toast which was topped with macerated strawberries and a pure maple syrup.  This was another dish that was pretty standard, but done right, with the tart strawberries cutting through the richness of the thick buttery bread and complimenting the creamy vanilla flavor.

The savory dishes started next with the Pork Belly Benedict, which came topped with a giardiniera hollandaise, something Brandy was pretty impressed by.  "In all the eggs benedicts I've seen here in Chicago, I've never come across a giardinera hollandaise, and now that I think about it, I can't believe no one else has done it!" she exclaimed.  Tucking into the dish, both Brandy and Bernais found they absolutely loved the tangy, vinagared flavor of the sauce, but also the lean and tender pork belly, which had been shredded.  Even the basic English muffin that served as the base was perfect, in that it's slight toastiness formed a sturdy yet pliable pedestal on which to carve a masterpiece.

Following that was the Biscuits and Gravy, which buried the headline a bit, as the center piece of the dish was a chicken fried flat iron steak.  The buttermilk biscuits were tender, but dense, with an almost cheesey flavor, while the gravy was nicely spiced with a hint of fennel from the sausage.  The steak, while tender, was a bit too thin for its thick coating, and got a bit overshadowed by the tasty, crunchy batter.  "It's so yummy, but I can't help feeling it's like a bride being upstaged by her maid of honor," Bernais said, and Brandy quite agreed with her.


For the final course ("Thank goodness!" Brandy breathed, "I'm so full of food I'm ready to make myself a little too comfortable here and lie down for a bit!"), a server presented them with a plate of Max's signature Fried Chicken with collard greens, home fries, and another thick slice of Texas toast.  Brandy and Bernais first split the giant breast, which proved to be incredibly juicy on the inside.  Here, the thick layer of batter, which had a bit of a kick to it from some added jalapenos, was much better served, proving to be a compliment rather than a cover for the protein, and the side of chipotle honey, which the menu listed as optional, was a definite must in Brandy's opinion because of it's smokiness.  The bed of greens beneath the chicken had a pungent tanginess to them, which both helped to center the decedent chicken, but also added a good punch of flavor to the otherwise subtle potatoes.

"So what did you think?" Bernais asked as the two ladies waddled away from the restaurant, "Was it worthy of your approval?"  Brandy gave a slow nod.  "The food was classic and satisfying with some very nice original touches," Brandy stated matter of factly, "And sometimes even I tire of invention for invention's sake.  There are a fair few establishments in this town that would rather put something insane on a plate without first making sure that it's tasty, but this spot is not one of them.  This is a place that knows its brunch classics and only improves upon them when they feel they've mastered the basics."  "But I heard one of the ladies that worked there say something about a Saturday Cartoon Brunch.  She said they would be serving bacon stuffed pancakes and cereal topped pancakes and pizza bagels and gigantic sundaes.  That sounds pretty creative to me!"  Brandy stopped in her tracks.  "When is that happening?" she asked.  Bernais blinked, confused.  "Saturday the 12th, I think."  A moment latter, Brandy was marching back towards Max's in order to make her reservation for the following weekend.

The writers of this blog were invited by the restaurant to dine at no charge in exchange for an honest review.

The Short and Sweet Review