Rarely on Saturday and Sunday mornings do I venture to what’s now known as ‘Leo’s Down Under.’ Partly because the thought of the cafeteria’s nether regions makes me slightly nauseated, but also because a weekend brunch diet of tater tots and breakfast burritos gets old faster than the Nazi at the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. If you choose to take a post-midterm break for a nice weekend brunch, you will have chosen wisely. And although mornings are not my strong suit, when I’m enjoying a delightful brunch, time doesn’t matter.
Good brunches can be had at a few classic places along M and Wisconsin-News Café, Leopold’s Kafe, and Martin’s, to name a few. But there are a couple of other options. If you want a great atmosphere accented with delicious food, Café Bonaparte on Wisconsin is the place to go. The interior of Bonaparte is like a bygone baroque playhouse, inherited and redecorated by 1960s bohemians, with an exposed brick wall supporting a silver ceiling in patterned relief. The crêpe Florentine with roma tomatoes, ricotta cheese, pine nuts, and basil in a roasted garlic and pesto sauce is a delightful treat. Sitting in the cozy room, the smells of cooking omelets and warm Nutella are
as mellifluous as the French that wafts through the air.
Over on M Street, half the fun of being at Clyde’s is that it’s amazing to be at a place that’s more Georgetown than the Tombs. Their brunch menu changes every week, but it routinely features waffles with walnuts and fruit as well as delectable omelets and complementary coffee cake. Especially good for bringing out-of-town friends to, Clyde’s may not be as relaxed as Bonaparte, but it’s surely not a spot to miss.
Brunch, unlike lunch and dining hall dinners, is more than a simple bite to eat. It’s the right mix of food and morning stimulation that marks the beginning of a relaxing day or the sweet epilogue to a night out. Like a hot cup of green tea, whose heat primes and perks your senses, a brunch date does more than fill your stomach-it’s food for the heart, and not just in the cholesterol sense. Like waking up in a warm blanket, brunch in Georgetown embodies a feeling so pleasant, not even the clutch of winter can take it away. This weekend, treat yourself to a post-trick-or-treat decompression garnished with walnuts and powdered sugar. If you stay on campus, the only guarantee garnish you’ll have is big ladle’s worth of lamesauce.
Taste Michael’s sauce at mhk9@georgetown.edu.
