This past Sunday I met up with the BF and our mutual friends/couple, Sara and Charlie at Wicker Park's Prasino. I had always wondered about the gorgeous restaurant and heard they served a mean brunch. We arrived at noon to a packed house with a waiting area that was flooded with hungry and hungover patrons.
The restaurant itself is bright, airy and neutral in color, which, to me, conveys their goal of serving only local and sustainable fare. We were seated among tables of families, couples and ladies who brunch--it was truly a mixed crowd.
I had snuck a peak at the brunch menu before arriving and was excited by all of the different entree options that sounded absolutely delicious. How was I supposed to choose just one?
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| Breakfast Menu |
The brunch menu at Prasino also features quite a few cocktails including bloody mary's and sparkling drinks. However, we all opted for the bottomless coffee, which, might I add, was just ok. I also wasn't sure why our server would continuously only fill our mugs halfway. The glass was "half empty" if you ask me...
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| Cocktails |
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| Bright and Airy Ambiance |
Sara opted for the healthy french toast which featured egg whites and multigrain bread and was topped with fresh blueberries and strawberries. Unfortunately, she didn't enjoy the dish which only had two pieces of bread. Although it was meant to be healthy, that didn't mean it had to be flavorless and puny.
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Healthy French Toast: multigrain bread, egg whites, cinnamon,
nutmeg, berries |
Charlie went with one of the many omelets on Prasino's brunch menu, the City Farm Omelet featuring chicken apple sausage, spinach and goat cheese and served with a side of home fries and toast. This was my second choice for an entree, so I'm glad someone ordered it! He enjoyed the omelet (probably not nearly as much as I enjoyed mine!)
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| City Farm Omelet: chicken apple sausage, spinach, goat cheese |
The BF ordered the Austin Texas, a homemade jalapeño corn buttermilk biscuit topped with bacon, eggs and chorizo gravy. He ordered the gravy on the side which actually arrived looking more like a butternut squash soup than sausage gravy! The biscuit was moist and fluffy and the gravy struck a perfect balance between creamy and spicy.
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Austin Texas: jalapeño corn buttermilk biscuits, bacon, eggs,
chorizo gravy |
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Austin Texas: jalapeño corn buttermilk biscuits, bacon, eggs,
chorizo gravy |
Finally, I ordered the Hippie Omelet which included spinach, basil goat cheese and a homemade tomato jam. This omelet was dynamite! That tomato jam was pure perfection with the creamy goat cheese and I loved the spiciness of the home fries that were tossed in a blend of seasonings.
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| Hippie Omelet: spinach, basil goat cheese, tomato jam |
I opted for a side of pancakes to complete my meal instead of toast. I don't eat pancakes too often so they tasted pretty good, but were a bit on the dry side.
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| Side of Pancakes |
Overall, I was impressed with the food and presentation at Prasino, especially the best omelet I've ever had! However, I was unimpressed by the lackluster service which was slow and inattentive. The restaurant itself is beautiful and is definitely a nice ambiance for Sunday brunch, however, I was so turned off by the service that I'm not sure I'd return.
Prasino gets 4 stars for its flavorful omelet combinations, pleasant atmosphere and preference for local and sustainable ingredients, but mediocre service.
What's your favorite local and/or sustainable restaurant in or around Chicago?
Prasino
www.prasino.com
93 S. La Grange
La Grange, IL 60525
(708) 469-7058
Reservations at
OpenTable.com
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