I just returned from a weekend at Bernie's.
Bernie's Lunch & Supper that is. The restaurant made its debut in River North this summer, serving Mediterranean inspired dishes. Contrary to its name, Bernie's (named after chef and owner Zack Sklar's grandfather), also serves weekend brunch. I'm always up for trying new brunch spots in the city, which isn't too hard with so many restaurants popping up.
I joined my friend Missy for Sunday brunch at the restaurant which is conveniently located a few blocks from the Chicago brown line stop. The space is beautifully decorated by
555 International, the same folks behind
Embeya,
Girl & the Goat, and
GT Fish & Oyster. I had a feeling too...the gold iron gate behind the host stand looks very similar to the one at Embeya. I loved the play between modern and classic...especially the chairs and water glasses I'm pretty sure we had in my house in the 80s and early 90s.
 |
| Bernie's Lunch & Supper |
The brunch menu is pretty extensive and features small plates, salads, sandwiches, wood oven entrees, and large plates. Per our server's recommendation, we decided to split two entrees, one savory and one sweet, as well as a starter. To start, we enjoyed the roasted oysters with chorizo butter and potato shoestrings, which our server raved about. These oysters packed a punch of rich buttery flavor which was nicely complemented by the crispy potatoes and a squeeze of fresh lemon. If you're a fan of oysters Rockefeller, you'll love these too.
 |
| Roasted Oysters |
Our savory entree was the fried egg sandwich, which was massive and came with a nice microgreen salad with beautiful sliced radishes. It was topped with a gooey fried egg, avocado, bacon, Parmesan, and hot sauce, sandwiched between two pieces of
Publican Quality bread. It was certainly a roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-dirty sandwich, but hey, who's watching? Bernie's nailed it.
 |
| Fried Egg Sandwich |
 |
| Fried Egg Sandwich |
Lastly, we shared the torrija French toast made with caramelized brioche, and topped with apple puree and sliced apples. This dish was the perfect portion and made for a dessert-like ending to our meal. The texture of the caramelized bread was wonderful--slightly toasted but with a crunchy sweet bite. The puree and apples were a nice addition as well. Luckily the maple syrup was served on the side because it was sweet enough that we didn't need it. While this dish is under the large plates section of the menu, it's not large by any means. Is it overpriced, I think so. Is it delicious? You bet.
 |
| Torrija French Toast |
Overall, we had such a relaxing experience, especially since the restaurant wasn't too crowded for brunch. I also thought the servers were super friendly and made us feel very welcome. Everything we tried was tasty and fresh too. I would return to check out lunch and dinner, as well as happy hour on their rooftop once the weather warms up.
I'm giving Bernie's Lunch & Supper 4 ghosts out of 5!
Bernie's Lunch & Supper
660 North Orleans Street
Chicago, IL 60654
312.624.9892
Post a Comment