Down on the Bayou AT RONNI E’S
Ronnie’s is a classic American diner with waffles, pancakes, scrambles and various types of Benedict. Ronnie’s (12812 W. 87th St., Lenexa) gets a little local flair by employing local products, such as the sliced Scimeca’s andouille sausage you’ll find in this omelette, which is served with square-cut hash browns and thick slabs of toast. M A R T I N C I Z M A R
Salt Bagel with Smoked Salmon
AT M E S H U GGAH
Before they opened Meshuggah, Janna and Pete Linde used to fly to New York and smuggle bagels back to freeze. That’s what the rest of us would have to do if the Lindes hadn’t opened these Midwestern embassies of boiled-then-baked bageldom in Westport and Overland Park (meshuggahbagels.com). Pete is an engineer by trade, a native New Yorker of Jewish heritage who learned the process of making bagels that have the classic chewy crust (burlap-covered cedar boards are required) for this no-frills operation, which eschews egg sandwiches in favor of NY deli staples like Whitefish Salad. Our favorite combo is the salt bagel with smoked salmon, but your mileage may vary. M A R T I N C I Z M A R
Barbacoa Chilaquiles AT G G’S BAR BAC OA C AF É
Nachos for breakfast? Don’t mind if I do. At GG’s (210 S 7th St., KCK), a Mexican barbecue pit in KCK, fried corn tortilla chips get simmered in a lightly spiced red sauce and piled with tender barbacoa, two over-easy eggs, shredded white cheese and sour cream. To the hungover, it’s a holy trinity: fried crunchy chips, spicy sauce and melted cheese. N ATA L I E G A L L A G H E R
Mattie Toaster AT MAT TI E’S FO O DS
Extra At Home Brunch is about style. It’s about breaking open a sexy yolk over avocado toast and lingering over Irish coffees. With the pandemic canceling so many brunch dates, here are a few ways to enjoy that decadence at home. N ATA L I E G A L L A G H E R
C AV I A R T R E AT M E N T
G E T C R AB BY
What’s the ultimate brunch indulgence? Probably topping off your scrambled eggs with more eggs. Of course, the French came up with this extravagant idea—just Google Michelin-starred French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s recipe for scrambled eggs served inside an eggshell and topped with caviar. You can purchase caviar at Whole Foods or order caviar service—with accoutrements—from Ça Va (4149 Pennsylvania Ave., KCMO)..
Crab legs are a luxury item, and you deserve a pile of them on your table next to some melted butter and a tall glass of bubbles spiked with just a splash of grapefruit juice. You can find whole crab legs at local grocery stores or Broadway Butcher Shop (3828 Broadway Blvd., KCMO), or order takeout from Jax Fish House (4814 Roanoke Parkway, KCMO).
BRING ON THE BUBS
Here’s the thing about mimosas: Most of the time, you’re getting a few sips of bottom-shelf sparkling wine, with the cheap taste camouflaged by OJ. Isn’t it better, really, to pour yourself a flute of the good stuff with a kiss of juice?
Plant-based eating is easy at Mattie’s Foods (633 E. 63rd St., #110, KCMO). Everything in this sunny Brookside shop is vegan—including the incredible Mattie Bon, a cinnamon roll so perfectly gooey and buttery it will make you suspicious. Craving savory? Get the Mattie Toaster featuring a lightly spiced house-made sausage patty (or bacon), hashbrowns and cheese sauce tucked between thick slices of Texas-style toast. N ATA L I E G A L L A G H E R
K A N S A S C I T Y M A G . C O M DECEMBER 2020
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