The Brunch Bunch

New to downtown, House of Brunch takes a lighter, more upscale approach to the midday meal

BY CHEY SCOTT

Brunch has a loaded reputation. It can connote long waits, massive portions, greasy hangover “cures” and bougie undertones. Yet brunch is beloved by many. It rewards sleeping late and excuses drinking alcohol before noon. Brunch is an occasion to slow down, catch up with loved ones and celebrate life’s milestones.

Aiming to highlight only the best aspects of the breakfast-plus-lunch meal is House of Brunch, newly opened in the heart of downtown Spokane. Combining the hearty with the healthy, and the high-end with the familiar, House of Brunch’s menu and vibe were crafted to appeal to myriad tastes, all delivered with a steady focus on high-end hospitality.

That level of service is something House of Brunch’s two owners, Jackson Connery and Brad Duffy, and executive chef Wade Watkins, know first-hand. Before launching House of Brunch, the trio all worked together at the ultra-exclusive Gozzer Ranch on Lake Coeur d’Alene, a 700-acre, private estate catering to the rich and famous.

House of Brunch, on the other hand, is the opposite of exclusive, Connery says.

“We’re trying to bring that hospitality and attention to detail that you see in a private club world, and bring it to the public and show people what real hospitality looks like,” Connery says. “And hopefully when you walk into the House of Brunch, you feel like you’re walking into my home and we can relax a little bit and take a load off.”

To create that kind of memorable, posh feel, House of Brunch’s menu includes items like gold-leaf garnished caviar ($23), served on spoon-shaped pieces of potato tuile, a light wafer creation chef Watkins says is reminiscent of a crispy, salty potato chip. Fresh oysters ($3 each) and a robust sparkling wine and champagne list add another luxurious note to the menu. House of Brunch also serves hearty, American breakfast classics. The à la carte menu has eggs, bacon, toast ($5 each) and even a smash burger ($12).

“I kind of took a lot of things that I had seen over the years, but [Wade] also collaborated on a lot of dishes, because he brings a whole other style to it,” Connery says. “I wanted lighter fare, smaller plates and healthy, vegan options. But Wade also does burgers, and this incredible hash with short ribs that he braises for eight hours. We wanted to make sure we didn’t scare people away with the menu, but we wanted to be innovative and progressive.”

Dishes on House of Brunch’s menu under the heading “Sweet” include an already-popular bubble waffle ($16). It’s like the inverse of a Bel- gian waffle, with round bumps and a thin lattice of crispy dough instead of gridded indentations.

“You don’t see bubble waffles all the time,” Watkins says. “It’s a big thing in Vancouver [B.C.] and Hong Kong, so we wanted to bring something new, but also wanted a waffle on the menu.”

Topped with tiny dollops of whipped goat cheese and locally sourced honey, the waffle is sweet, salty, creamy and crunchy. These lighter toppings also mean it’ll never get soggy.

Another unexpected combination of ingredients is in the beet salad ($14), which has a touch of white chocolate.

“It’s a little bit weird, because when you think about beets, you don’t really think about white chocolate, but it cuts through with a little bit of creaminess and a bit of a different texture than the beets,” Watkins says. “That’s kind of like what I’m looking for when I’m making a new dish. The last thing is to put it together and make it look good, but the first thing is making sure that those flavors and textures are all there.”

There’s also matcha cheesecake-filled beignets ($15), and the London ($14), a sourdough French toast made with bread from Rind & Wheat Bakery, topped with a tea-flavored syrup.

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On the “Savory” side of the menu is Watkins’ shortrib hash ($26), with beets and red potatoes, over-easy eggs and a Dijon hollandaise. A vegan tamale ($18) is stuffed with mushroom “chorizo.” The French omelet ($24) can also be ordered vegan, with king trumpet mushrooms, in place of flat iron steak.

Can’t decide? A tasting-style menu ($30 per person) invites the kitchen to do it for you with a selection of small plates highlighting the breadth of House of Brunch’s cuisine. There’s also fresh salads ($14-$16), house-cured salmon and lox ($16), and carpaccio, thinly sliced meat served raw, ($12) with fresh fruit.

Acertified sommelier, Connery curated House of Brunch’s sparkling wine selection to include everything from budget-friendly $35 bottles from producers in the Yakima and Columbia Valleys to $300plus bottles from top French champagne houses Louis Roederer, Veuve Clicquot and Krug.

“There’s a huge amount of sparkling wine in areas of the world that are doing some really cool things that just aren’t explored by a lot of restaurants or wine shops,” Connery says. “So we have some great stuff from South Africa. England is doing some really cool stuff right now with sparkling wine — Washington, too.”

House of Brunch has a full bar, with house cocktails ($12) and regionally sourced draft beer ($8) from the likes of No-Li Brewhouse, YaYa Brewing Co., Brick West Brewing, River City Brewing and Garland Brew Werks.

Tubbs Coffee Roasters in Hayden is used for its espresso, pour-over and drip. Spokane-based Revival Tea Co. does the tea. As part of House of Brunch’s focus on healthier options, there are also fresh-pressed green juice

($10), wellness shots of ginger, lemon and cayenne ($6), and smoothies ($10).

“Our wellness program has taken off,” Connery says. “All of those are quick-service options, but we also sell a ton of green juice in the dining room, which is great. It shows people want healthier options.”

House of Brunch’s walk-up counter and espresso bar offers these items to-go, along with its full menu.

Since the restaurant opened on March 2, it’s been busy, with the peak weekend hours between 8 am and 3 pm. Reservations can be made online, but bar-top seating and two large, 10-person communal tables are always open for walk-ins. When warmer weather soon arrives, dining will expand onto the large patio facing Riverside Avenue.

Inside, the space is light, airy and naturally lit, with a neutral color palette and touches of metallic textures and finishes found in the dining room chairs and light fixtures. A large, faux cherry tree in full bloom is a focal point of the dining room, which also offers views into the open kitchen.

“I wanted House of Brunch to get your day started,” Connery says. “I want you to be able to go shopping or do something fun later. It shouldn’t feel like, you know, that this is the only meal you’re going to eat for the day. My No. 1 motto in making the menu is, I don’t want people going home feeling like they have to take a nap.”

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