You Say Tomato... Again

It may seem pathetic that I'm already writing a second review on You Say Tomato, considering how few reviews there are on this blog altogether.

Originally, I wasn't going to write this review, but then thought better of it. Look, the reality is that those of us who do this for fun, and aren't paid or comped to eat at restaurants throughout the city, are going to go back to our favorite places with some regularity. Why waste the trip?

As I write this, I'm remembering now that our original plan this morning, when heading to brunch, was to go to Room 39 again, a place I've visited and written about even more recently than YST!

I guess my point in this intro is that I think it's a good thing to review a restaurant based on multiple trips and not just one tasting. So expect to see repeat reviews in the future and look at them as an opportunity to view recommendations on a broader spectrum of the menu. That's useful, isn't it?

My wife and I both wanted to try something we hadn't eaten here before. I really wanted the Smoked Salmon quiche (their quiche is truly outstanding - always), but so did she. In an uncharacteristic act of chivalry, I let her have it, choosing for myself... scrambled eggs, toast and cheese grits. (record scratch) I know, I know. I could have made that for myself at home, right? I had a little buyer's remorse as soon as we placed our orders. But the truth is that, sure, the eggs and toast I can do just fine. But the grits would be a rarity. And once that plate of food showed up, my remorse was GONE.

The toast and eggs were fine. I was alarmed at what a large portion of eggs I received - well worth the money! They were a little overcooked, but I like my scrambled eggs a little runnier than a lot of people.

The star of the meal were the grits, though. Creamy as could be, with a nice, slightly crunchy crust from a dollop of brown butter placed on top the mounded grits before being heated through for serving. Small flecks of jalapeno added a great depth of flavor and kick and the thoughtfully placed miniature bottle of tabasco on the table allowed me to inject a nice vinegary layer of heat for my own level of heat-preference.

The quiche was, as ever, fantastic. Unbelievably light and fluffy, with a flaky, savory crust. The classic flavor pairing of the smoked salmon with the dill and sour cream was decadent and very satisfying.

With a bottomless cup of coffee and charmingly cool atmosphere, brunch was great. So I guess you can count on reading more YST reviews in the near future. Get used to it.

Final note: The cynic in me was fearful YST wouldn't make it. The location was great, but definitely off the beaten path (2801 Holmes). But apparently the experience and food have given it more than enough word-of-mouth advertising to keep business flowing in the front door.

It was packed when we arrived and the line got so long after we were seated, I had to shoot a picture with my phone. See for yourself. Way to go, YST!


Rating - 3 napkins