Brunch, that leisurely meal where breakfast flows into lunch, offers something that our crowded weekday schedules do not—the opportunity to linger over a meal. Pick a lazy Sunday morning and indulge in any of the carefully composed, elegant and entertaining prix fixe brunches in Atlantic City. But be forewarned. These brunches are so popular that reservations are not only suggested, they're your only defense against a long wait in line.
[Praise the Lord and Pass the Biscuits!]
The newest player in the market, the edgy House of Blues at the Showboat, has a trendy new take on Sunday brunch. They serve it up with lively, bluesy Gospel music to feed both body and soul. This award-winning Sunday Gospel Brunch features an all-you-can-eat Southern-style buffet and a different Gospel group performing each week.
The brunch is held in the spacious Music Hall, which is set with an abundance of tables and softly lit with candles. The upbeat music and the succulent scent combine for an experience that touches all of the senses. The group is at brightly lit center stage while the food is off to the side, served buffet-style on several tables.
Guests can enjoy such Southern favorites as fried chicken, buttermilk biscuits with country gravy and cheddar cheese grits, and such traditional brunch items as homemade waffles, made-to-order omelets and a carving station. But the meal also includes some gourmet touches, such as rosemary cornbread muffins with maple butter, crawfish cheesecake with pita bread and cheese-filled tortellini salad with smoked salmon, capers, red onions and pear tomatoes. Save room for dessert. In addition to chocolate walnut brownies and homemade berry cobbler, there is white chocolate banana bread pudding with crème anglaise.
Because the brunch is a performance as well as a meal, there are two sittings, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Cost is $33 with children under 3 admitted free. Prices include tax and gratuity.
For more information, or to make reservations, contact the House of Blues at 609-236-BLUE.
[A Tradition in Galloway]
In the large, round main dining room of the plantation-like Seaview Marriott Resort and Spa, elegance prevails. A 700-pound gold chandelier hangs as a centerpiece. Windows overlook the country club setting outside. The location—once a favorite of Grace Kelly's—is as much of a draw as the food itself. As for brunch, the spread is as magnificent as you might imagine.
Guests may choose to start with a glass of complimentary champagne. Then there are the cold salads, sushi, smoked whitefish and jumbo shrimp. The classic breakfast buffet follows with bacon, eggs, cheese blintzes, made-to-order omelets and crepes. A selection of hot foods and a carving station complete the main meal. Desserts made by the property's pasty chefs are fancy and plentiful.
"We've had our brunch for years," said Mike Goins, director of food and beverage, "and we have many guests who have been coming for that long. It's a very emotional experience for our members."
Brunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $31.95. For more information or to make reservations, call the Seaview Marriott at 609-652-1800.
[A Special Occasion Brunch]
From the moment you're greeted by the maitre d', you know that Caruso's at the Atlantic City Hilton is a special place to be. Its elegant Italian countryside décor forms the backdrop for a sumptuous brunch—now in its 12th year—that can only be described as stunning.
Guests are greeted with a glass of Taittinger champagne. There are three kinds of caviar plus an extensive selection of appetizers, cold salads and seafood. Cold dishes include phyllo cups topped with mango-lime salsa, and asparagus dressed with Dijon roasted red pepper sauce. For those who prefer an international touch, there is a section devoted to sushi and Dim Sum, complete with chopsticks.
Chef's specialties include Maine lobster tails drizzled with a saffron-infused butter sauce, walnut-crusted pork loin with Madeira sauce and Thai shrimp with lemon grass and coconut milk. Eggs, omelets and frittatas are prepared to order.
The carving station features rack of lamb with lemon, oregano and feta cheese, as well as two kinds of bacon. The pasta station offers made-to-order Italian pastas. Maria Suriano proudly presents the dishes. With her charming Italian accent, she explains that she has made the restaurant's pasta by hand for the last 20 years.
The desserts fill a table and include two sugar-free selections, a cheesecake and an apple flan. There are also dessert crepes, bananas foster, and white chocolate Chambord fondue served with fresh fruit.
"Some brunches offer the same 50 items," said Executive Chef Ulrich Lohs. "At Caruso's, we change about 10 items each week, and we offer a huge variety."
"We have many regulars, but this is also a great special occasion brunch," said Scott Clark, assistant vice president, food and beverage. "Caruso's has hosted several 75th and 80th birthday parties and some very special anniversaries."
Cost is $50 plus tax per person. Brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information or to make reservations, contact 609-340-7200.
[A Room with A View]
The incredible ocean view may be the first thing you notice about Rossi's famous Sunday brunch at the Sands but it won't be the last. This brunch literally surrounds you with elegance, starting with a piano player adept in classical to light jazz and pop—and who takes requests.
Then there is the spread, which is extensive. There are the piles of fresh pink shrimp, an antipasto station with freshly roasted peppers, a table filled with an assortment of breads, pretty sliced fruit in watermelon carvings, a pasta station, carving station and omelets made to order.
There are six hot entrees each week, such as chicken breast stuffed with prosciutto, rapini, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted peppers, and veal medallions topped with crab and asparagus. There is red snapper sautéed with baby spinach and leek in a light veloute, as well as an Asian dish such as pork black bean.
"We work about a week out, planning the menu," said Executive Chef Paul Drew. "We cook everything fresh the day of the brunch.
"Most brunches are unique in their own way," he said. "At the Sands, we place an added emphasis on customer service. Customer service is important in this business and sometimes gets forgotten. Here, we sit down and chat with our guests. We find out what they like, and we remember them when they come back. This weekend, for example, I had a player who comes in once a month and loves these certain kinds of cookies. So I bake them just for her."
Rossi's Sunday Brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $32.95. For more information or to make reservations, contact the Sands at 609-441-4000.
[A Brunch of Historic Proportion]
There are few places in the area that can evoke the ambience of a time gone by, and the Historic Smithville Inn does it very well. With one of the less expensive Sunday brunch prices in the area, it also serves up a good value.
The cold station features such choices as smoked salmon and whitefish, classic Caesar salad, antipasto and fresh sliced fruit. The carving station offers honey baked bone-on ham, New York strip sirloin or roast prime rib of beef. There are warm waffles served with fresh whipped cream and cheese blintzes, breakfast potatoes, bacon, sausage and eggs, plus omelets made to order. Dessert is classic and old-fashioned, and includes such offerings as apple brown betty, bread pudding, vanilla and chocolate pudding, brownies and cookies.
Brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The cost is $19.95. For more information or to make reservations, call the Smithville Inn at 609-652-7777.
[Not for Wine Lovers Only]
The restaurant that was judged "Best Sunday Brunch" twice by the now-defunct Atlantic City magazine is indeed a place to visit. Here you have a choice of two brunches: in the classically romantic Renault Winery restaurant or the European ambiance of the new Tuscany House.
The Renault restaurant offers a choice of one entrée that includes eggs, eggs benedict, quiche du jour, omelets, old fashioned malted waffles, apple crepes and cheese blintzes, Challah bread French toast, Renault corned beef hash with eggs, crab hash with poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce, grilled breast of chicken topped with prosciutto ham, tomato and cheese, and tenderloin tips and mushrooms with garlic and scallions. There are also stations of freshly baked breads, muffins, Danish, cakes and sweets, fresh fruits, salads and seafood, champagne punch and hot May wine.
The Tuscany brunch offers an omelet and waffle station, fruit and salad display, and several delicious made-to-order entrees: quiche of the day, eggs benedict, smoked salmon benedict, Challah bread French toast, herb crusted pork roast and grilled chicken.
Save time to tour the winery. Not only is it a beautiful and historic site, Renault is a recognized New Jersey State Historical Site and one of the oldest continuously operating wineries in the United States.
Cost is $18.95 for the Sunday Country Brunch and $16.95 for the Sunday Tuscany Brunch. The Sunday Country Brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. while the Tuscany Brunch is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information or to make reservations, call the Renault Winery at 609-965-2111.
[By the Beautiful Sea]
You'll find the newest expansion of the well-loved Romanelli's restaurant on the causeway from Longport. Romanelli's By the Sea is a beautiful space with an equally exquisite view. Choose from elegant indoor seating with bright, fresh flowers, or the cool marina ambience at your table's edge on the wrap-around porch under the wide blue awning.
Those familiar with the Romanelli's touch might recognize some dishes from the original location. Corporate Executive Chef Willie L. Lewis, C.E.C. puts out a fine spread. There is an egg and omelet station, a selection of breakfast meats, carved prime rib, waffles, blintzes, pasta made-to-order, shrimp, Asian dishes, and a wide assortment of breakfast breads, muffins and Danish. Each brunch features three to four hot dishes that can include stuffed flounder, chicken Oscar and other chef specialties. Desserts include the full array and are complemented with chocolate-covered strawberries.
"We cater to a lot of parties and groups," said Manager Scott Blackman. "It's a distinctive experience. The environment, the exceptional food and the care that goes into making sure everything is right, really shows."
Cost is $24.95. Brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is valet parking on site. For more information or to make reservations, contact 609-823-0244.
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