The Vibes: Breezy and full of fresh air; tropical, colorful and sunny
When-to-Go: Weekend Brunch, 11am-3pm
With-Whom-to-Go: Family-, friend- and kid-friendly
The $ Factor: $$: Dishes are in the $8-$15 range and beverages are $3-$12
The 4-1-1: Launched in November 2011, Sunny Spot is another fun creation from chef Roy Choi, infamous for launching the Kogi Truck and another #WilsonsGuide favorite, A-Frame.
I’ll Be Back…: For more of the Festival Bread! And the French Toast! And the ribbbbs!
Usually when I'm drafting a blog post, I'll have a ton of ideas about what to write.
But with Sunny Spot?
Not this time around.
I took one look at all of the photos* that I've accumulated from here over the months, and I immediately knew that this post needed to be more photos, less words. So, save for a few introductory paragraphs and descriptive explanations here and there, I've strove to capture the essence of what this fabulous weekend brunch is all about through images.
I hope you enjoy, and I'll see you there soon!
The ambiance is mad chill in both the main dining area and the enclosed patio.
Lots of trees, breezes and sunlight.
The patio:
The main dining area:
Each dish truly has its own little unique personality,
with its own style, flavor and unique presentation:
with its own style, flavor and unique presentation:
The Savory Festival Bread is similar to beignets and comes with three dipping sauces: rum honey, guava jam and goat’s milk butter. I prefer the guava jam, but a few of my friends have raved about the goat’s milk butter. They’re great to start out with, as they’re easy to share.
The “What a Jerk” Wings are “double coated and double fried.” They’re dry, not dripping with sauce, although there's a spicy sauce underneath them (use with caution; it has a kick, and I’m saying that, even though I tend to handle “spice” fairly well). Another shareable item.
The Johnny Cakes are like what would happen if pancakes and cornmeal had a baby together. Although accompanied with maple syrup, it’s definitely more savory than sweet.
The Banana French Toast is my absolute favorite! It has so many different elements merging – the coconut, the banana, the thick, thick, thick moist bread – but nothing ever overpowers one another. Instead, they compliment one another very nicely. No sharing on this one!
The Two Fisted Cheeseburger looked absolutely amazing. But, I don’t eat beef, so I didn’t have even one bite. However, photographer Tulani said it was her favorite off the menu, literally inhaling the entire thing (OK, she shared with friends, too). As you can see from below, there’s a lot going on, from cheese to tomato jam, arugula and more…
The Jamaican Oxtail Stew was yet another dish I had to pass on and again, Tulani made sure to let me know how it tasted. She said it was "delicious" and quite filling. So, order that (and don’t share) if you’re famished. She also suggests ordering a side of the Yellow Salty Rice and mixing it into the stew, squeezing a little lime juice to everything.
The Brown Sugar Scotch Bonnet Short Ribs were on the brunch menu months ago, but not recently. Anyway, get them if you can during brunch, and if you can’t, then come back in the evening to get them. They’re my second favorite item, all smoky and falling right off the bone. They come with a tangy BBQ sauce that I recommend lathering on.
The drinks are quite diverse as well.
They have their own distinctive glassware, with their own individual garnishes, sporting their own special styles. Haven’t tried them all yet, but I’m working on it:
They have their own distinctive glassware, with their own individual garnishes, sporting their own special styles. Haven’t tried them all yet, but I’m working on it:
The Bridgetown Swizzle is a great summer refresher. It’s on the sweet side, and is based with pot still rum. Love the colors!
The Death in the D.R. is another sweet, rum-based cocktail with splashes of absinthe and champagne, topped with lime and honey.
The Dry Harbour isn't on the brunch menu, but it's still worth ordering. Like the Death in the D.R., it has rum, absinthe and lime...but it has a completely different feel and taste. All I can say is, try both!
The Piña Colada has an exceptional taste to it. Made with rum, pineapple and ginger coconut sorbet, it’s frothy and fruity and fizzles slightly. Only thing is, you’re pretty much done after about four or five sips (well, maybe after like 9 sips).
For those who refrain from libations, Sunny Spot offers exceptional alternatives, like the Kind of Blue Smoothie pictured below. It’s a medley of blueberries, strawberries, oranges, bananas, crème fraiche…and even a bit of basil. I had a few sips of Tulani’s and found it to be thick, filled with big chunks of fresh fruit throughout.
That's it - see you there soon!
For more information:
http://sunnyspotvenice.com, Facebook, @SunnySpotVenice
For more information:
http://sunnyspotvenice.com, Facebook, @SunnySpotVenice