Lacroix: Philly’s greatest brunch
After visiting Brunch Philly, I realized I have never shared with you the joy that is the buffet brunch at Lacroix. Even I, who refuse to photograph in restaurants, could not resist the urge to snap a pic of this delight:
This brunch almost has to be experienced to be believed. It’s got everything you would expect from a high-end hotel brunch: the lox and cream cheese, the carving station, the omelets made to order, fresh fruit, pastries, cheeses, and endless trays of breakfast meat.
But, as you can see above, it also has delicate little morsels, assembled to be eaten in a single bite, the likes of which you might find as an amuse buche at a great restaurant, or at Amada, but not for brunch. Its raw bar has wonderful oysters, plus shrimp and sushi. It has an amazing selection of hot dishes, like pork belly fried rice, and duck confit, and the most delicious mushrooms and gnocchi I have ever had. It has 2 chocolate fountains.
This picture commemorates one of the more delightful items I have had at Lacroix: the foie gras s’more. I’m a sucker for a homemade marshmallow, and anything foie gras. It sounds a smidge gimmicky, but think of it as a more solid honey or preserve. Foie gras and sweets = a tasty treat!
The only thing that has consistently underwhelmed me is their dessert options. (Try lunch at XIX instead.) I wish they would put out an assortment of their housemade chocolates. But don’t miss the berries, ice creams and sorbets. And the chocolate fountains. Oh, and you don’t want to skip the liquid nitrogen, either, if only for the fun of watching it made.
The bad news: it’s $65. The good news: that’s as much as you would pay for a bagel and an hour-long massage, and you can stay there longer than an hour.
Note: like all true Philadelphians, I have a die-hard loyalty to a brunch place that would lose all brunch cred if they sat you within 30 minutes of your arrival. (How can there be so many places like that??) But that’s another post for another time.
