I found another wonderful place to have Sunday brunch. Galley and Garden is a quaint old house that has been converted into a restaurant. It is located in the 5 Points District of Birmingham. There is no parking lot so you will need to valet park but it is convenient.
The old house was very cute. When you walk through the front door you enter the foyer where the hostess will greet you. I was seated in one of the room to the left of the entryway. I pictured this room as the old dining room of the house. The space was open and not packed with tables. There was a beautiful bar set up along the center wall to make all the excellent brunch cocktails.
My table was the closest to the kitchen. In the remodel of the house, they added big glass windows so you can watch the chefs do their magic.
Brunch could not start properly without a mimosa. The orange juice that was used was fresh and sweet. It paired well with the brut champagne they used.
Their brunch menu had several traditional items plus as assortment of specialty dishes. What caught my eye was the Braised Hereford Short Rib Benedict. The chef took something that felt familiar and added his unique flair to the dish. I just had to try it.
This dish came with two poached eggs on top of short ribs and a fresh made buttermilk biscuit. The hollandaise sauce was drizzled on top over the eggs. Also decorating the plate was an andouille potato hash.
To start breaking down each component, the biscuit was fantastic. It was fluffy and light. I enjoyed when the yolk from the egg and the hollandaise sauce covered the biscuit. It made the taste become creamy and rich. The egg itself was cooked perfectly. The whites were completely cooked which I prefer. Having this served over a biscuit verses an English muffin is my new favorite way to eat this. I wish more restaurants would serve it this way. The soft texture of each bite is better than the hard texture of the English muffin.
The short rib was amazing! The meat was perfect just by itself. It had a juicy, salty flavor with a few crispy edges. When combined with the eggs, biscuit, and sauce the taste became hearty. The meat was not overwhelmed with the flavor of the egg yolk or sauce. Each component worked together. The saltiness of the short rib was softened by the yolk and sauce and the biscuit brought in a sweet taste.
I have not forgotten about the potatoes that came on the side. I really liked how the skin of the potato was crispy. They were slightly peppery with the seasoning that the chef used. I added a little extra flavor by dipping the potato in the left over hollandaise sauce that I had. This was not a traditional hash; it was more just roasted potatoes with a ton of flavor.
For a fun time at brunch with great service and delicious food, then Galley and Garden will be perfect. For warmer days, they have great outdoor seating. Check out their menu at http://www.galleyandgarden.com/. Some of the items will change based on what the chef is felling. However, the Braised Hereford Short Rib Benedict is a staple of the menu.
Enjoy!
T
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