by Khadijah Queen, Tampa transplant
My son is a very picky eater. He has been like that since he was a newborn, needing a certain ambience before he could dine peacefully – no noise, low lights, no interruptions, no competing food smells. He would not eat baby food from a jar – he could not even see it poured from the jar. It had to be in a favorite lion cup, served with a favorite neon green spoon. At almost nine years old, he continues to have the strong preferences of a crotchety old man. If he orders cheese-eggs, for example, the cheese must be melted into the scrambled eggs. He must be able to taste the cheese, mind you, but there cannot be visible cheese "sprinkles," as he calls them, on top.
It's been difficult, even if somewhat entertaining, you might imagine, to keep him happily fed at home, much less at a restaurant. So, in trying to break his fast food addiction (it's all about the nuggets) and penchant for plain pancakes at an always-crowded chain restaurant, I proposed we venture out to a local, privately-owned eatery. We didn't know the area well, having just moved to Tampa, so I searched the web and came upon The Brunchery. I showed my son the menu and the pictures. He pointed to the French toast. "Why does it have all that stuff on it?" (Meaning powdered sugar, almonds, fruit, etc.) I said, "You can ask them not to put that on there." He was skeptical, but I insisted we try it. "We'll see," he said grumpily.
On our way there, total nerd that I am, I passed it three times. It's tucked into a mini-mall anchored by Sweet Bay, and my excuse is there was a lot going on in the parking lot. It could be, however, just me. My son finally spotted it as we passed. The outdoor patio furniture, bright blue neon-ish sign – yeah, don't know how I missed that. (Insert self-deprecating cough.)
When we arrived, we were promptly greeted by a smiling (but not annoyingly perky) hostess who recognized my son from school – her son, also in third grade, was in the class next to my son's. She welcomed us, and we were seated after a short wait – under five minutes, on a Sunday. It was full, but not overcrowded. And there's a toy area in one corner where kids can play while they wait. Bonus.
It's homey without being homely. The waitress, who is pictured on the website, has been there since the founding, so you don't need to worry about your order getting botched. She knows the ample menu back and front. I didn't ask, but I'd guess she's part of the family that owns this family-owned restaurant.
Anyway, back to the food. When his pancakes and cheese-eggs arrived, along with the fruit cup I insisted on, my son couldn't help smiling. The food looked exactly as he envisioned it would, no cheese sprinkles, and no soggy fruit. Though it did take a bit longer than he'd like – i.e. immediately – he dug in enthusiastically. I didn't hear a word, just a chorus of mm mm mm mms until every drop of food was gone. Sharing, I was told with a silent scowl, was not an option. Then he leaned back in his seat and said, "Oh yeah! Now that's a breakfast!" He should do commercials, this kid.
For my part, I ordered oatmeal, hash, eggs, home fries, and toast. Yes, I was hungry. My oatmeal was served in a large ceramic-looking mug, with strawberries and brown sugar and butter on the side. The rest of the meal was served in unpretentious dishes that might resemble your own, mismatched but thematically linked, if you will – some glass, some heavier stoneware. Not bad to look at and delicious, hot, exactly-what-you-ordered food.
I could go on and on, but the bottom line is The Brunchery has saved me from the abyss of chain restaurant dining that my son used to crave. It's comparable in price, and in some cases cheaper. It's cleaner, quieter, friendlier – and it's less than five minutes from my house.
And the food is better. Much, much better. (Did I say that already?)
But, as Levar Burton used to say on Reading Rainbow, don't take my word for it. Head on over and see for yourself.
The Brunchery
15706 Dale Mabry Hwy. N.
Tampa, FL 33618
Map and Directions
Phone : 813-964-8143
Fax : 813-964-5381
HOURS:
Monday - Sunday 8:00 am-2:00pm
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