Get Your Brunch on at Caviar & Bananas

In case you haven't heard, Caviar & Bananas has been rolling out new menu items like crazy recently. About a month ago, they released their new brunch menu, available Saturday and Sunday mornings.

I, like many of my fellow Charlestonians, take my brunches very seriously. There are few things worse than a subpar brunch, especially when there are so many great options for this hallowed meal. I'll be the first to admit, Caviar & Bananas wouldn't normally have been on my list of places to brunch, but after trying nearly half of their menu, I can say that they've taken over one of the top spots on my list of favorite brunch locales. 

Here are highlights from their new menu:

Avocado Toast
Smashed Avocado, Cotija Cheese, Pickled Red Onion, Radish, Fresh Herbs, Grilled Sourdough Bread, $5.00

So simple, but so delicious. I've had quite a few avocado toasts in my life, but this is probably my favorite (Sorry, Park Cafe. You've been replaced). There's something so fresh and tangy and unique about the pickled red onion when paired with the perfectly ripe avocado and buttery grilled sourdough. It has to be tasted to be to be fully comprehended. You can also add on a fried egg or citrus grilled shrimp, but I'm a purist. All avocado, all the way. 

Crispy Chicken Buttermilk Biscuit
Southern Fried Chicken Breast, Scrambled Egg, Aged Cheddar, Tasso Gravy, Buttermilk Biscuit, CHOICE OF A SIDE, $9.00

Talk about a big mamajama, this biscuit is the real deal. I highly recommend splitting this with another person, because they basically give you an entire fried chicken on a biscuit. The tasso gravy is a creamy, peppery complement to the aged cheddar cheese, which pairs perfectly with the crispy fried chicken. 

Veggie and Eggs Benedict
Poached Eggs, Vegetable-Quinoa Cake, Wilted Spinach, Fresh Herb Hollandaise, Whole Wheat English Muffin, $10.00

I love how unique this is. I'm not usually crazy about eggs benedict (they give me flashbacks of having to make hollandaise by hand), but I'll be damned if this wasn't delicious. I also really enjoyed the vegetable-quinoa cake, which was jam-packed with flavor. The fresh herb hollandaise was a little on the thin side, but I thought it worked well with how thick the veggie cake was. 

“Weekend" Fried Egg Sandwich
Fried Egg, Seared Prosciutto, Wilted Spinach, Roasted Tomato Marmalade, Whole Wheat English Muffin, CHOICE OF A SIDE, $9.00

This was probably the most basic of all of the brunch items I tried. Essentially just a breakfast sandwich, the most interesting element of this dish was the roasted tomato marmalade, which added some sweetness and depth to the sandwich. I thought this one was a little dry, and I'd recommend maybe ask for more marmalade or adding cheese because it definitely needed a little something. 

Sweet Potato and Kale Hash
Sweet Potato, Kale, Poached Egg, $7.00

A really simple dish in theory but bursting with flavor in execution, this sweet potato hash was a delightful surprise. I really wasn't expecting much, but they season it wonderfully with herbs and just enough kale to make it interesting. 

Parmesan Fried Potatoes
$3.00 á la carte

Ok, so I wasn't so impressed with these. They tasted like they'd been reheated: very dry and gritty. They had a good flavor, so there's potential there. But in the future, I wouldn't go out of my way to order this.

Smoked Jalapeno Grits
$3.00 á la carte

These grits were thick and had an interesting layer of depth to them, but needed some salt. They were good. Not great, but good. 

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by C&B's venture into the brunch game. Give it a try on Saturdays from  8 a.m. to 12 p.m. or Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and then come back and let me know what you thought in the comments section below!