Addison's The Brunch District Keeps Its Focus on What Works

In his iconic memoir Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain pulled no punches when it came to his disdain for brunch. In his opinion, a restaurant couldn’t be trusted to execute a solid brunch because it wasn’t their primary focus; it was only something to draw people in on the weekends while the staff used up leftovers.

"Brunch menus are an open invitation to the cost-conscious chef, a dumping ground for the odd bits left over from Friday and Saturday nights or for the scraps generated in the normal course of business," Bourdain wrote.

In fairness, Kitchen Confidential came out in 2000, and a lot has changed in the restaurant industry since then. For starters, brunch is a booming business and wild popular among diners. Maybe what Bourdain really wanted to see was a restaurant that focused on brunch only. Maybe he would be impressed, like we were, with The Brunch District in Addison.

An illuminated sign on the back wall of the dining room sets the premise straight away: “What Brunch Should Be.” The rest of the interior is modern and airy, with contemporary light fixtures and art to amuse the eye. True to its name, The Brunch District serves just breakfast and lunch, with no dinner service to distract. Closing time is 2:30 p.m. daily.

Also true to the brunch concept (at least, the concept we have in our heads) is a full bar, because brunch is better if you can add a boozy twist. The Brunch District has a cocktail menu with brunch classics like bloody marys and Irish coffees, and some unique twists like a “breakfast old fashioned” garnished with bacon.

The Brunch District’s menu rightly focuses on the basics. If savory is your game, there’s the usual standbys like omelettes, breakfast skillets and an assortment of Benedicts. We were drawn to the brisket Benedict ($17), because barbecue runs in our blood. And the brisket here is quite good; it's chopped and layered onto a buttered English muffin, then covered with two perfectly poached eggs, Hollandaise and green onions.

There were bits of smoky and salty bark in ours that led us to asking our server if they were sourcing brisket from somewhere else. Nope, they’re cooking it in house. Color is impressed. A side of breakfast potatoes comes with the Benedict; they were hot and fluffy, and lightly seasoned but not otherwise memorable. A few seasonings or some sautéed onions or peppers here wouldn't hurt our feelings one bit.

A quarter of the menu is dedicated to the sweet breakfast and brunch mainstays: nine kinds of pancakes, eight French toast connections, half a dozen waffle varieties and a quintet of fillings for crepes. Our dining companion settled on the Very Berry crepes ($15), which were loaded with strawberries, blueberries and mascarpone cheese, and topped with a sweet cream cheese drizzle and raspberry glaze. It’s a mammoth serving and tasty to boot.

Even though we rolled up during peak brunch hours just before 11 a.m., the wait for a table wasn’t unbearable (and when two seats opened up at the bar, we nabbed those instead). Reservations can also be made on Yelp, and in a couple of weeks when the weather is less oppressive, we're certain The Brunch District’s patio will fill up accordingly. And why not? With smart food choices, brunch cocktails and friendly service, The Brunch District keeps things focused. And focus is something that would make even Bourdain happy.

The Brunch District, 14380 Marsh Lane, Addison. Daily, 7 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.