The Table: Brunch Done Right in Willow Glen

The Monkey Bread

Those that know Amy and I well, also know that we have a special place in our hearts and stomachs for a good brunch spot. Restaurants will go to great lengths to offer specials, tasting menus and farm-to-table selections for dinner that are creative, delicious and unique. When it comes to breakfast and brunch, however, these same restaurants have a tendency to, well, mail it in. They throw a few egg dishes, some pancakes and a few meats and fruits on a menu and call it a day. The Table decided to go the other direction. They put together a deliciously eclectic, but not pretentious menu with enough kid-friendly items to satiate the critters and bottomless mimosas to help parents ease into their morning. While I've never had anything bad at this place, there are a few clear standouts, and we enjoyed a few of them on this visit. The kids and myself all had some of the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, which have amazing flavor and texture. They're light with crispy edges, but the Ricotta adds a bit of chewiness to the pancake that makes them irresistable. I love these pancakes and my kids can eat them by the truckload. For our main dishes, Amy had the Fried Chicken with Gravy on a Cheddar Biscuit and I had the Steak & Eggs with Chimichurri. When it comes to the Fried Chicken, one look at this dish and you know you're in for something special. She really loved this combination, and was nice enough to allow me to have a bite of it before it was dusted. From that one bite, I found the chicken, farm egg and gravy on that fluffy biscuit to be richly satisfying. I ordered the Steak & Eggs and it was very good. They serve a nice tender cut of hanger steak with chimechurri sauce, a generous portion of griddles potatoes and fluffy scrambled eggs. Since I normally order breakfast or brunch dishes that are on the sweet side, this dish was a huge departure for me, but I really enjoyed it. Everything was cooked perfectly and the chimichurri sauce was the perfect compliment to the beef.

My Favorite: Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Fried Chicken w/ Gravy on a Cheddar Biscuit

The atmosphere is really pleasant, and even though the place has a bit of an upscale/hipster vibe, we regularly see families with small children and the staff are accommodating and friendly in every way. I almost forgot to mention the Monkey Bread, which is messy, sweet and delicious. If you don't feel like you're getting enough carbs with the rest of your meal, by all means, order 1 or 2 of these for the table as well. This place is very popular with the locals, and reservations for brunch are accepted for Friday's only, but if you want to be on the safe side, just plan to show up within the first 30-60 mins of opening and you shouldn't have a problem getting a table. This is, by far, our favorite brunch spot in San Jose at this point and I recommend it to everyone we talk to. So, go ... enjoy and don't forget the mimosas.

Useful Info