The Brunch Series: Brunching Beyond Stereotypes

GARDEN OF THE GODS GOURMET
410 S 26th St.
www.GodsMarketAndCafe.com
(719) 471-2799
Daytime Cafè hours: Mon-Fri: 8am-2pm Sat-Sun: 8am-3pm
Dinner hours: Wed-Sat: 5:30pm-8:30pm
Brunch Prices: $13-$16
What you need to know: Hipster-chic brunching sidesteps stereotypical pitfalls

Not long ago, one never “brunched.” “Brunching” was not a verb. At most it was a noun: an odd word describing the amalgamation of “breakfast” and “lunch.” Often, today’s brunch menus will ofter both the sweet and the savory. It’s an attempt at a dining-out utopia with an aim to please all comers.

Brunch: the term can evoke such visceral reactions. From palpable joy at the thought of bottomless mimosas and stuff french toast, to vehement sneering at hour-and-a-half waits and overpriced omelets.

Mercifully, Garden of the Gods Gourmet is beholden to none of the aforementioned. There were no bottomless mimosas (they are, anyway, almost always bad); there was no stuffed french toast (the bananas foster iteration is, arguably, a superior rendition); there was no 90 minute wait (even on a holiday weekend); and there were no overpriced omelets (unless $13 is overpriced). The established in 2001 cafe is, instead, a foremost destination for Springers looking to go brunching without these usual trappings that so encumber.

At Garden of the Gods Gourmet, with its open floor plan, open kitchen and adjacent mercantile, one is presented with a hipster-rustic ambiance much like farm-to-table joints of the East Coast, yet with a touch of decor driven whimsy—whimsy that will almost assuredly conjure the complacent thought that, “Yes, today is a good day to day-drink.” Then you will summon the waitstaff and kindly request a morning cocktail entitled, “Verde Mary” (with bacon). And for ten dollars any lingering remnants of sleep will be joltily banished from existence, as the combination of tequila and the housemade verde mix, plus a Tajín coated rim, pack one attention grabbing punch.

For the meat lovers, or those leaning more toward the “-unch” side of “brunch,” try the Big Daddy breakfast sandwich. At sixteen dollars it ties with the Salmon Benedict as the least cheap option on the menu; but between a maple glazed biscuit that seemed reluctant to be sweet, it piles on the ham and thick-cut bacon. Commending it most was its generous serving, further bolstered by the side of leek potato hash and two eggs to order.

Better was the Banana Foster french toast ($13). The housemade banana nut bread offered a playful contrast of textures while the rum caramel sauce smacked of caramelized toasting, compliments of the flambé. Decadent, yet avoiding the fault of being cloying, even with the fluffy chantilly cream, you would never guess it to be a vegan dish.

Finish your brunching with a stop at the mercantile. Grab a pastry from the extended selection. The cardamon and caramel and chocolate tartlet ($3.50) will, alone, be enough to entice your brunching’s return.

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