ABOVE PHOTO: As part of Lizzy J’s Bougie Brunch at South Restaurant, diners were served Freddy’s Favorite Chicken on a Sweet Potato White Cheddar waffle and a spicy syrup.
By Denise Clay-Murray
Usually, Sunday brunch with my husband Chris consists of a meal at our usual spot, Lucky’s Coffee Shop on Route 202 in Wilmington, Delaware, or my whipping up something like a frittata or shrimp and grits here at the house.
But occasionally, we get a little “bougie,” put on something other than sweats and a t-shirt and come to Philly for a meal.
Last Sunday, we went to the South Restaurant and Jazz Café for Chef Jamie Gilmore’s Bougie Brunch Cookbook Tour. The five-course brunch featured recipes from Gilmore’s new cookbook, “Love You Can Taste: Recipes From The Bougie Brunch Tour.”
In addition to some awesome food and cocktails, diners were treated to music, conversation and even some line dancing to burn off the scrumptious meal. There was no reserved seating, so you had the chance to mingle, find a table and make some new friends.
Gilmore, a restauranteur with Delaware Valley roots and the owner of Chicago’s Lizzy J’s Café, held a successful pop-up at Hudson Table in Old City last year. She was in town dining with a friend at South and was so impressed with the service at Benjamin and Robert Bynum’s jazz hangout that she felt it would be the best place to showcase her book, she said.
“The Bynum brothers are a part of Philadelphia food history,” Gilmore said. “They were so welcoming. I was impressed with how they treated a stranger.”
The cookbook was published in April and offers readers not only the chance to try the recipes at home, but also the chance to learn more about the chef, Gilmore said.
“It’s for people who are familiar with my evolution and how I like to tell the food story,” she said.
Guests were treated to deviled eggs with fried shrimp, the Crabby Pie, which consisted of a crab cake with Granny Smith apples, champaign vinaigrette, and baby kale, Freddy’s Favorite Chicken on a sweet potato and white cheddar waffle, blackened salmon with crawfish etouffee and grits and for dessert, French toast bites with peaches, sweet marscapone cheese and a vanilla bourbon glaze.
Chris and I went to the 1:30pm seating. While the menu was the same for everyone, there was a list of cocktails to pair with the food available. Chris had the Southern Strawberry Jam, which featured Bulleit bourbon, strawberry jam, and lemon juice. He really enjoyed it.
Because I was technically working here, I had the White Peach Sangria, because peach drinks are some of my favorites. This sangria was light and refreshing and went well with a brunch that was seafood forward.
My favorite bite was the Crabby Pie. I usually avoid anything with the word “kale” in it, but I’m glad I didn’t here. The crab, Granny Smith apples, and the champagne vinaigrette worked well together.
Up next for Gilmore, who has also appeared on Food Network, is the opening of a new Lizzy J’s in Time Out Market Chicago, 916 W. Fulton Market, this fall. If you’d like a copy of “Love You Can Taste: Recipes From The Bougie Brunch Tour,” you can find it on Amazon.com.
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