Violet is a relatively new breakfast and lunch restaurant with a menu that is blooming fine. The choices -- breakfast fare on one side of the menu, lunch fare on the other -- rock with creativity, not to mention the mouthwatering descriptions. Whoever put this menu together knows food and flavor combinations. For example, the French toast: "Cranberry-orange French toast bread pudding topped with bourbon creme Anglaise and spiced pecans." How could I resist? Thick triangles of French toast, the bread pillow soft, not dried out (as often happens when French toast is cooked into oblivion), the cranberry-orange a pleasing accent note, the creme Anglaise served on the side. Terrific eating.
"Mediterranean omelet. Kalamata olives, oven-roasted tomatoes, aged ricotta salata and basil pesto." That's not what I would call a ho-hum omelet by any means. The diverse flavors were as cozy and pleasing as a deck chair in the sun on a cruise through the Greek islands. Your choice of fresh fruit (a nice assortment of berries and melon) or breakfast potatoes (thick wedges, peel on, nicely flavored).
So many interesting possibilities. I didn't try them, but a friend, whose palate I trust, told me the pancakes "were to die for." Plain, blueberry and toffee are the choices, and you can get them regular or multigrain.
Traditional eggs Benedict were just that: a duet of toasted English muffins topped with Canadian bacon, perfectly poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce. Perfectly fine. But if you want to rummage around in the eggs Benny bin, two other versions -- Creole Benedict (polenta cake, crawfish etouffee, smoked paprika) and veggie Benedict (tomatoes, spinach) -- are possibilities.
What's breakfast without a fine cup of coffee, a latte or a cappuccino? Violet's coffee is so good I drank more than I had planned to. A friend had hot tea, and it is served quite elegantly in a small press/carafe. Nice idea.
On to lunch, where the creativity ante gets raised to a level that owners of other restaurants could learn from. For example, the "Day After Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich." Wow! "Open-face roast turkey sandwich on stuffing bread topped with sage pan gravy and redskin mashed potato. Accompanied by cranberry relish." Wow! Again. OK, so you're thinking this is a modern version of a hot turkey sandwich. Not at all. This turkey sandwich is three hits in a row -- taste, enjoyment and creativity -- when it comes to satisfaction.
And the eats go on. Sandwiches: croque Madame (and Monsieur), Italian hoagie, and egg salad, for example (choice of side dish). Salads: the grilled radicchio with lardons, poached egg and potato croutons (inspired) was outstanding. Soups, pasta, steak frites ... a little something for everybody.
And the kids have some interesting dishes to chew on, too. The breakfast menu includes pancakes, eggs, French toast. Lunch offers grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, mini-pizza and, of course, PB&J.
Pat Bruno is a free-lance writer, critic and author. E-mail brunoeats@aol.com.
Have you recently dined at Violet? Let us know what you thought. E-mail weekendplus@suntimes.com with a 50-word review of your dining experience. Please include your name and city.
