THE MENU : Eclectic street fare ranges from curing hangovers to transporting you to the grounds of a local farm through the flavors of fresh and seasonal ingredients . Brunch is available Friday through Sunday from 10 a . m .– 3 p . m ., offering a menu that consists of mostly savory bites if you find yourself more attracted to the lunch side of brunch . VIBE CHECK : Enter the hip and colorful art museum-like space packed with murals , unusual light fixtures , art featuring movie titles altered to associate with the restaurant ( search for “ works ” like Troop Alone and Pretty in Troop ), bar stools with skateboards that serve as the backrests and other features you might miss if you don ’ t look around . The upbeat R-and-B playlist matches the interior while also foreshadowing the restaurant and bar ’ s nighttime festivities . GET : The Key lime Frenchie , towering with housemade pound cake , Key lime curd , fresh vanilla whipped cream and pie crust crumble on top . Savory food fans should select the local farm omelet , served with crispy home fries , sprinkled with local pea greens and cooked with herbed goat cheese and a rotating selection of vegetables from Rhody farms . Troop ’ s cheddar biscuits are also not to be missed . BOTTOMS UP : Besides the classic mimosas , try beachy frozen drinks like the frozen Mexican mocha spiked with Bacardi spiced rum or a vegan strawberry shake mixed with Grey Goose vodka and housemade strawberry syrup . For more sweet heat , there ’ s the Alto Ego , featuring passionfruit juice , pureed jalapeno , lime with black pepper and jalapeno house-infused Altos tequila . BRUNCH FOR TWO : $ 40 –$ 50 plus tip . FINE PRINT : Because of the aforementioned R-and-B playlist , along with your drink choice , be prepared to dance in your seat while munching on your meal . Dine in , outside on the patio on a warm day , or stick to takeout for at-home brunch shenanigans . ● 60 Valley St ., Providence , 473-2900 , trooppvd . com — E . B .
NICKS ON BROADWAY THE MENU : Skip the weekend rush for weekday indulgence . Derek Wagner ’ s New Englandsourced brunch menu is available Wednesday to Sunday , starting at 10 a . m . Baffoni Farm eggs are given the luxe treatment , gently cooked until the yolks are golden , glistening and quivering on top of freshly baked toast or buttermilk biscuits for precise versions of eggs Benedict . Buttermilk pancakes and French toast are given a seasonal flavor boost in brisk months with a caramelized apple compote made from locally harvested fruit , whipped cream and housemade granola , and just-picked berries in the spring and summer , always drizzled with real Vermont maple syrup .
VIBE CHECK : The West Side kitchen is celebrating twenty years of its upscale diner atmosphere with counter seats that peek into the kitchen for a front-row seat on the action . Both friends and families feel comfortable dining in the contemporary-but-not-stuffy dining room , where local food producers and farms are the top priority for menu creation . Be prepared for servers to wax poetic about neighboring farms and the care that goes into plating each dish .
GET : Anything with eggs , preferably flanked by housebaked bread that you can use to scoop up gooey egg yolk and sauces . Hearty black beans with tomatochili salsa topped with eggs channel Mexican huevos rancheros , while you can also sub
in eggs with a main course entree like polenta and veggies with pecorino and grilled bread or as a sidekick to a chargrilled Blackbird Farm steak .
BOTTOMS UP : These morningthemed cocktails make it nearly expected to have booze with your breakfast . Choose from the Pretty in Pink that mixes up grapefruit with Rhodium vodka and sparkling rose or the Kentucky Cold Brew that starts with an Illy cold brew paired with Four Roses bourbon , vanilla and brown sugar . There ’ s also a spiked hot cocoa accented by minty liqueur .
BRUNCH FOR TWO : $ 50 –$ 60 plus tip .
FINE PRINT : Gone are the days of waiting for a table to open up . Reservations may be made by phone , email or OpenTable . Nicks also has a heated outdoor patio and dishes can be taken home for takeout . If you think brunch is good , don ’ t sleep on dinner . It ’ s even better . ● 500 Broadway , Providence , 421-0286 , nicksonbroadway . com — J . C . �
Beans and eggs and polenta with veggies at Nicks .
PHOTOGRAPH : JAMIE COELHO .
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l APRIL 2022 57