Sit up straight and elbows off the table!
Remember when Mom used to take you out to eat on Sunday? Now it’s your turn. Does she like white linen and Champagne? Maybe she prefers Mexican food? Or is it a table with a view of bright blue water that makes her feel special?
Plenty of places will offer brunch on Mother’s Day. Here are a few of the Food Team’s picks. (Or jump to the complete list.)
Bountiful buffet at Back Bay Bistro
With Mom, Grandma, toddlers and gift bags in tow, turn to Back Bay Bistro. The bayside location, with a view of the cliffs, makes it special. The big boomy room is a bit loud, the better to mask the sound of boisterous kids. The buffet setup means hungry youngsters can dig in while Mom and her guests enjoy a first round of drinks.
Large tables are available and everything is prepared with families in mind. Chafing dish selections aren’t served so hot that they burn the palate, foods are tasty but slightly underseasoned – Tabasco, grilled jalapeños and horseradish sauce are at the ready.
Graze for two hours among carving stations with baron of beef and turkey breast, made-to-order omelets, mini Belgian waffles with freshly whipped butter and cream, breakfast pastries and fresh baguettes, salad bar, seafood bar and a table laden with mini desserts and cheese tray. Our favorites included velvety clam chowder, seafood pasta in creamy blush sauce, chilled crab legs and savory lamb stew with buttery mashed potatoes.
At the dessert station, strawberries, cantaloupe and pineapple come skewered and ready to go for a dip in the chocolate fountain along with Oreos and marshmallows. Don’t forget small bills to tip the omelet guy or the bartender, although there’s really no need to wander when bottomless mimosas are available for a $5 upcharge, and a carafe of Bloody Marys can be had for $10.
Tips: Ask for a table along the rail for best views.
Sunday brunch: $47 for adults, $16 for children 10 and younger. Mother’s Day brunch includes lavish options like smoked fish station, crepe station and more: $75 for adults includes bottomless Champagne and mimosas; $35 for children 12 and younger.
1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach; 949-729-1144, newportdunes.com
– Anne Valdespino
Southern comfort food at Lillie’s Q
Last year in June, Lillie’s Q launched brunch for Father’s Day – gearing the smorgasbord of Southern favorites for Dad. But, in the end, everyone in the family devoured the idea. This fabulous buffet brunch, served only on Sunday, includes a carving station with two meats: brisket and smoked turkey.
If you’re lucky, chef Kody Havener might surprise you with a third protein like smoked tri-tip. Sides: bacon, creamy grits, Brunswick stew, biscuits and sausage gravy, cornmeal-crusted or blackened tilapia, collard greens, breakfast potatoes, mac and cheese, baked beans, roasted corn on the cob, and cinnamon-nutmeg pancakes.
If that’s not enough, brunch includes an a la carte menu with choices of chicken and waffles, omelets, four chef-created omelets and eggs Benedict. The latter is my personal favorite – with a house-made biscuit, country ham, poached egg, fried green tomato and topped with a spicy hollandaise.
Brunch is a steal – the buffet and made-to-order foods are included in the $24.99 price. Adults also get a glass of sparkling wine or a mimosa. Cost for children, 3-10, is $9.99.
240 S. Brea Blvd., Brea; 714-482-2001, lilliesq.com
– Nancy Luna
Mexican-food brunch at Playa Amor
Brunch doesn’t have to be a big fancy spread with special occasion airs. Precisely the opposite has equal appeal: quaint, intimate, familiar. And for that, it’s hard to think of a better brunch spot for mom than Playa Amor, the latest Mexican-food showcase of rising-star chef Thomas Ortega (reviewed last week in the Register).
Ortega’s riff on avocado toast, served exclusively for weekend brunch, is brilliant. He toasts a classic bolillo (one of those pointy-tipped Mexican baguettes) and spreads it with smashed avocado, creamy chili sauce, soyrizo hash and a fried egg. You will never look at avocado toast the same way again. There’s also machaca, which is a short-rib scramble served with tortillas straight from the griddle.
And by the way, does mom like margaritas?
6527 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach; 562-430-2667, playaamorlb.com
– Brad A. Johnson
Bliss by the bay at Bayside Restaurant
Sunday brunch is already a big draw at Bayside Restaurant, a soothingly beautiful local favorite that looks out on a quiet corner of Newport Harbor. Executive Chef Paul Gstrein has come up with a Mother’s Day brunch menu that plays to his strengths, especially with seafood.
The eight-choice first course includes tuna tartare and hickory-smoked Scottish salmon. The main course offers 13 choices, and it’s heavy on the seafood too (the tiger prawn risotto “paella” with sweet corn, saffron and piquillo pepper is one of our favorites), although regulars might be tempted by Gstrein’s perennially popular slow-roasted Kurobuta pork chop.
Cost with dessert and Champagne is $56.75. A three-course kids menu ($21.75) will be served for diners 12 and younger.
Something else Mom might like: Bayside’s wine list is a regular winner of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Masterfully curated with something for every budget, Bayside’s cellar offers more than 200 wines by the bottle and 30 by the glass.
900 Bayside Drive, Newport Beach; 949-721-1222, baysiderestaurant.com
– Paul Hodgins
