Review: Brunch at Nectar

Today’s choice off the Breakfast Menu was Nectar in Hyde Park. 

The wife and I were supposed to try a certain food truck that was serving brunch at a certain park but I didn't get the email telling me that was on so we had to go with a backup. My wife had intended that we go to Nectar for father's day but my mothers rather delicate dietary needs meant we had to switch things up and go with Vitor's. Despite all that maneuvering we ended up at Nectar and I was delighted by the experience. Nectar is a trendy yet quiet little spot with a good selection and scrumptious food. 



Restaurant:

Nectar was originally a restaurant called Aioli Bistro and was opened in 200 by owner and chef Julie Francis. According to the Nectar site Julie is a very decorated chef and Cincinnati Native who puts care into the quality of ingredients and the recipes she chooses. She has taken her experience in almost every position in a restaurant including cook, butcher and sous chef and worked to develop a unique dining experience. 

One blogger referred to Nectar as a place serving an older crowd. It was a quiet brunch when we attended. The waiter was genial and helpful. He struck up a brief conversation with us but also gave us time to enjoy our meal. The menu was a little limited in that way that bistros and cafes usually are. They offered several egg scramble dishes as well as a salmon and even a burger option. My wife was a little disappointed that bacon wasn’t on the menu but that is her preference, and I felt the menu was diverse enough that this omission was permissible. 

The Food:

I ordered a vegetable frittata which according to the website, consists of: Brocolli, asparagus, roasted peppers and goat cheese, grana parmesan, garlic scape pesto.

Nicole ordered the Chorizo Scramble, which is Fishback Farms pastured eggs with Spanish chorizo, caramelized red onion, Manchego cheese, tomatillo chipotle salsa, crispy red chile potatoes.

I could not pass up the opportunity to order the French toast, which the website says is Blue Oven sesame semolina bread with walnut and local honey butter, local apple and strawberry compotes, Maple Grove maple syrup

The verdict:

The food was scrumptious. I really liked the frittata with all the vegetables. My only drawback about the dish was that the frittata and the chorizo scramble looked very similar in texture and preparation. Iw as expecting something very different for the frittata. Despite that it was a great mix of veggies cooked and seasoned well. The plates came with fresh fruit, including blueberries and slices of watermelon. MY wife isn’t a fan of that but I loved it. She also spoke highly of the potatoes which are truly a deal breaker for her. My wife loved the potatoes.

Her Chorizo scramble was good. It was very Tex Mex to me, which wasn’t a bad thing. I am not the biggest fan of Mexican for breakfast because it tends to be more spicy and I prefer sweet. This dish was not my cup of tea but she appeared to enjoy it.

The French toast was overall a bit of a letdown. As I have said before I like a crisper French toast. The compote they topped it with was really delicious and it was something I would put on every French toast I ever had again, ever. Often I find compotes to be too sweet but this one was just right. The French toast itself had a good batter and a decent flavor but my biggest problem was with the texture. It was too gooey, and by that I mean soft and a little soggy. I am not sure if this was because of the compote but I expected it to be a little more firm. This may be a personal preference of mine but that is not typically how I like my French Toast.

Verdict:


Rankings:
Service:               4
Ambiance:          4
Food:                   4
Coffee                  4


Overall Experience: 4 out of 5 broken eggs.

The food was delectable, the service was great. The portion sizes were great. The menu was a little limited but it changes enough that there would be a bit of diversity. Overall it was a good brunch and I would recommend it to someone who wants good food and is willing to spend a little for it.


For more information on the location:

Website: http://www.dineatnectar.com/