Brunch at Back Deck

Most of you probably know by now that I love brunch. On the weekends, a lazy morning + delicious breakfast food is my ideal way to start the day. So when I received an email from Back Deck in Downtown Crossing regarding their new brunch menu – which includes pitchers of craft beer – I immediately told Z, and we made reservations.

The décor at Back Deck resembles…well, a back deck. The restaurant consists of three backyard-inspired, wooden deck spaces bordered by walls of sliding windows. With all of the natural light shining through – and the sounds of grilling in the open kitchen behind us – I truly felt like I was sitting on a comfortable back deck (while avoiding the morning chill outside). Even the restaurant’s menu is reminiscent of a backyard barbecue, including options like burgers, lamb skewers and grilled pink grapefruit.

Z and I wanted to sample several items from Back Deck’s new brunch menu, but we obviously had to start with cocktails (we decided a pitcher of craft beer at 11 a.m. probably wasn’t the best idea). For my cocktail, I went with the refreshing West St. Cooler ($9), made with watermelon, local Ragged Mountain Rum, a hint of Aperol, and a splash of soda.

This was a lovely way to start the meal – every sip quenched my thirst without being overly sweet, or too strong in alcohol. Sipping this drink made me feel like I was actually on a patio, enjoying the sunshine.

For appetizers, Z and I shared the Butternut Squash Soup ($6), which was garnished with grilled leeks, apple cream and pumpkin seeds. We also shared the Smoky Creamy Eggplant Spread ($8), which came with plenty of pita toasts, cherry tomato, and parsley salad.

The soup was incredibly silky and satisfying, and the garnishes really made this dish. Z felt that the soup was a tad under-seasoned, but I enjoyed that the focus of the flavor was on the squash itself (the garnishes also helped to add some extra flavors and textures).

The eggplant spread, on the other hand, was borderline perfect. Z and I are big fans of eggplant, and this dip was chocked full of smoky eggplant flavor. The texture was also wonderfully thick and creamy, while still being able to be generously spread on the pita toasts without causing them to crumble. Back Deck also gives you plenty of pita to enjoy with the spread – how many times have you gotten an appetizer that only includes two or three?

For my entree, I went with the Eggs Benedict with grilled zucchini and red pepper ($10) (you can also order this with ham or turkey breast, if desired). Z went with the Challah French Toast ($9), which was topped with a bourbon and brown sugar glazed banana (you also have the choice of ordering the French toast stuffed with banana and Hershey’s milk chocolate, if desired).

I love when restaurants offer vegetarian versions of Eggs Benedict, as it’s one of my favorite indulgent brunch dishes. Back Deck’s version consisted of perfectly poached, runny eggs, and the grilled English muffin remained wonderfully crispy underneath its creamy toppings. While the grilled zucchini and red pepper seemed a little odd at first, the dish did work – and the well-seasoned home fries on the side were a welcome accompaniment to this dish.

I tried one bite of Z’s French toast and the bread was surprisingly crispy. Paired with the large slices of sweet, syrupy bananas, however, the crispy, thick bread helped to keep this dish from becoming too sweet.

Since he knew we were visiting for The EE, Chef Paul Sussman also came out several times throughout our meal to say hello and tell us more about the food. For a busy Saturday morning, we were grateful for his attentiveness and information. Even before knowing who I was, our waiter was also knowledgeable about the menu, and willing to answer all of our questions about the food.

Overall, our meal at Back Deck was a successful one, and Z and I have already said we’d like to go back to try out their dinner menu. Thanks to the laid back atmosphere, the casual – yet tasty – food, and the craft beer pitchers, we will be going back.

Are you an Eggs Benedict fan?

Our food and drinks were complimentary, but as always, the opinions expressed in this post are honest and 100 percent my own. 

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