Five minutes away from Toast Montclair, we learned the impossible: Toast advertises a ridiculously appetizing brunch menu without mentioning that the restaurant is BYOB. Our brains go into overdrive. It’s official, we about to attend Runch, brunch without the “B.” The “B” in brunch referring to booze instead of the beginning of breakfast, clearly. Don’t get us wrong, we love BYOB. What we do not love? Getting blind-sided by a BYOB. Just give us some warning, people! Word for the wise: if a brunch menu does not list its boozey drinks, it probably doesn’t have boozey drinks.
Enter Merit Wines to the rescue. About a block away from Toast, we were able to pick up a bottle of champagne to pour over some orange juice. Given the usual 30-40 minute wait time for a table, it’s completely reasonable to walk down the street and peruse for your preferred libation. While we did not take that chance and bought our champagne prior to putting our names in, we are also here to spread some extra words of wisdom (or at least, experience).
We were seated sooner than our expected wait time and started delving into Toast’s menu (again). Then came the timeless questions of brunch. (1) Lunch or breakfast? (2) Share or get our own plates? (3) If breakfast, then sweet or savory?
Answers: (1) Breakfast; we’ll probably have a sandwich for dinner. (2) Obviously both. (3) See (2).
After an insanely long intro, here are the goods. Red Velvet Pancake, Carrot Cake Pancake, Crab and Asparagus Omelet, Bacon and Brie omelet, Iced Chai Latte, and Cappuccino.
- Red Velvet Pancake — Yes. Think of your favorite red velvet cake or cupcake. Flatten it while maintaining its fluffy, moist qualities and you get Toast’s red velvet pancake. It seems oxymoronic that a flat piece of cake would also be fluffy and moist but Toast nails its pancakes right on their heads.
- Carrot Cake Pancake — Also, Yes. See above. Add walnuts and a thin drizzle of icing. Delicious. Toast’s “Peace, Love, Pancakes” motto shines brightly in this flattened, fluffy, moist Carrot Cake.
- Crab and Asparagus Omelet — we were very excited about this combo. We were even more excited that Toast drizzled hollandaise sauce on top of the omelet, meaning that we didn’t feel bad abandoning our usual Eggs Benedict. We were also very let down by this omelet, as well as the bacon and Brie omelet. The egg was thin and fluffy but the egg to filling ratio was off. There was too much egg to filling. Additionally, our eggs did not come to us steaming hot. They were not cold, but with a full table, we were forced to eat a little faster than we would have liked.
- Bacon and Brie Omelet — Same issues as our other omelet. Not enough Brie, too much egg, and the bacon was not as crispy as we would like. The bacon thing is a personal preference, but still worth noting.
Also notable: First, the potatoes. We do not regret eating ALL of these potatoes. They are lightly spiced, crispy on the edges, and break apart into a well-cooked potato. Second and accordingly, doesn’t hurt that Toast leaves Frank’s Hot Sauce on the table for dipping. Always a plus. Third, our coffee was delicious.
Moral of the story: Eat the pancakes. Seriously, Toast, thank you for selling single pancakes.
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