Looking for a top notch brunch in Midtown West is no easy feat, but Tanner Smith’s is one worth checking out. The restaurant’s motto is to “provide our guests with a truly unique experience” and we’d say they’ve succeeded with their goal. We went for their new Tipsy Tea brunch, themed around Prohibition and named for the time when saloons went undercover as tea rooms and sold alcoholic drinks in teapots. And we walked away impressed.
Tipsy Tea brunch is from 11:30am-2:30pm and includes the following goodies for $40/pp:
- Choice of any brunch entrée (good luck choosing!)
- One alcoholic teapot (two servings) or two individual cocktails, wine, or beer
- Booze-infused tea cakes (basically inventive flavored macaroons)
Let’s start with the booze.
It was on the warmer side the day we went, so we tried the refreshing Rosie Lee teapot consisting of Hendricks Gin, lavender infused tea, cane sugar, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and champagne. Delicious! And drinking out of teacups adds that cute, speakeasy touch.
Sadly the bloody mary was nothing to write home about, but the weather is starting to cool off, so next time we’ll try the Bourbon Tea Brunch. This tipsy tea boasts Old Forester Bourbon, Benedictine, orange blossom water, habanero shrub, cane sugar, freshly squeezed lime juice, and green tea.
We tried a variety of entrees, and all were good. Standouts included their crave-worthy take on Eggs Benedict, Brussel Sprout Hash, and the Baked Eggs. The Eggs Benedict includes poached eggs with Irish bacon, and bernaise sauce served atop Texas toast. It’s the slight variations that make it great and the texas toast provides a nice, chewy base to soak up the sauce and runny yolk. If you want a heartier version there’s an option to add smoked pork for a few extra bucks.
On the flip side, the Brussel Sprout Hash is a unique and veggie friendly option topped with two fried eggs and served with dill crème fraiche. It’s a bit lighter that the benedict, yet still satisfying with the mound of earthy and hearty hash.
Speaking of hearty, the Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce is served in a cast-iron skillet with dollops of goat cheese to complement the nicely seasoned tomato sauce. Sourdough toast comes on the side to soak up the remains or break up the toast and mix it in for a saucier panzanella-style mixture.
We also tried the Avocado Smash, which was good though fairly standard given the vast number of restaurants now serving avocado toast with eggs. The Skillet Baked Pancake was thick and delicious if you’ve got a sweet tooth, but don’t forget you’ve got some tasty Tea Cakes coming to finish off your brunch.
If you’re not convinced already, they’ve got live swing music from 11:30am-2:30pm every Saturday and Sunday to round out the experience. And if you don’t want to shell out $40 on brunch, everything can be ordered à la carte to make it easier on your wallet. All in all, this place is a definitely a Midtown West brunch win.
Overall: 5 out of 5 hearts
Website: http://www.tannersmiths.com/
Address: 204 West 55th St. (between 7th and 8th Ave)
Hours: Sat and Sun 10:30am – 4am; Tipsy Tea Brunch from 11:30am-2:30pm