Brunch: Succotash, Penn Quarter

I’m officially the worst at trying new places, but… I’m working on it. A main reason is going on my own to a place sight-unseen, not even for cocktails ahead of time, can leave me with a really bad experience. It’s a whole self-defeating thing, I know. So when a friend suggested Succotash for brunch — I think he got it off of a “best brunch” list — I was all in. If there’s even just one other person with me, I’ll try just about any new place. And if it’s awful, we can go elsewhere to save the day and complain about it. 🙂

A progressive perspective of classic Southern favorites.
James Beard Award nominee Edward Lee brings his
Korean roots and Southern repertoire to a soulful Southern menu.

Aside from a slight pause at the Google Maps descriptions using “Dixie” instead of Southern in their descriptions, I was definitely all in to give it a try, and it didn’t disappoint. We tried their “Taste the South” option, which was more or less a tasting menu/brunch “flight” of dishes and by the end we were plenty stuffed.

I’m all about a fixed price, multiple course option because menus can overwhelm me a bit. I don’t always gravitate to one dish or another, and sometimes will order multiple plates just to try things, so this was perfect.

They have a good assortment of “breakfast cocktails” but didn’t seem to have a bottomless option, and honestly, I don’t ask — I guess I think it’s somewhat gauche to announce, “I’d like to drink here all day, can you accommodate that?” Perhaps the mark of a brunch professional versus a brunch amateur.¹ Still, their Gochujang Bloody Mary had a nice extra kick of spice, and their Bellini was served as bubbly topped with a peach nectar foam. But to round out the meal, I’d suggest a pitcher of the Belle’s Punch. It serves 5, but I’m sure if there are less of you present, you can power through!

The tasting menu included courses of: Sticky Buns, Fried Green Tomatoes, Chicken & Waffles; Biscuits, Gravy & Poached Eggs, Warm Potato Salad or Collards, Kimchi & Country Ham, and ended with Mini Chocolate Pecan Pies.

Bring your appetite! If not for the pitcher of cocktails, I would have been struggling to finish everything without needing a break for a nap. As a Korean/Southern fusion, there was a bit of spice and variety in the dishes, but nothing too out of the ordinary for brunch.

You can see all of my photos from brunch over at flickr — brunch selfies included — and I would definitely go back and try a regular sized dish or two, or maybe stop in for a happy hour on Wednesday (or, as they call it, Wingsday).

I hope everyone’s week is off to a great start, and if not, then I hope you’re already making your weekend brunch plans so you have something to look forward to!