A couple of years ago, The Brunch Club was the place to be in my hungry eyes. They did a boozy chocolate breakfast cocktail and a bangin’ veggie fry up. I recommended it to anyone who would listen and cashed in on any excuse to pull up a pew at the trendy Duke Street eatery in Liverpool city centre.
That was until my love affair with place had to take a bit of a hiatus…
Houston, we’ve got a problem
Things started to get rocky the day I went there and one of those uber cool pedant filament bulbs spontaneously combusted overhead, spraying shrapnel all over our table to no literally concern of our waitress.
Alas, accidents happen – we’ve all seen the Final Destination films – so we returned… waited yonks for a table, even more yonks for the food to appear and when it did, it was stone cold scrambled eggs with a side of hangry disappointment. I can get over chomping on shards of lightbulb if the grub’s good but bastardise my morning eggs and Houston, we’ve got a problem.
We passive-aggressively flounced off to The Bagelry instead that fateful day and didn’t return to The Brunch Club until last Friday night to check out it’s brand spankin’ new transformation…
I love what you’ve done with the place
Let me just start by saying: The Brunch Club is well and truly back in business. As in, the absolute business, doing bits, the bidnis – whatever it is the cool kids are saying these days. It’s done a complete Fast & Furious-style handbrake turn following a revamp of both the menu and the venue itself and I am HERE for it.
Ironically, we didn’t end up back at The Brunch Club for brunch, or even breakfast for that matter. We strolled in there at about 8pm on a Friday evening looking for somewhere chilled to have a drink and some nibbles and boy, am I glad destiny (and a lack of tables at Lucha Libre) led us here.
The bar-restaurant has been transformed into a botanical jungle complete with lime green velvet seating and winding tree trunks climbing all over the gaff. I did notice a fair few filament bulbs dotted about the place which I’ll be keeping a close eye on but the venue looks stunning, particularly when the sunlight is leaking through the jumbo venetian blinds.
Dipping Trees and Pineapple G&Ts
It might look like a dressed set from the new Jungle Book movie but they’re offering more than those bear necessities here. You can tell both The Brunch Club food menu and the drinks list have been carefully curated with a desire to bring something a little different to the table, literally.
We went for a Dipping Tree (£25) between the three of us and enjoyed every morsel as much as the novelty of our tapas-style sharing platter being served in a handmade ‘tree’. Highlights from the pick-n-mix of small plates were the garlic edamame, jamon croquettes and a viscous, sticky sesame dipping sauce which I literally spooned from the bowl with my finger.
Champion of the drinks menu was one of The Brunch Club’s own gin infusions – a pineapple gin with tonic and tropical garnish. Oh my giddy aunt, this is insane. For anybody who likes a fresh, light, fruity distill like I do but you’re a bit bored of the pink gin pandemic, I implore you to shoot this straight to the top of your to-drink list.
The Brunch Club Liverpool breakfast menu
I was so enamoured with my pineapple G&T in fact, that I craftily constructed a return visit for brunch there the following day so I could have another.
When we got there, there was still the same lengthy wait for table that there always was but I can categorically confirm that is was more than worth it. Pineapple G&Ts in hand, we eagerly anticipated the arrival of our Anti Fry Up (£9.50), Chorizo Scrambled Eggs (£9.50), Braised Beef Brisket Hash (£8.50).
My scrambled eggs were buttery, generously bejewelled with rich chorizo chunks, crowned with warm goats cheese and tied together with a dollop of sweet onion jam. An absolute dream. I also had a mouthful of the tender beef brisket with ‘breakfast’ gravy and wow, just wow.
My only niggle? Portions are sometimes a bit small. The Anti Fry Up was a hearty plate but the eggs and the hash were more modest than some (we) would be used to.
Solution: order breakfast dessert!
Something Sweet
With a little hole left for filling in all of our glutenous stomachs, we decided to revisit the menu and order a couple of things from the ‘Something Sweet’ section to satiate our sweet teeth.
We went for the Croissant French Toast (£8.50) with meringue shards (no glass), honey yoghurt, lemon curd and fresh berries, alongside the Pancake Stack (£8.50) with banana and maple syrup. Both looked beautiful and tasted great but I’d definitely say The Brunch Club truly shines in its savoury offering and eclectic bar menu.
Right, I’m off to update my best breakfasts in Liverpool list…