Brunch munch crunch . . . glunch?

Brunch is one of my favorite meals of the day. Yes, I constitute it a valid meal. Nevermind that it is the summation of age-old indecision or that it mixes pizza with waffles and syrup, I love my brunch. Most mixed things are good things. I give you permission to make a t-shirt out of that. Babies, for example. Mixed babies are quite precious. Unless it's half lizard, half human, then it's (well, arguably) not so pleasant to look at. But what's not pleasant about having breakfast food at a slightly later hour, when normal food should be served? Nothing! And to top it off, you've an excuse to guzzle elegantly sip mimosas. No complaints here.

In Paris, Heather and I used to always hop onto the metro in the early morn, bearing the winter air while Caitlin was still fast asleep and try out different brunch-serving establishments. If you don't remember, there was Coco & Co, as well as Coquelicot, which, unfortunately, I never got to photograph, I believe.... At any rate, I had decided that the French had brunch down to an artform, among other things (uh, among pretty much all things), so why not true an Ameri-French version?

Anisette Brasserie.

225 Santa Monica Blvd.

I was pleasantly surprised by this place. I fully expected a menu boasting an overpriced half-assed cheddar cheese version of french onion soup (the traditional is gruyère) and a $9.00 sugar&butter crêpe, $12.00 for the addition of Nutella. The justification for all of this being that it's made by a "classically trained" French chef.

Bollocks.
Just look at Mattin from Top Chef Las Vegas.
I guess being nationally/ethnically? French makes no difference if your food tastes like balls.

Anyway, Anisette, you were a bit pricey, but the atmosphere was lovely (not so much the exterior surroundings), but you had a classic French terrace to gape at Santa Monicans/tourists passing by, the wicker chairs, the penguin waiters, the high ceilings, the cracked mirrors, and a classic bar. I loved it. It transported me back to Paris again, and it might have made mediocre food exponentially more fascinating.

mmmmm fresh croissants, only provided on the weekends. They were awesome.
So flakey, buttery, delicious.

Imagining the window of a pâtisserie.

pain au chocolat :)

Smoked salmon over buttered toast, shredded boiled egg yolk, and capers.
Not too fond of this.
It was okay.

Mike's Croque Madame avec pommes frites
I tried this. Hee. Really good.

Dessert: Lavender ice cream with strawberry jam, meringues, and fresh strawberry.
sdfpsdjfsopdjfpsjdfsjfjslkdfj :)

Yummmmmy