Bang-On Brunch

Lamesa at Queen and Bathurst does trendy Filipino to show that "ethnic cuisine" shouldn't be relegated to the cheap eats/student budget category. I enjoyed dinner there, although I didn't love that they tone down some of the more exotic flavours. When I found out that they have a brunch option, I decided to check it out on Saturday.

From a short and simple menu, I chose the Silog Silog Breakfast ($12) with the tradititional bangus (milkfish) instead of the Filipino bacon or sausage. The plate was both familiar and strange. On the typical side, there was an arugula and sunny-side up eggs. Somewhere in the middle was the cassava hash and fried rice (instead of fries and toast). What stopped me was an entire fish, dissected down the middle, and presented whole with head and tail. I don't think you'll see anything half as interesting at any other brunch place.

The milkfish was delicious. It has been smoked, marinated, and then fried so everything was edible, except for the tail. The flesh was salty and fragrant, perfect with salad or rice. The crispy skin (and head) added oily richness. For some tanginess, pour on some Sinamak (spicy filipino vinegar). The cassava was less starchy than potatoes; it had an interesting flavour though it won't replace the tater. I complimented the meal with an extra spicy Caesar ($8). All in all, this was a stand-out brunch.