Last Sunday, 6 June 2010, Sheyi, Alex, and I visited Parker's on Ponce, a steakhouse with a brunch menu, in Decatur. Having switched over from being Mick's in 2008, Parker's still retains the original exterior spiffiness of simple black trim on the wood and an outdoor patio with unpretentious wire patio furniture. Inside, the spacious seating areas are separated into a few different sections with heavy wood tables both tall, bar-style and short. Pretty sparse crowd and mostly adults dining here, but there were a couple kids running around inside and the waitstaff seemed unfazed by their semi-rowdy presence in an otherwise quiet restaurant.
The Coffee
Any caffeine enthusiast will attest to the fact that a true brunch establishment is only as good as its worst cup of joe. Adding enough alcohol will do the trick for mimosas or bloody marys, but the true joy of brunching comes from a deliciously strong, steaming hot cup of coffee that can only be made with the practiced hand of someone who has respect for the bean. Fortunately, the coffee at Parker's fit the aforementioned description and I went home with a pound of their specially made beans to enjoy over the week :)
The Food
Parker's brunch menu has 10 pretty good selections on its entrees section, all ranging from $9-14, and a fair number of sides made to order a la carte. After spotting the Coffee-rubbed Spinalias Steak and Fried Eggs with Hash Browns (I have no idea what spinialis means - was it a typo? - although it kind of bears an uncomfortable resemblance to some words I saw during Anatomy), I decided I'd have to try it. While the meat came out rather dark-looking for a medium steak, I attributed that to the coffee-rubbed exterior and must say that it tasted very close to what I prefer for a medium. I couldn't really make out the coffee flavoring from the rub, but it did add a slightly bittersweet flavor to the steak - almost like chicory if you've ever had coffee with that in it. The potatoes here were cooked like standard brunch potatoes, soft with a hashbrown quality and little pieces of sauteed onion in them, but the fried eggs were a little more runny than appetizing for me. Looking at Sheyi's Hazelnut French Toast with Frangelico and Blackberry Maple Syrup, I had a pretty good feeling that his entree would be my next-up choice for a revisit trip, although the "Really Good Day" or "Rough Night" entree may trump that choice if indeed it was... either of those occasions.
Coffee-Rubbed Steak
Hazelnut French Toast
Eggs Benedict with Neuskis Canadian Bacon
The Service
Unfortunately, I forget the name of our very friendly waitress who served us, but she was very nice and did everything right from explaining the menu options to MAKING SURE OUR COFFEE CUPS WERE REFILLED - this is crucial!!
The Final Say
8/10 - impressive first time dining experience; would definitely go back again and feel good about ordering other things on the menu or recommending this place to others!
116 E Ponce de Leon Avenue
Decatur, Georgia 30030
404.924.2230
Mon - Thurs 11AM -10PM
Friday 11AM-11PM
Saturday 4-11PM
Sunday 4-10PM
