VANA (Brunch)
Brioche French Toast
Spoiler Alert: This one’s a 10/10. And I don’t rate any restaurant lightly.
We all know I love Vana, but surprisingly I hadn’t been for brunch — until recently. It was my friend’s birthday, so we decided to celebrate. And ohmygosh… it was hands down THE BEST brunch I’ve had in Charlotte, and quite possibly the best meal I’ve had in Charlotte. Without question, it was one of the top five brunches I’ve had in my life. You HAVE to check it out!
A meal to die for
Impossibly delicious options for every sweet, savory, and boozy tooth. Here’s my review:
Rosie Posie. Gin, Aperol, watermelon, strawberry, mint, lemon, and rosé. Not only does this drink look fun, but it tastes phenomenal. Another knockout by Amanda! It’s bright, crisp, and refreshing. A perfect summer Sunday Funday beverage. If only it were served poolside.
French Toast. Candied bacon, peaches, spiced nuts, and butterscotch. Don’t let the thin slices fool you in this scrumptious sweet/savory combination. Honestly, the best French toast I’ve ever had. Pure perfection!
Cinnamon Bun. Salted caramel, candied pecans, orange zest. It’s the equivalent of having sex on Christmas morning — and I’m here for it. It’s not too sweet and has a little zing; I think there’s some cardamom in it — it’s incredible.
Lamb Merguez Sammi. Mustard, pickled red onion, ricotta, fried egg. A combination that could not get any more perfect. The lamb sausage is amazingly flavorful. Topped with a perfectly jammy egg. The ricotta adds a mellow creaminess. And the mustard adds the perfect bite. Just say yes! It was so good, we all wished we had ordered our own.
Shrimp and Polenta. Charred okra, tomato, corn. Perfectly-cooked, slightly sweet shrimp, a phenomenal robust flavor to the veggies, atop the best, creamiest polenta I’ve ever eaten. There was a great little kick to it in the end – maybe chili oil?
Steak and Eggs. Eggs, bearnaise, chimichurri. A phenomenal steak and eggs dish! Flavorful meat is complemented by a nice and runny egg – just what I like. It could have used a bit of salt — or a sharpness — so make sure you get a pickled veggie in every bite. I’d also recommend asking for a side of bread with it.
Sweet Baked Flatbread. Cinnamon sugar, chocolate cremeux, mint. Another PERFECT combination and a must order. It was the perfect amount of cinnamon sugar and a velvety smooth cremeux. TO DIE FOR.
Meat and Cheese Board. Fresh, high-quality meats, cheeses, and accouterments. An excellent charcuterie board. The cheese constantly rotates; when I was there, it was blue cheese. It also came with pickled okra that had me drooling! I love the mustard they use on this board too.
Perfection, no doubt
I’ll give this meal a 10/10 — no question. Usually, I can rank dishes from favorite to least favorite. After this meal, it was impossible. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t pick one dish over another. Do yourself a favor and check this brunch out. You’ll thank me later. Enjoy!
