You either jumped off your seat out of happiness for this vegan brunch or cringed at the thought of eating a full menu of vegan food. But let me tell you, Equinox Restaurant has finally made a vegan brunch that is worth talking about and jumping off your seat. So if you cringed please make sure to read on!
Equinox is run by a beautiful family which makes the overall experience much more intimate and wholesome. You can find Chef Todd creating the magic in the kitchen, and his wife, Ellen, running the floor and greeting guests with a warm welcome. Their son who has been eager to help with running the restaurant with them since a very young age is usually found behind the bar creating incredible drinks (keep on scrolling down for a glimpse into his fresh and delicious creations).
Equinox is a Mid Atlantic regionally inspired menu that focuses on community-sourced, organic ingredients grown within 100 miles of the restaurant, whenever possible.The vegan brunch is buffet style with a wide variety of options that is gluten-free friendly as well. Check out the full menu here. For now, let’s dig in!
First up was their daily bread station. Like the restaurant, it was decorated tastefully and definitely made it enticing to approach. But what really made this bread station interesting was its good selection of dips and seasonings including a Middle Eastern Zaatar and Hazelnut Dulce.
The brunch buffet includes an omelet station made out of tofu (best tofu scramble I have ever had), another station with pasta, fried cauliflower, fruits and most importantly a dessert station that has over 8 selections for people to pick from (there is one gluten-free cupcake option).
While we were sampling these stations, Chef Todd shared with us some little treats that definitely wowed us. His first surprise, which was my personal favorite, was a crab-less hearts of palm cake and home-made chips.
Next on the surprise list was the falafel bite. Being an Arab and growing up in the country who created the falafel, I found this dish to be average compared to the typical local falafel. The presentation was on-point but definitely recommend a strengthening in the flavors.
They brought to us next a dish inspired from their travels which features a gluten-free crepe made out of chickpeas and turmeric topped with spiced mushroom and a tahini vinaigrette. Chef Todd recommended wrapping it up and eating it with your hands as the Bedouins did. Ofcourse, I ate it that way and it was delicious.
After sampling the vegan brunch menu and getting a tasting of the little surprises Chef Todd sent us, I left incredibly satisfied and ready to come back again. I would highly recommend spending a weekend brunch there whether for a brunch date with your special person or with a group of friends. It really is a place for all to enjoy.
Finally, I will leave you with a cheers from the son’s creation – a cucumber and lime fresh drink that made our taste buds wake up along the way. Thank you for an incredible food journey. Looking forward to being back!
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