Tallula_receipt, originally uploaded by minhi.

Brunch at Tallula.  Ok, so for the last few years i’ve become a bit of a brunch snob.  It’s not like i try to be, i never go to brunch alone when i’m in DC.  I will go alone when I’m travelling for work, but it somehow seems less creepy and desperate in that case.  But in the last few years I’ve had brunch numerous times in NYC–what i consider to be the proto-typical (for good or bad) brunch.  Clinton Street Bakery, Good Enough to Eat, Jane, Fairway (yes the Fairway does a great brunch), and numerous others i can’t even name.  I can’t tell you exactly but there is a certain something about NYC brunch.  And now I’ve found it in northern virginia.  For 3 years I lived down the street from what is now Tallula, it use to be a divey/greasy bar called “whiteys” with half-price burger nights (tuesday?).  When I arrived at Tallula i was pretty shocked at all the work they did.  It’s a little haphazard in the sense that the design is an amalgamation of lots of different elements.

Now for the food, my brunch companion ordered the Graham Beck which is some sparky wine from South Africa that is rarely seen on American menus according to my frequent SA visiting companion.  The ricotta cherry pancakes were succesful, if a little lite on the cherries.  The bacon didn’t quite hold up to NYC standards for thick cut bacon, it was surprisingly ordinary actually but satisfactory.  The pastrami hash was excellent, a little too nyc in that it was quite refined, a fine dice of house-made pastrami and crispy potataoes.

Overall I liked it quite a bit, unfortunately as you can see from the receipt, this brunch also has NYC style prices!  I think the food would hold it’s own against a NYC brunch, but it’s not cheap.  If you’re interested here’s a tip, get there when they open at 11AM or make a reservation.  Reservations? ok so they’re not quite new york city yet.