Brunch at Amelia's

The scene: Behind the scenes at most restaurants, chefs come and chefs go. It’s a little like musical chairs. And every now and then, someone pulls off an unexpected steal.

It happened about a month ago for an unassuming Back of the Yards spot, which managed to scoop up Eusevio Garcia after he sold his share of Pilsen’s popular Mundial Cocina Mestiza and left the kitchen there. (The move was prompted in part by changes in his personal life. He’s split with his wife, who also was in the kitchen at Mundial.)

Garcia’s new home—the big winner—is Amelia’s Grille, a tidy little corner restaurant on an otherwise uninteresting stretch of Halsted Street. Amelia’s isn’t new to the neighborhood—it’s been serving up Mexican standards for more than a decade. But Garcia’s arrival coincided with some changes, including new management and, of course, an entirely new menu.

Some remnants of the old Amelia’s remain. Formica tabletops don’t quite match up with the exposed brick and ductwork in the modern, loft-like space, and an outdated sign complete with a neon "open" light seems out of synch with a place where several dinner entrees now top $20. Still, it’s a comfortable neighborhood spot, made even more so by attentive, friendly service.

The cuisine: Despite all the changes in his life, one thing remains constant: Garcia’s still got it in the kitchen. And on both the dinner and brunch menus, he’s brought a lot of favorites from Mundial with him.

If you’ve brunched at Mundial, you’ll recognize the chilaquiles ($10), a huge bowl of saucy, egg-topped tortilla chips smothered in your choice of salsa roja or verde. (We went for the red sauce and weren’t disappointed, though we still couldn’t finish the giant portion.)

Huevos divorciados ($11) are familiar too, though Garcia’s interpretation still strays far from the traditional dish. It looks like a Benedict, but when your fork hits the sweet corn cakes beneath the poached eggs and smoked salmon, it takes a different path to deliciousness. The divorciados (divorced) aspect comes through in the contrasting hollandaise sauces topping each half of the dish: a chipotle hollandaise, which keeps surprisingly to itself, and a wonderfully tangy roasted red pepper version that clearly dominates the relationship.

Amelia’s is BYOB for now, so feel free to bring champagne for a DIY mimosa.

***

Loved it: Banana and strawberry French toast ($8) with red wine-vanilla syrup

Hated it: Lukewarm hollandaise

Brunch time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday

Cost: About $15 per person

Wait: None

M. Kathleen Pratt is the Metromix dining producer. kpratt@tribune.com

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