Brunch at Chalkboard

The scene: You know that old friend you don’t call often enough? The one you adore, but whose reliable ways get lost in a blur of other commitments? That’s what happened to Chalkboard’s brunch.

The North Center bistro started serving brunch shortly after opening in 2006, but then business took off, and chef-owner Gilbert Langlois found it too much to ask of his staff after a hectic weekend dinner service. Chalkboard built a reputation on dinner and afternoon tea, but the neighborhood’s appetite for brunch never faltered. So three weeks ago, Langlois gave the morning meal a second chance.

Though the chandelier-and-white-tablecloth atmosphere might fool you into thinking otherwise, Chalkboard is a neighborhood restaurant. Langlois himself often mans the door, and service is warm and unhurried. Prices are neighbor-friendly too, consummate with the casual jeans-and-a-sweater dress code that appears de rigueur here on weekend mornings.

The cuisine: Why there wasn’t an all-out riot in the streets when Chalkboard discontinued brunch the first time, we’re not sure. But we wouldn’t be surprised if competition for a table gets fierce once word gets out that it’s back.

Langlois blends solid fundamentals with a playful approach, resulting in fun twists on familiar concepts, such as the Duck "Mick" Muffin ($12), a classed-up take on a fast-food favorite. Though served on a toasted English muffin, it’s a fork-and-knife affair—all the better to savor the seared duck breast, perfectly poached egg and surprisingly light brie sauce.

If we have one gripe, it’s that menu descriptions don’t do most of the dishes justice. Going light on the details, however, does introduce an element of surprise. The crab cake Benedict ($13), a thick, golden-brown cake drizzled with smoked gouda hollandaise, is far more sophisticated than the menu betrays. And the "French toast" ($8) isn’t French toast at all, but something better: tempura-battered pound cake deep fried and served atop lavender-scented yogurt and mixed berries.

***

Loved it: Green XLerator hand dryers in the bathrooms. Some day, we’ll get over the novelty. Not yet.

Hated it: The view. The Golden Angel Restaurant and Pancake House is a jarring contrast.

Brunch time: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday

Cost: About $18-$20 per person

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