Brunch at Deleece Grill Pub

The scene: Younger siblings have it rough, especially when the first born is a superstar. If they take a fierce individualist tack, they don’t get to reap the benefits of association. But if they try to follow too closely in the footsteps of their older sibs, they run the risk of not living up to expectations.

Shochu, the Asian small plates concept that occupied the Lakeview address now home to Deleece Grill Pub, struggled with the former. Though the couple behind popular Southport Avenue spot Deleece also ran Shochu, the lack of similarities between the two restaurants made it impossible for them to capitalize on Deleece’s reputation.

Deleece Grill Pub, the similarly named spot that replaced Shochu about two weeks ago, struggles with the latter. Though the grill pub branches out at dinner, the brunch lineup is nearly identical to Deleece’s menu. And this newcomer is no Deleece—at least not yet.

What the two spots do have in common is a friendly, almost homey vibe. A fireplace dominates the room, while exposed brick walls adorned with black-and-white photos lend an urban coziness. The brunch crowd, an all ages Lakeview crew, keeps things laid back and casual.

The cuisine: There’s a problem when you order pear-ginger French toast and your first question is, "Is this the pear-ginger French toast?" Our server assured us that the dish in front of us was indeed pear-ginger French toast ($7/$4 for a half order), even after we hinted that we detected neither pears nor ginger. Oh, well. The French toast was seasoned, browned and soft in all the right places. Come to think of it, we can only think of two things that would’ve made it better: Ginger and pears.

We figured we’d be safe with the breakfast pasta ($9), a Deleece favorite, and it didn’t disappoint. Cavatappi is tossed with garlic, sundried tomatoes and goat cheese, then topped with scrambled eggs and fresh basil. It was too oily, but still tasty. The breakfast mac ($10), another bowl of egg-topped pasta, this one studded with bacon and tomatoes, had the makings of another hit. But the dish was nearly flavorless, the noodles swimming in soupy cream.

At this point, we still could have been appeased with a proper cocktail. A good bloody mary is usually an easy path to forgiveness. Ours ($6) tasted like V8.

Next time, we’ll fight the crowds at Deleece.

***

Loved it: Quick coffee refills

Hated it: Lukewarm coffee

Brunch time: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sunday

Cost: $15-$18 with cocktail, tax and tip

Wait: None

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

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