Brunch at Jerry's

The scene: All four food groups. Hand-held convenience. Endless opportunity for reinvention. Yes, the sandwich is quite possibly the perfect food. And Wicker Park sandwich shop Jerry’s has elevated it to an art form. No wonder there’s usually a wait for a table on weekends.

But now there’s a way to avoid the crowds—for a while, at least. Two weeks ago, Jerry’s rolled out brunch, expanding its sandwich service by two hours on weekend mornings.

Early risers are rewarded for their bleary-eyed pursuit of a good sandwich. When we arrived an hour or so after opening, we were seated promptly by the cozy fireplace. By the time we left, the place was packed with all manner of yuppies, yipsters and Bugaboo-pushing moms, and the host stand was quoting a 20-minute wait.

The cuisine: Jerry’s sticks to its tried-and-true concept, offering 16 breakfast sandwiches on a choice of toasted challah, biscuit or bagel. Options range from egg, sausage, cheese and tomato jam ($8.45) to egg, smoked salmon, cucumber and arugula with lemon and wasabi mayos ($10.20).

You can’t go wrong with one of the Southern-inspired creations. Our fried green tomato sandwich ($8.95) came stacked with eggs, bacon and cheese. The cornmeal-battered tomatoes had just the right amount of bite, and a smear of spicy remoulade added extra kick. We ordered our fried chicken sandwich ($8.45) on a biscuit to complement the regional theme and were glad we did. The buttery biscuit nearly completed the egg-fried chicken-mayo cholesterol bomb—the only thing that might have made it better was a little gravy.

We can’t rightly advise you to eat anything other than sandwiches at Jerry’s, but if you’ve got a maverick in your group, Jerry’s serves a very acceptable French toast with caramelized bananas ($9.95). Quiche, smoked salmon bagels and steel-cut oatmeal make the menu too.

Apart from sandwiches, Jerry’s other specialty is beer—and it would be a shame to let convention dissuade you from uncapping one before noon. The trick is finding something that won’t confuse your taste buds at an early hour. We find Founder’s Breakfast Stout ($7), chock full of toasted coffee flavor, is just the thing. Pour it into your coffee cup, and no one will be the wiser.

***

Loved it: Cheddar grits, a decadent alternative to home fries

Hated it: The service. We were dangerously close to tackling a server to get syrup.

Brunch time: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday-Sunday

Cost: About $20 per person, with a beer, tax and tip

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