Coulis

Fans of the Bluebird Cafe did not have to wait long for another breakfast spot to fill the void. After a brief run at Fuel Coffee House, Chef James Leeming opened Coulis in Bluebird's former location on Prytania, and almost instantaneously the lines started forming again on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The short menu runs the gamut from basic breakfasts to creative concoctions. Eggs Benedict has mini jalapeno cornbread cakes, topped with pulled pork, poached eggs, and an excellent hollandaise. (Deja vu?) Delicious, yes, but the portion was much too small for the price ($13). Same goes for the Eggs Creole (below), whose sausage gravy was just begging to be poured all over a biscuit. Unfortunately, a heavy dose of that gravy is necessary to redeem an otherwise dry, crumbly biscuit.


The best choice on the menu is the Huevos Rancheros, which coincidentally was the Bluebird's most popular dish. A shallow bowl contains black beans on one side and fire roasted tomato salsa on the other; grilled tortillas stuffed with cheese serve as a raft for poached eggs, and then long, fried tortilla chips are arranged on the outside like golden rays of sunshine. At $9, this is a dish worth waiting in line for.

When I wake up hungry on the weekend, I want food and I want it now. As such, if eating at a particular place requires waiting in line, it better serve one hell of a breakfast. On the whole, Coulis serves better than above average fare, but I am not so sure if the usual wait for a table are justified. But if I drive by and there are no crowds outside, chances are I'm putting the car in park.

Coulis - Par