Surrey's Uptown

Did you know that Surrey's has taken over the former location of Fuel Cafe next door to Les Bon Temps on Magazine? Me neither, that is until this past Sunday when The Folk Singer and I attempted to brunch at the original Surrey's in the Garden District, only to be deterred by the prospect of a 30 minute wait. "Do you know about our other locations?" the host asked. Well I didn't then, but I'm glad that I do now.

The building and dining room are largely unchanged from Fuel's tenure - a small indoor dining room which seats about 25, a side porch with a few deuces, and two large tables outside in front that will be the envy of all diners come October. This location is still relatively unknown such that a wait for a table is likely to be much shorter than at the original. But even with every table full, the food comes forth quickly from the kitchen. Oh, and it's cash only.

The menu is nearly identical to that of the original Surrey's in the Garden District. You want bagels and lox? They got 'em. Pain perdu? Yep. Biscuits are dense but soft, and a pair of them covered with thick sausage gravy makes for a hearty breakfast for just $6. If you are in a Latin American mood, look no further than the Costa Rican breakfast (above). Rice and eggs are covered with a layer of melted cheese and topped with pico de gallo and avocado. My only qualm is the $2.00 supplement for adding black beans, which are a necessity and should come standard with the dish. If you want to inject a little Cajun flair, take The Folk Singer's suggestion of adding a pair of boudin patties, which have a crispy coating from the griddle.

In college in Austin, Sunday brunch at Maudie's was a ritual among my friends. We would drain huge cups of water and bottles of Dos Equis while scarfing down bowl after bowl of queso and waiting for our orders to arrive. The house specialty was migas - a Tex-Mex scramble of eggs, cheese, onion, bell pepper, tomato and tortilla chips. No restaurant has ever duplicated Maudie's version, but Surrey's comes damn close. The key is adding the tortilla chips at the last minute so that they stay crunchy. Throw in some spicy chorizo for the $2 upcharge, place a hefty spoonful in a corn tortilla, roll it up, and kiss your hangover goodbye.

Surrey's Uptown - Birdie