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Smothered serves up creative, quality brunch dishes just west of Downtown
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Perfecting an omelet is a rite of passage for not just any brunch spot but, frankly, any breakfast restaurant.
The one at Smothered, the latest endeavor from Bosque Brewing Company, exceeds the typical quality threshold.
Delicately cooked with a perfect fold and served with a nice garnish, each bite of my omelet was complemented by a mix of gooey Monterey Jack cheese and shredded savory duck asado. The dish was on par with some of the breakfast delicacies I’ve enjoyed in Paris — many of which also include duck and egg.
While I typically prefer a savory breakfast dish, the pancakes packed a stellar sweet punch. Cooked to a point that’s not too doughy and not teetering on burnt, the cakes are wide but not overly thin and topped with a chile honey butter and vanilla bourbon syrup — a perfect balancing act of sweet with a tinge of savory and a creative take on a breakfast classic.
I also ordered the Smothered Smashed Scramble off the Classics part of the menu. While it wasn’t my favorite dish, it still provided a refreshing take on a simple breakfast meal. It comes served with three scrambled eggs, grilled onions, peppers, chile (green or red), your choice of meat, topped with cilantro and cotija cheese. While it isn’t a standout item, it was still a solid selection and features the menu’s unsung hero: potatoes.
The potato wedges served at Smothered are fried to perfection, seasoned to a T, and, fortunately, come as a side with a good number of the menu items. While just a side dish, it was far and away my favorite menu item.
Smothered boasts a great kitchen that executes an ambitious and creative menu; however, it needs to improve its coffee program. I did the restaurant a favor by not picturing the disaster of a cappuccino I was served here, which was a chunky, frothy milk catastrophe that buried the espresso, which tasted both burnt and bitter at the same time. The iced latte wasn’t much better.
The other drinks on the menu include alcoholic options: seven cocktails to pick from, four mimosas, wine and a selection of beers — all brewed by Bosque, of course. I had a few sips of the traditional mimosa — nothing exciting, but a safe, quality order and a well-measured pour.
The restaurant boasts a bright ’70s-inspired logo and branding, a colorful dining room to match, and a mostly covered patio with plenty of plants, nestled in the corridor that sits just between Downtown and Old Town along Route 66.
All in all, there is room to grow. Still, Smothered rises to the occasion, providing a fun and creative dining experience and adding another worthy destination to a corridor that is increasingly offering high-quality culinary options.
