Brunch at Church of Boston

          This week Blog and Tweet Boston hosted a brunch at Church of Boston. We enjoyed some great company and sampled LOTS of amazing food! Chef John Rush created an eclectic mix of dishes for us to try including dishes that represented his Eastern European and Amish country PA roots, as well as some Latin and Asian inspired dishes.

           The Vietnamese style vermicelli was spicy and topped with plenty of succulent grilled shrimp.

          The cornbread was browned perfectly in a cast iron skillet, and tasted light and buttery. I may have gone back for a second piece!

          The potato and cheddar perogies fried and topped with sour cream and chives were perfectly authentic; my Polish father would approve.

          The toad in the hole was some of the thickest French toast I’ve ever seen, topped with a poached egg and bacon. I made sure to get a bite with a whole piece of bacon, and the combination was a perfect representation of a hearty New England brunch.

          The lamb béchamel was unlike anything I’ve had before; a giant skillet of ground spiced lamb topped with baked béchamel.

          I loved the huevos rancheros, which reminded me of a breakfast taco served in a grilled tortilla with poached eggs, black beans, and spicy chorizo.

          The flap jacks were so indulgent and could have been dessert with the whipped cream, roasted apples, and candied walnuts.

          Just when we thought we couldn’t possibly eat anymore, Chef John brought out a cocktail of godiva white chocolate, spiced whiskey, and maple liquor and announced that he would be bringing out even more food – several selections from the dessert menu. I was excited to the see that my top two picks were on the list, the ginger toffee cake and apple empanada. Both lived up to my expectations and then some!

          The two layer ginger toffee cake was soaked in caramel, which oozed out as you broke into it. It was the best dessert I’ve had in awhile, and I would go back to Church just for this!

          The empanada was served warm with dulce de leche ice cream, and stuffed with sweet roasted apples.

          The chocolate flourless cake was also amazing, and when eaten in combination with the cherries on the plate tasted like a chocolate covered cherry.

          The trio of sorbets were light and flavorful; the concord grape was my favorite.

          Although we sat at a table, Church has plenty of comfy couches to lounge on while you enjoy your brunch, and will be doing a special pajama brunch for New Year’s day. If you can’t make that, they’ll also be hosting and participating in the Fenway area’s second annual chili cook off!