Common Ground

          I recently had the opportunity to attend my first event with the Boston Brunchers at Common Ground in Allston (in the interest of full disclosure, this event was free to us but that in no way influenced this review). I'd heard of Common Ground but had never been and until brunch, I always thought it was more of a bar. After reading the description of the food on the brunchers invite, I was excited to try it!

          When I walked in, I was greeted by several staff members who were all extremely friendly and nice. Once we were seated, the owner came out and welcomed us personally, explaining what was included (the full buffet plus house made bacon, bananas foster French toast, and one cocktail). The Chef even came out toward the end to talk to us about some of the food. We learned that the only item not homemade was the turkey bacon, and that everything else (including condiments and granola) is made in house.

          The buffet included a ton of food: eggs, bacon, sausage, roast beef, muffins, fruit, and much more. I loaded my plate, and tried to get at least a small bite of everything. My favorite items from the buffet were the corned beef hash, sausage, and chocolate chip muffin.

          The corned beef hash was some of the best I've ever had. It was delicious, and this is something I normally like. Unlike the hash I’m used to, with ground corned beef and tiny potatoes, this one had large slices of fresh corned beef mixed with chunks of roasted potatoes, onions, and peppers.

          The house made sausage was also very good. It tasted fresh, had just the right amount of seasoning, and was the thickest sausage patty I've had. These were more like mini pork burgers without a bun.

          The chocolate chip muffin was a group favorite. I didn't take one at first because my plate was so full, but after hearing the other bloggers rave about it I had to try one! It was crisp and sugary on the top and incredibly light and moist on the inside, with the perfect chocolate to muffin ratio.

          The bananas foster french toast and home made bacon were two dishes not on the buffet, and were also group favorites. The french toast was a cinnamon raisin bread, topped with caramelized bananas and fresh fruit. The bacon was a plate of chopped slab bacon, similar to pork belly with a crispy top and tender layer of meat (and fat) on the bottom.

          Although I only tried one drink (the mimosa), it looked like they had a great selection. One of the bloggers tried the shake of the day, which included peach ice cream and vodka. This is something I would definitely like to try when I go back.

         Overall the meal at Common Ground was excellent and a really fun way to spend a Sunday morning. I got to meet some great new people, chat with other bloggers, learn about a great new restaurant, and for once not be the only one at the table taking pictures of my food!