Bounty on Broad Brunch (Memphis)

The past four days have been a bit of a blur, as I managed to lug every furniture piece, kitchen gadget and clothing article from the apartment to my new house in Downtown Memphis. 95-degree weather tempted our patience, but friends and family diligently pushed through to bring the new space together beautifully, like effortless magic. Ashley York Binkley is gracefully styling and coordinating the interiors, which Ashleigh Peak will capture through her Well Worn Co. lens next week. I cannot wait to give you a full tour in the coming days. Until then, I hope the iPhone social media snaps suffice! A traditional Aldo’s pizza picnic on the kitchen floors commenced on Friday evening after successfully closing on the property. Though once we hit Sunday morning, our tensed muscles did not stand a chance on the concrete. My family instead treated me to a brunch spread at Bounty, complete with six must-try seasonal favorites. I’m tempted to test these out in the coming weekends, where I will (surprisingly) soak up as much of Memphis as possible versus traveling.

The shrimp salad stole my heart (and a majority of space on my shared plate). Avocado crema graced the bottom of the bowl with plump pink shrimp, zucchini, arugula, yellow heirloom tomatoes, and fragrant olive oil. I plan to buy these ingredients at the now next-door farmers market and make a rendition next week. I’ll share the recipe if successful!

Smoky potato hash with fried duck egg, smoked bacon and haricot verts was wonderfully light on the palate. I am used to extra greasy, dense hash browns with too much seasoning, but these were simple and additive to the rest of the dishes. I’m still in hysterics after my sister was turned down when she asked for ketchup—Bounty’s ingredients are so authentic, Heinz cannot be found in the building!

The scrambled eggs with garden vegetable and shaved parmesan were fluffily fabulous. You could just tell that these eggs were well watched over the heat by the chef downstairs. I need to learn Chef Jackson Kramer’s technique for my morning routine!

Most notably were, in fact, the simplest of them all: peaches and blueberries with shaved almonds and crème fraiche. The platter was an eye-pleaser and palate refresher to open and/or close the meal.

Now, off to plan a brunch of my own!

The Second Line (Memphis)

I recently read in last Sunday's New York Times, "there are no shortcuts to quality." The Second Line doesn't believe in shortcuts. It's beautifully obvious. I admittedly crave trips to New Orleans pretty frequently for the city's charming culinary magic, though Chef Kelly English has managed to bring the once-unbeatable creole rendition to Midtown Memphis through every menu item. And while I have written about the cocktails and the atmosphere of my coveted Overton Square hangout, I somehow have yet to write about the food.

My Instagram boasts the recent table spreads from the orange and turquoise patio. Earlier in the summer, the fried catfish po boy graced my plate for the first time. An unusual feature compared to the usual fried shrimp or oyster, the catfish was fried to a golden brown crisp with that wonderful contrast of an outer crisp and an inner buttery texture. Add that to a fresh, cloud-like baguette with thick-cut tomatoes and lettuce. Hello, happiness.

The brignole side salad served as a necessary substitute to balance the fried entrees with a touch or two of green. While side salads are usually overlooked and boring, the Second Line's was a spunky refresher of crushed red pepper flakes and quartered artichoke hearts. I was a big fan of the feta and green olives, which reminded me of the dirty martini I'd sip later that evening.

The Besh barbecue shrimp appetizer knocks any other rendition out of the park. Compared to other Memphis versions, The Second Line shrimp are plump and bursting with creole flavor. We sopped up remaining sauce with the side baguette (as if I needed more carbs).

Now skip to brunch, which offers a curated, eclectic mix of Southern-inspired breakfast favorites (with the Kelly English twist, of course). Eggs Benedict with rich spinach madeleine and artichoke are a vegetarian favorite; Cast-iron skillet huevos rancheros with stewed black beans and fried eggs brought me back to my South Austin brunch adventures; and the insane pancake stack with strawberries and molasses brought me to heaven. All were washed down amongst our party of six with the signature bloody mary recipe, which I'm dying to imitate at home.

If you aren't on a diet, perfect. If you're on a diet, pretend you aren't for one meal and make it into The Second Line. Every carb is #worthit.

St. Roch Market (New Orleans)

Built in the late 1800s as an open-air seafood market, St. Roch's Bywater doors were closed as soon as Hurricane Katrina hit. Now as a true refurbishment and rekindling of New Orleans' charming spirit, St. Roch Market stands as an elegant and airy centerpiece for all things food and drink, all hours of the day.

The space, as you can see, is simply stunning. I'm a sucker for white and natural light. We floated through the gallery of marble countertops and chalkboard menus. I was in awe of the concept that vendors functioned individually yet collectively created a cohesive, complete environment.

The thirteen vendors highlight small menus of specialty items, hand-prepared on the back counters of their established booths. While Alex ordered our Coast Roast coffee drinks, I picked up a slice of extra cinnamon-y coffee cake from The Sweet Spot, and Ashley picked up avocado toasts with red pepper flakes and hard boiled egg from Juice Nola. We brought our brunch offerings to a small marble table in the center of the building and dug in.

Yet throughout the space, you can choose between raw oysters, cold-pressed juice, baked confections, West-African cuisine, artisanal meats and cheeses, crepes, Korean-Creole fusion, and crawfish mac and cheese. Produce at the market entrance is available, too.

Now, I'm ready to bring one to Memphis. Who's with me?

The Smith (New York City)

I firmly believe in savoring breakfast -- labeled the most important meal of the day for a reason -- especially when it's a weekday morning egg scramble or poached-style toast ritual. But on a weekend at The Smith in New York City, the classic egg dish is amplified to a cast-iron lobster frittata or a poached egg avocado toast. That, my friends, is a proper American brunch. And that brunch should, indeed, be experienced right here.

We were seated by a floor-length window with beautiful views of Midtown scenes and pedestrians. Though locals complained about the "heat wave" overwhelming Manhattan, a sunny and 82-degree forecast was more than appreciated by my family, who is still learning to manage the heavy humidity of Memphis.

The breezy, brunchy vibe transmitted from tables to waiters, who kindly delivered individually-wrapped packages of crusty bread with whipped butter to accompany our dozen ice cold oysters on the half shell.

The lobster frittata special, while cooked through more than I typically prepare, highlighted slices of buttery brie, blistered cherry tomatoes, and quite impressive servings of fresh lobster. The portion was delightful, especially when served in a piping hot skillet. If only this could be translated into a weekday morning pre-work breakfast...!

The avocado toast with poached egg and frisée was clearly a home run, and the ahi tuna and lobster salads were refreshingly light compared to our Il Mulino feast the evening beforehand. Light-as-air fennel slices and crisp hericot verts were fantastic additions to fresh seafood, which would satisfy any summer palate. The bold colors across our table reflected a colorful, comprehensive menu I'd recommend to any tourist or NYC local. The Smith was simply, utterly wonderful.

Summer House Santa Monica (Chicago)

That central "YES" mark on the crisp white backdrop spoke to me upon entering Summer House Santa Monica this past Sunday afternoon. I quickly learned its first impression is a lasting impression amongst the crowd, who harmoniously affirms every aspect of the establishment. The bright and open space, the eclectic menu, the spectacular service, and the cookie-lined sweet shop collectively sing "yes" to every dining guest.

The well-versed menu isn't overwhelming or unfocused like many "American" spots; it's selective and sophisticated, from the lobster tempura sushi roll and ahi tuna taco to the squid ink pasta and brioche lobster roll. Of course, I had issues choosing an entrée, but that's primarily due to my indecisiveness. I chose the freshly baked brioche bun with lobster and a crisp green salad. I was very content with my decision.

The smooth guacamole and smoked salsa appetizer was a home run, naturally. We squeezed fresh lime over the tortilla chips to mimic Chipotle's infamous tang. The dish disappeared within minutes.

The cauliflower side was a surprise winner. Roasted with a jalapeño pesto and then topped with a fascinating textural mix of candied lemon and parmesan. Bread crumbs to finish, and bam. The presentation was stunning, as well.

On the way out, we couldn't help ourselves but order an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie to-go. I highly recommend a similar ritual -- Wouldn't you love to carry the spirit of Summer House with you home? The answer? YES.

Ralph Lauren Restaurant (Chicago)

My Memphis interlude between weekends in Chicago and New Orleans has served as a breath of fresh air. Summertime travels have been a doozy, though they've been no less than exhilarating. And as I flipped through the new July issue of Bon Appetit this morning, I realized, "Oh crap! Fourth of July is in four days and I don't have a red, white and blue recipe for the blog." Then, I realized, "Oh, yeah. I balance Caramelized with a full-time and part-time job, am in the midst of possibly purchasing a town home, and am staring at a bare fridge due to my insane travel schedule."

Reality check. And though I most likely will find the time to pick up fresh berries for a blueberry cobbler (priorities), the recipe may not arise in time for your holiday planning. My apologies, truly!

However, while scrolling through photos from this past girls' weekend in Chicago, the Ralph Lauren restaurant brunch shots kept catching my eye. Quintessentially patriotic from the iconic Polo symbol to the American classics menu, RL Restaurant had me swooning over every red, white and blue flourish. I prepared myself for a blog post without even realizing!

We sat on the breezy Chicago Avenue patio and ordered from the model-esque waiter, whom I swear could have been featured in a Ralph Lauren catalogue. Once complimentary pastries and a few coffees were served in the classic "RL" labeled coffee cup and saucer, we ordered two hearty dishes between the three of us; one sweet, one savory.

The gold coast benedict was simply too good. Who needs an English muffin when you can base your benedict with a perfectly prepared potato pancake? I felt like I had just received a new favorite Jewish holiday present: a golden latke that doubly served as a new breakfast concept. Happy Chanukah to me. Poached eggs and smoked salmon toppers, with hollandaise on the side, comprised the total package.

More notably of the thematic color palette was the berry and granola parfait. Sure, you think you have had a yogurt parfait before...But no parfait beats the RL version. Piped layers of extra dense, honey Greek yogurt were flecked with fragrant vanilla bean. Every berry was, of course, delectable, and the honey granola served as a mild, complementary texture to the other two ingredients.

Though I know most of you will not be residing in Chicago for the holiday weekend, I hope Ralph Lauren's iconic inspiration serves you well for Independence Day. I'll be road-tripping to New Orleans to Bacchanal and St. Roch Market, among others.

Cheers to red, white, blue, and latkes!