out and about: beeside balcony la jolla
So lucky to live in the same small town I grew up in, on the water. And there is nothing that feels more like home that eating with of view of the pacific ocean.
And that goes double for enjoying an early afternoon brunch with ocean views, tasty drinks and delicious food.
Beeside balcony has a great location perched above prospect, with a great view of the cove — and a mediterranean influenced menu with all the things.
lavender bee’s knees: butterfly pea flower-infused barr hill gin, house-made lavender honey; lemon
ipa societe: pupil
You know I love a gin drink… and guys… this was barr hill gin. Which if you remember is one of my favorite, albeit obscure gins. It’s honey infused, and this drink was delish. Such a great first cocktail.
Societe as a whole has some of jamie’s favorite beers. Pupil is a good one, but for some reason it also never fails to put him to sleep - which was the perfect post brunch activity, so we’ll call it a win/win.
trio of dips: artichoke hummus, tzatziki, spicy htipiti, toasted pita
Pro tip: add the veggies. They are fresh and tossed in evoo and some dried oregano. Seriously perfect for dipping.
The spicy htipiti, is indeed spicy, but not overwhelmingly so. The additional combo of roasted red bell peppers and feta made for a welcome change from the typical romesco.
The artichoke hummus had me taking notes, for my own version, since garbanzo beans have never really been my jam. Roasted and pureed artichokes tho? I am all in.
The tzatziki was fresh and full of cucumber.
And the pita? Can we talk about the fluffiness that this pita is? It has quickly become my favorite pita around.
prickly pear mimosa
Such a pretty color. And such a great flavor. I always forget how much i like prickly pear - and how different it is from traditional pear - until I order it again. Although I always remember that I like it enough to order it.
poutine bowl: french fries, chorizo, bacon, demi-glace, onions, 2 fried eggs, chese blanket, sriracha aioli, cilantro
Hands down, you need to order the poutine. This was an amazing breakfast play on the classic.
The fully melty cheese, the super runny egg, the spiciness of the chorizo, and the heat from the aioli… the hardest part? Getting a bite of everything at once - because together it was all amazing.
peach mimosa
One thing beeside has in spades is mimosa flavors. You can even get bottomless mimosas with your choice of two flavors.
I highly recommend the peach. Tastes like summer… even when summer is over.
breakfast sandwich: scrambled eggs, bacon, cheese blend, avocado, garlic aioli, brioche, fries
Pro tip: if you can, sub out of the rosemary potatoes. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and smothered in fresh rosemary.
If you like breakfast sandwiches, you are going to love this one. It’s as if you made an egg scramble with all the things, then scooped over top sliced avocado on a brioche bun and drizzled with aioli.
I just love how the eggs, bacon and cheese are all combined together so you don’t miss a taste in every bite. Hot and melty contrasts with the fresh creaminess of avocado, and a perfectly toasted bun.
brussel sprouts: shaved & sauteed, bacon, red onions
Being that brussels are a family favorite vegetable, we are no strangers to ordering a side or two.
What is different about beeside is they brussels are shaved and then sauteeed, v/s the typical halved and roasted varieties. I make them like this at home, but I’ve never seen a cooked shaved version out and about before.
Definitely recommend.
Can’t wait for our next visit, but it’s going to be hard deciding between ordering the same, or trying something new. Which is not a bad choice to have to make.