Aquitaine

This past Saturday morning, I headed to The Beehive for brunch. I guess I missed the notice mentioning that it was not open on Saturdays in August for brunch. Though the website apparently mentions it, there was no sign outside at the restaurant mentioning this fact. Luckily, I only waited fifteen minutes before leaving, figuring something was wrong.

As I walked down Tremont Street, I noticed that Aquitaine was open for brunch. It only took a quick look at their menu to entice me into the restaurant. I also knew that I had previously passed Aquitaine on several Sunday mornings and noticed a good-size crowd at their brunch.

Aquitaine is a French Bistro owned by Executive Chef Seth Woods. It certainly is a comfortable place with leather booths along one wall. The large front windows look out on Tremont Street, making it a great spot for people watching. It was fairly busy for brunch but we were still able to get an immediate table.

The breakfast menu is quite diverse, with a French flair to many items. Get scrambled eggs, eggs Benedict, Belgian waffles, Brioche French toast, an omelette, a Croque Monsieur, or much more. There is even a Saturday Prix Fixe Brunch ($9.95). You get a warm house-made cinnamon bun with icing and a choice of one of three entrees (Eggs Piperade, Omelette à la Grecque or an Omelette de la maison). They are served with caramelized onion home fries, seven grain toast, fresh orange or grapefruit juice, and bottomless coffee. The Prix Fixe is certainly a good value.

We all began our meal with their house-made cinammon buns. It was very tasty, with a strong cinammon flavor and a light sweetness from the icing. For my meal, I chose the Baked Mac & Cheese with Gruyere and Sharp Vermont Cheddar ($8.95) as well as a side of Grilled Chorizo Sausage ($3.95). The Mac & Cheese came in a large round bowl and seemed topped with panko, light Japanese bread crumbs. They used elbow macaroni and it was delicious, with a nice taste from the two different cheeses. Excellent comfort food and I saw a few others get it as well. The Chorizo was also delicious, with a delightful spicy flavor. One of the better Chorizos I have had in some time. The Eggs Benedict with Canadian Bacon, Hollandaise & Fines Herbes ($9.95) was also a very good choice, everything prepared just right. The Bacon and Cheese Burger with Frites ($13.95) was a large, thick burger with plenty of bacon and cheese. My nephew thought it was one of the best burgers he has had recently. The frites were delicious too.

Service was excellent. I very much enjoyed their brunch and would definitely return again. There are plenty of other choices on their menu that I would like to try. It is easy to see why Aquitaine is so popular for brunch.

Aquitaine
569 Tremont Street
Boston, MA
Phone: (617) 424-8577