Brunch At Puritan & Co. With Pastry Treasures

After having spent the weekend in Boston, we were headed home on Sunday and decided to grab brunch on route. There were plenty of options to consider and in the end, I chose to stop at Puritan & Co. in Inman Square, Cambridge. Puritan is one of my Top 50 Restaurants of 2015 but I never had brunch there before so I wanted to remedy that situation. Around 12:30pm or so, the restaurant was fairly busy though we didn't have to wait too long for a table.

The Brunch menu, which is listed online, is slightly different than what was at the restaurant. There are around 8 Mains, priced $13-$19, with a number of A La Carte items and an assortment of Pastries. Besides their excellent wine list, you can also select cocktails, from their House Mimosa t($9) to a Bloody Mary ($10). You'll find plenty of enticing choices, reasonably priced for the quality and quantity you receive.

The Beef Patty Melt ($16) has house made rye, cheese and a secret sauce, and the above sandwich added a fried egg & bacon ($4). It was accompanied by some crispy potatoes and greens.  First, I have to give kudos to the rye bread which was thin, crisp and with just the right amount of sourness. Frankly, it was some of the best rye bread I've ever had. And the sandwich itself was excellent, with the thick slices of bacon, moist beef patty and gooey egg. The potatoes too were tasty, with a nice crisp exterior but that softer, puffier interior. A great choice.

The Sourdough Griddle Cakes ($12) are topped with syrup, honey butter and pecans though I omitted the syrup. You receive three large and fluffy pancakes which receive a slight sweetness from the honey butter. The pecans added an intriguing textural crunch to the light pancakes. A relatively simple dish but one which was executed very well. Too many places make dry, heavy pancakes so it is always a pleasure to find a restaurant that does then right.

One of the highlights of Brunch at Puritan has to be their Pastry options. At the back of the restaurant, all of the various pastries are assembled for your viewing pleasure. Each pastry costs $3 or you can get a basket of 4 for only $10. This is like having an amazing bakery in your restaurant. Back in October 2015, Puritan hired a new Head Pastry Chef, Marissa Rossi. A graduate of the Johnson and Wales’ Baking and Pastry Arts program,  Marissa has worked at a number of other local spots, including Blue Ginger, Forum, and the Forge Baking Company. Since her arrival, she has created some new and intriguing items for the pastry counter, from her signature Chocolate Pretzel Croissant, to a rotating Doughnut selection.

The restaurant sent us a complimentary basket of some pastries and based on what I tasted, Pastry Chef Marissa is creating some delicious and inventive treats, and I need to return to try some of the others which I didn't get to taste. You could easily come to Puritan and enjoy just a basket of pastries with a Bloody Mary or Mimosa and be very happy.

On the left side are the Chocolate Pretzel Croissants, a light flaky croissant with that addition of a pretzel texture and plenty of rich, delicious chocolate. A winner for chocolate lovers. On the right are Pinwheels, made with spinach and cheese, which also were quite tasty.

The Indian Pudding Doughnuts were another winner, with a light, yeast doughnut, a mild molasses flavor, crunchy nuts and the creamy pudding filling. It wasn't overly sweet and it is certainly a more unique and appealing filling. I love doughnuts so this was a treat, and so much better than what you find at the large commercial chains. It is great to see small, more artisan doughnut shops opening in the Boston area and it is great to see some restaurants stepping in as well.

The Coconut Shortbread cookies are huge, and they also are delicious. Crisp and buttery, with plenty of coconut flavor.

If I hadn't been so full, I would have ordered the S'mores Pop Tart which looked enticing. That will be at the top of my list when I return for Brunch.

Puritan & Co. gets my hearty recommendation for Brunch and I encourage you to check out the delightful pastry creations of Marissa Rossi.