open windows and sunshine
Any holiday can be a tricky day to navigate for brunch reservations. When you are living the deep south, Easter is the hardest by far. What other choice did I have then, after my man suggested an out of the box solution as we strolled out of our Easter Service - The Pub at Basement East. He then mentioned it had only been open for a few weeks, and with my knowledge that it probably would not be the destination for other pretty girls in easter bonnets, I was down to try it out.
Sure enough, despite it being a gorgeous sunny day, the second floor establishment had no wait and no crowds. Windows wide open and deck seating gave the whole experience a light and breezy feel, perfect for such a spring starting point of the year. We sat down and immediately felt at ease.
Everything on the menu sounds crazy awesome, so it was a huge surprise to me that I wanted anything else besides biscuits, but sure enough the boy and I ordered the Burrito, tempted by the blend of eggs, potato hash, cheese, and habanero sauce. Our current low-carb lifestyle was thrown out the window, especially when we both decided to order a side of biscuits. We also were feeling celebratory - the moment we left church and hit up The PABE there was a warm breeze, we were looking swag on easter, and spring always holds the promise of new beginnings - we were in need of something to toast the days ahead. With that in mind we ordered a carafe of the Blood Orange Mimosa, and with that in mind, just know the rest of the day got a little hazy.
When the burritos and biscuits arrived we nearly fell off our chairs with how good the first bites were. Immediately we sent all the compliments back to the chef. My man offered to pay $50 for a tasting menu if we could get a portion of all the entree’s offered, just so we could try them all - but I immediately said no. Someone in this relationship has to (drunkenly) keep track of calories.
The crowd was very comfortable - old rockers who looked like they've seen all the big acts in Nashville come and go, new-school hipsters who want to be the first of the first to know about something, and some people just finding a spot to grab a drink and see the people they are neighbors with. One guy in the back was possibly spinning the tracks on some tables, but it wasn’t distracting and felt more like a good Apple Music playlist.
Prices are beyond reasonable - the Burrito was $7 and side of biscuits was $3. Everything is a Large portion - i took half of my burrito home. A carafe of mimosa was $15, and I guess we must have not eaten anything else that morning because it was enough to put me a little sideways in the best way. All in all, good prices for very good food in a super great spot you won’t have to wait in line for - what more could you be looking for? For the solid experience and subtle rock flavor, this perfect outing gets a rose-colored glasses Bono singing “Beautiful Day” all over it.
