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04.12.18
College students are lucky if they remember to grab a piece of fruit or a granola bar before leaving for their morning classes.
But the weekend, especially Sunday, presents the opportunity to sleep in and enjoy a late breakfast — or an on-time brunch.
Nathan Szoch | ILLUSTRATION
“I think people function well during daylight hours, and brunch is sort of a fun time,” Grace Corbin, marketing coordinator at Casa Nueva, said. “It’s like you haven’t had a lot of interactions, you haven’t been doing chores or errands, and you’re just like, ‘I’m gonna go casually eat a meal.’ ”
Brunch, the combination of breakfast and lunch, is a meal typically eaten on the weekend from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Some may say brunch foods are a hangover cure; others say the meal is a good way to catch up with friends.
Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St., has served a breakfast menu since it opened in 1985, but Corbin said people are sometimes surprised to hear the restaurant serves breakfast every day.
Hannah Schroeder | PHOTO EDITOR
Casa Nueva serves a variety of unique breakfast dishes, ranging from huevos rancheros to the “Casa Que Pasa” omelet, a vegetable and cheese omelet with guacamole as the key filling.
Hilarie Burhans, co-owner of Salaam, 21 W. Washington St., said about two years ago, the restaurant started offering a brunch menu exclusively on Sundays.
“We had ideas of great foods,” Burhans said. “At the time, it seemed like there was an untapped market for brunch.”
It seems that some sororities caught onto the brunch trend long before restaurants did.
Christina Warner, executive chef at Ohio University’s chapter of Pi Beta Phi, said the chapter has served brunch to its members “every Friday since the girls can remember.”
Warner said she notices more women hanging out in the dining room during brunch time instead of taking their food to go.
Some of the women’s favorite brunch foods are Warner’s homemade cinnamon rolls and “dippy eggs.”
“They’re eggs over medium, but all the girls call them dippy eggs,” Warner said.
Sorority sister or not, it’s always time for brunch at Union Street Diner. Located on the west side of Athens, the diner is open 24/7 and offers everything from eggs Benedict to club sandwiches and steak Phillies.
Cook Benjamin Shonk said Sunday mornings are the busiest day of the week for the restaurant. The restaurant’s Sunday rush usually lasts from about 8:30 a.m. until around 3 p.m.
Shonk has been a line cook for more than three years, and he is very familiar with what people like to order for brunch on Sundays.
“People enjoy our country breakfast. It gives you your eggs, your hash, your toast, and you also get some French toast or hotcakes. That is quite the meal to fill you and your friend up,” Shonk said. “Around noon or 1, depending on the weather, people like to get our clubs. That’s like if the sun is shining and if it’s a nice day.”
Especially during Moms Weekend, Shonk noticed people seemed to come into the restaurant in waves.
“No matter where you go, for busy weekends like Moms Weekend or fests, there’s going to be a wait,” Shonk said.
Jessica Drass, a freshman studying nursing, thinks a table at an Athens diner is worth the wait.
Drass said she usually doesn’t have time to eat breakfast during the school week, but on weekends, she likes to throw on a pair of sweatpants and head to a diner with her friends for brunch.
Maiya Harrell, a freshman studying chemistry pre-medicine, said brunch makes her happy. One of Harrell’s favorite on-campus brunch foods is the create-your-own omelet from Nelson Court, and she likes to sit down and eat with friends.
“Brunch is something that brings everyone together. It’s a time where everyone can take a moment from their regular lives, catch up and eat good food,” Harrell said. “And who doesn’t love anything more than pancakes, eggs and waffles?”
1. The “comfy but chic” look: Because brunch foods can also be hangover cures after a long weekend, looking “hangover chic” is a cozy way to enjoy your eggs Benedict. To achieve the look, throw on a pair of sunglasses and some sweatpants. You could even keep your outfit on from Saturday night. It’s Athens. We don’t judge here.
2.Multifunctional food: Although avocado toast is the reason why millennials can’t afford to buy houses, it is relatively healthy and it tastes pretty good. Still, it’s OK if your food isn’t the healthiest. So order those chocolate chip pancakes. You deserve it.
3. Skip the lineDon’t want to wait to be seated at a restaurant? Have a homemade brunch with friends or roommates. That gives you the freedom to cook your own dishes. If you’re a brunch connoisseur or just a nice person, you can cook all the food. If you aren’t the best cook, split the work with your friends. It could be a bonding experience.
4. ncorporate colorful foods:Pi Beta Phi executive chef Christina Warner said “you always eat with your eyes first, so the more appealing something looks, the more you’re going to want to eat it.” She suggests trying out colorful fruits or cheeses, or putting tri-colored peppers in omelets.
5. Try a dining hall:If you don’t want to cook or spend money and you have a meal plan, head over to any of the dining halls Sunday between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The District on West Green usually offers quiche, crepes and a create-your-own omelet station. Nelson Court offers all-day breakfast foods at “Sunny Side Up” as well.
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