Tour de Toast: Scape in the Central West End

Ever notice how some restaurants just seem right for certain times of the year? As warmer weather nears, Scape in the Central West End always seems to lure. Maybe it’s all the windows and the light, so desirable after gloomy, wet days.

Lots of people feel that way; reservations are an extremely good idea.

They’re still kicking things off with what they’re now calling beignets, an amuse-bouche of mini-doughnuts, on this visit holding a creamy raspberry filling. (For a while, the kitchen called them “bismarcks,” the German term.) Warm, perhaps a tad tough, but still welcome to go with the good coffee.

That’s the easy part. The difficult part comes with choosing an entree. Plenty of omelets and Benedict options, certainly, including crab-loaded versions of both, but other enticements, too. An egg white fritatta was far more indulgent than expected. Grape tomatoes, a shower of arugula, and a cheese from Wisconsin called BellaVitano made with black pepper was full of big flavors, and a light dribble of truffle oil added to the fun.

Scape’s potatoes are neither hash browns nor home fries but cut like steak fries and coated in one of those mixtures that make them crunchier. Maybe it’s the shape, but this works better than the sort-of-similarly-treated “breakfast potatoes,” with a nice ratio of potato to crunchy crust.

The pancakes here have gotten plaudits for a long time—with good reason. They’re indulgently large, almost plate-sized, fluffy and tender, topped with lemon curd and fresh blueberries. Looks good, tastes good, and it's another example of not needing syrup to drown both the flavor and the amazing texture. Good, thick-cut bacon was properly cooked and drained.

Overall, the food was good enough that the table argued about which dish was the best, but my vote goes to what the menu terms green mole chicken and chilaquiles. It’s not the classic chilaquiles, wherein the crisped tortillas and beaten eggs are added for the final moments of cooking. It’s not handsome, but the flavor was remarkable, with a sauce citrusy from tomatillos, a mild heat, showing plenty of torn-apart chicken.

The tortillas had been in the sauce long enough that the texture was enchilada-like, and they were frequently near or around some Chihuahua cheese, giving a textural reference to enchiladas. Our server asked how I wanted the eggs, a surprising question since I’d assumed they’d be gently scrambled into the mixture. Nope, not here. Sunny side up worked well, their relatively neutral flavor allowing for the occasionally more thoughtful exploration of the sauce’s subtleties. Not a particularly light dish, but I’d order it again any time.

Fine, easy-going, and very cheerful service. They serve brunch both Saturday and Sunday (10 a.m.–2:30 p.m.), with valet parking for $6. And don’t forget the reservations.