When I first moved to Los Angeles (almost nine years ago), whenever the valley was mentioned, it received a response, the valley, why go there? It was like someone mentioned going to mars. Now, the valley is a place where people venture to and for good reason. The eats!
One of the great spots to visit for brunch is Girasol. Tyler and I headed to Girasol for a Valentine’s Day brunch and we feasted like we never feasted before. We settled in on the patio in the restaurant that is modern mets artsy and order up some cocktails. The Herb’s the Word is refreshing and a great first brunch cocktail, made with Blue Ice Vodka, Kina L’Avion D’or, lemon, and seasonal herbs/flowers. A must order is the prickly pear fruit and mint mimosa. Let’s just say, if you are drinking these, make sure you Uber. They are delicious and go down very easily.
From there the chef brought out House Baked Bread with Lovage Herb Butter. I am not a huge bread eater, but considering it was Valentine’s Day, I was going in on brunch as a free day. The bread was warm and it allowed the butter to melt perfectly. If this was any way the meal was going to go, I was in!
We then shared the Bruschetta, which was served on their house made grilled Bread and topped with Coastal Farms Cherry Tomato, Burrata and Basil. It was savory, hearty, and slightly sweet from the cherry tomatoes. Thank goodness we had some of the bread left over, because out came the Grilled Octopus Gazpacho (pictured above) with Tomatillo, Cucumber, Avocado (the bread was perfect for dipping). The grilled octopus’ creamy texture and flavor balanced out perfectly with the tart gazpacho.
Next came the sweet….Bread Pudding French Toast with seasonal berries and Maple syrup. It was such a creative twist on French toast. It had the outer crispiness and then inside it was slightly creamy. If you are a dessert lover, this is your brunch dish. Back to savory, we had the best BLT I have ever had. It was also on their house made bread and had rosemary aioli, tomatoes, Niman Ranch Bacon, and the crowning jewel? A sunny side up egg. It was amazing. Plus, it came with fried potato skins. Trust me, you will never want French fries again after having a potato skin. They are that good.
Beyond stuffed, they finished off our feast with their signature house made donut holes and vanilla gelato. Whether you are celebrating love or just simply celebrating a sunny Sunday brunch, Girasol has the savory, the sweet, and will hit every note on your palette.
