Staples remain after re-branding
After opening earlier this year, Biscuit & Branch has re-branded itself as Branch this week. The name change is accompanied by a revamped dinner menu and the addition of a raw bar. What remains, with modifications, is their brunch menu.
Branch’s Short North digs are a curious mix. The menu implies scratch-made, downhome cooking, although the decor is sleek and TV-heavy — like an upscale diner meets a sports bar.
Branch offers a wide selection of bottled and draft beer, wines by the glass and cocktails. The Flytown ($11) is a spicy concoction of jalapenoand lime-infused vodka, peach liqueur, lime juice and ancho-chile simple syrup. It’s alternatively sweet and zesty.
The weekend menu includes specialty brunch cocktails such as mild or spicy bloody marys ($10) and a tray of DIY mimosas, featuring champagne, juices and fruit that diners can customize at the table ($34 to $47). The Jelly Jar cocktail ($10) combines Moonlight moonshine,
lemonade and a housemade jelly. Served in a canning jar, the libation tastes of sweet jam and hides the alcohol well.
Although the “Biscuit” has been dropped from the title, biscuits are still plentiful on Branch’s menu. The cinnamon biscuit doughnuts ($10) feature five dense doughnut holes topped with sweet lemon mascarpone. Unfortunately, our doughnuts were a little overdone; between the blueberry compote and caramel gravy, the dish resulted almost in a burnt flavor profile.
The chicken wings ($11) and the loaded fries ($7) aren’t particularly imaginative, but are still likable. The wings are heavy on the breading, while the Nashville honey hot sauce offers a decent kick. The crispy fries come with cheddar, bacon crumbles, garlic sauce, pickled jalapenos and “comeback sauce,” which our server was hard-pressed to define.
The Short North ($8.50) combines a buttermilk biscuit with a self-proclaimed “killer” sausage gravy, an egg cooked to order and a big scoop of a cheesy hash-brown casserole. The biscuit wasn’t notable, although the over-easy egg was cooked properly, the chunky and dark-brown gravy was well-seasoned, and the hash browns were peppery.
On the sweet side, the griddle cakes ($8.50) are nicely browned, topped with Ohio maple syrup and whipped butter.