The Breakfast Club at Midtown >> Walnut Creek
The just-opened Breakfast Club at Midtown is already a smooth-running brunch machine, whose gears are lubricated with copious melted butter and whipped cream. The second location in the family-run restaurant's growing empire — the original is in San Jose, and there's at least one more planned for Castro Valley — is so confident in its offerings that its menu suggests you order combos of its brunch specialties: two types of Eggs Benedict, three kinds of French toast or pancakes, etc. (Thankfully this does not apply to the boozy drinks, or you'd be on the floor.)
The slightly snooty name of the “Club” is contradicted by the eatery's stripmall setting and décor that's like a modern hotel suite: a single room with black accents, fresh flowers and low-lit Edison bulbs. And the portion sizes are more like what you'd expect from a Denny's.
The serving plate for the triple-pancake combo ($19) is practically the size of an Amazonian canoe, and even the slices of bread accompanying the meals seem cut from a lab-enhanced loaf. You'll have leftovers, but not because you didn't enjoy the food. The flavors are on-point, the eggs and bacon cooked perfectly, and the fresh strawberries and blueberries topping everything gives the happy delusion you're eating healthy.
Eggs dominate the menu and are served in every form from skillets to scrambles. There are almost a dozen Eggs Benedict — from carnitas to spinach-avocado to everything bagel with lox — but a standout is the linguica Benedict ($18). Two poached eggs smothered in rich hollandaise drip their yolks over soft English muffins, sweet fried onions and smoky sausage links with a great snap. The side of hash browns is a meal in itself, a slab of crispy-buttery potatoes that gives Waffle House a run for its money.
The banana-apricot French toast ($18) is deeply satisfying with its warm-spiced bread drenched in caramel sauce and caramelized bananas with whipped cream. If that's not sweet enough, there are also chocolate chip, red velvet and even s'mores pancakes with Nutella and marshmallows. Lunch-minded diners might go for a B.L.A.T. ($16) or short rib French-dip sandwich ($19), and there are more esoteric options, too, like loco moco and spicy Korean chicken-fried rice.
If you've resigned yourself to a day-long food coma, there's no better way to go out hard than imbibing one of the morning drinks ($12). Try a Melon Smash with Midori liqueur and pineapple, perhaps, or a Baltimore Bloody Mary with Old Bay spice and a lemon prawn.
DETAILS >> Open 7 a.m.-3 p.m. daily at 1813 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek; bcmidtown.com.