French food has always been a little bit scary for me. I mean, when you think of classy cuisine, French is usually one of the first things that comes to mind. So, when you’re a “broke baker”, such things can be somewhat intimidating. I mean, who isn’t afraid of ordering something that they can’t pronounce, and being presented with something that is a little too “exotic” for their tastes? Well, I can think of a few people, but that’s a moot point.
With that in mind, when La Gloutonnerie was first brought to my attention by a stellar review in my quest for awesome brunch in Miami, I made a mental note to make my way to South Beach one weekend. It took a few months, but I finally did! And, it was worth the drive.
The entrance on Washington Ave. is pretty hard to miss.
They offer outdoor dining. If you like being outside, their outdoor area is very nice. However, for the purposes of brunch, all of the food is inside. And, I want to be close to the food.
I thought the mounted chalkboard was a nice touch.
You get two glasses of champagne, mimosa, or sangria with your brunch. My first cocktail was a mimosa, but HOLY CRAP the sangria was incredible. It was refreshingly sweet, with deliciously fresh fruit floating blissfully about. Fishing out those drunken pieces of fruit was one of the best parts.
Kudos on the buffet setup. The food set out in the open was above “sneeze level”, and the rest was behind glass and had to be served by an attendant. This probably also discourages small, potentially unsanitary hands from reaching into the serving plates. Also, just look how fresh everything looks!
Aside from the standard omelette station, there were also waffle and crepe stations. You put in your request, and it would be brought to your table when it was ready. The waffle was perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, with a hint of vanilla. And, I am not too keen on eggs, but I took a chance and had an omelette. Yum! It didn’t taste “eggy”, which I’d say may be attributed to using better quality eggs.
Croissants! The pastry chef deserves a big hug. The chocolate croissants were heaven on a plate. Soft, flaky, buttery, chocolaty heaven.
And, no brunch buffet is complete without a dessert station. And, if there is one thing that French cuisine excels at, it’s dessert.
Of course, I had to pick a few favorites. The St. Honore (bottom right) and the Ispahan macaron (upper right) . I am not even going to get into a description, because no words will do them justice. You just have to try them. Trust me on this.
At $49 per person, La Gloutonnerie is at a steep price point. However, the quality of the food definitely reflects the price. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and plentiful. The service was fantastic, too. We never had to ask for refills or for plates to be cleared. And, everything was done with a smile. I will definitely come back, and soon.
For more information on La Gloutonerrie, visit them at http://www.lagloutonnerie.com/
UPDATE 3/28/2017: La Gloutonnerie is permanently closed