German Village’s The Sycamore is nicer than your average neighborhood hangout. Then again, German Village is nicer than your average neighborhood, so it makes sense that the revamped bar would be a little upscale-looking.
It’s nice, but still cozy. The staff is welcoming, the seating is embracing (booths are best), in spite of the slick design and modern earth-toned tile work.
And, you can sneak in on Saturdays for brunch. As a bonus, the opening crowds are all sleeping in.
The brunch menu is small. Bob Evans, it’s not. But that’s a good thing, because what The Sycamore does offer is both interesting and delicious.
As much as people rave about Chilaquilas ($11), you don’t see them often on local menus — especially brunch menus. The Sycamore does the dish with starchy style. It starts with a ginormous supply of mutilated corn tortillas -it’s got to be five or six tortillas in the mix, to make the massive pile that supports some shredded chunks of natural-tasting chicken, sour cream and avocado. Some salsa fresca and eggs soak into the tortillas for flavor, but the very best moments are the melted chunks of queso fresco.
The Chilaquilas offering is big, and every bit as loaded as any chain’s layered breakfast bowl.
Or, for the more refined palate, there is quiche ($10). The offering may change from weekend to weekend, but the version tried was an eggy quiche, with little bits of shellfish inside, along with soft, flavorful loops of red pepper. The order was completed with tender, almost sweet greens and long slices of pineapple and melon dotted with a few fresh berries.
For the sweet tooth, The Sycamore also serves French Toast ($10). It’s made with sourdough, and is teamed with Ohio bacon and natural (not too woody, though) maple syrup. The rest of the brunch menu is rounded out with a granola and yogurt combo, as well as a traditional eggs, bacon and hash breakfast.
Not everyone is a brunch sort of person. And those people will be glad to hear that they can order from the regular menu during brunch hours. It’d be a shame not to take advantage of the opportunity and try out the Curried Sweet Potato Bisque ($6). The kitchen hits it just right. The soup is thick -but not gross, gelatinous thick, with a strong almost-hot curry flavor. Guests who dig deep with spoons will find the best bits hiding at the bottom: chunks of lean bacon and sweet raisins. Sublime.
The conventional menu hosts more than soups, there are a variety of tacos, sandwiches, formal entrees and even a Bison Burger ($13). Bison’s supposed to be uber healthy, but this one stands out with its toppings: goats’ milk gouda (the gouda accent is thankfully stronger than that of the goat), maple bourbon pickles that burst with flavor, and a charred tomato ketchup – plus regular stuff like onion and romaine.
You can find The Sycamore at 262 E. Sycamore St. It’s open with its regular menu Mondays through Thursdays from 4pm until 11pm. On Fridays, it’s open until midnight. For brunch, hit The Sycamore on a Saturday. It opens at 11am and closes at midnight.
More information can be found online at www.thesycamoregv.com.
Photos by Mollie Lyman of www.fornixphotography.com.
