On weekends, in between breakfast and lunch – and possibly maybe dinner – there’s a delightful concept called brunch. While brunch comes in all shapes, sizes and nationalities, it’s always a welcome meal, any day of the week. Yet, even if you’re not privy to a week-long brunch binge, here a few Brunch sports to put on your radar in 2021.

(Poached Kitchen)

Poached Kitchen

With locations in Downey, and now Irvine, the main theme of Poached Kitchen is a combination between breakfast and brunch, with a little farmers market-style vibe mixed into the atmosphere.
Poached Kitchen’s number-one selling item is the verde chilaquiles. Served with crispy tortilla chips, salsa verde, two sunny up eggs, queso fresco, creamy cilantro sauce, pickled onions, cilantro and black beans. Pro tip: Both the red and green chilaquiles can be modified to fit vegan dietary restrictions.

7595 Harvard Avenue, Unit A, Irvine.

Burntzilla

If you love French toast, then this Japanese brick-toast style French toast at Burntzilla in Irvine is your perfect match. Japanese brick toast is a very extravagant dish, consisting of a hollowed out bread loaf and sweet toppings. Once removed, the center of the bread is usually cubed and added back into the hollowed-out loaf as a “stuffing,” then topped with ice cream and honey. Now available during weekend brunch, this is the latest game-changing concept brought forth by the Orange County food truck entrepreneurs who created Irvine’s brick and mortar Burntzilla.

“It’s French toast on crack,” Phi Nguyen, chef and co-owner of Burntzilla, explained to Irvine Weekly.

14413 Culver Drive, Irvine.

(Burntzilla)

Stacks Pancake House

Despite being a small-scale restaurant that’s not open past 3:00 p.m., the Irvine-based Stack’s Pancakes House is undoubtedly a contender in the “Best Breakfast in O.C.” conversation. Considering the hours of operation, and the style of fare, Stacks rides the fine line between breakfast and lunch. From a variety of different French toast dishes, to the Hawaiian breakfast staple loco moco, Stack’s Pancake House is open seven days a week from 6:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Priding itself on Hawaiian-style breakfast, there’s no shortage of local flavors and creativity featuring Spam and Portuguese sausage with eggs, Captain Crunch French Toast, and the Biscuits and Gravy. All solid starting points.

14421 Culver Drive, Irvine.

Habana

Taking over the space formerly occupied by a Macy’s, the Habana at the Irvine Spectrum does not sacrifice for space or style. The expansive brunch menu features authentic Cuban dishes like Ropa Vieja – a shredded Beef Dish with sweet peppers, onions, garlic tomatoes, sofrito black beans, buttered white rice and maduros. Don’t sleep on the pork croquettes or the lechon asado. Now taking weekend brunch reservations on a gigantic outdoor patio.

708 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine.

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