From Bloody Mary to Dessert: A Proper Weekend Brunch
Brunch has always played by slightly different rules.
It's breakfast without the alarm clock and lunch without the hurry. It's the meal where sweet and savory happily share a plate, a cocktail before noon needs very little explanation, and going back for seconds is simply part of the experience. Most importantly, brunch gives us something we don't get nearly enough of during the week: permission to take our time.
At Baraboo Supper Club, weekend brunch in downtown Boise is meant to be enjoyed that way. Come hungry, bring good company, and give yourself enough time to do it properly. There are Bloody Marys to consider, plates to revisit, and, if you've planned accordingly, something sweet waiting at the end.
3 Ways to Bloody Mary
A proper brunch deserves a proper opening act, and around here, there isn't just one way to order a Bloody Mary.
The Bloody Mary
Vodka • House Bloody Mary Mix • Salt
The classic for a reason. Straightforward, savory, and ready to get brunch started, this is the pour for anyone who believes a good Bloody Mary doesn't need much introduction.
Red Curry Snapper
Tanqueray 10 Gin • Curry Bloody Mary Mix • Spicy Citrus Salt • Seasonal Garnish
A little less expected and a lot more adventurous. Gin and curry bring a bright, aromatic twist to the traditional Bloody Mary, while spicy citrus salt keeps things lively from the first sip.
Chipotle Bloody Maria
Tequila • Chipotle Bloody Mix • Spicy Citrus Salt • Cilantro • Lime • Lollipop
Smoky, spicy, and not particularly interested in playing it safe. Tequila and chipotle give this Bloody Maria its edge, with cilantro and lime bringing a fresh finish and a lollipop adding a little Baraboo showmanship.
Three Bloody Marys, three very different ways to begin. The only real question is which one gets the first pour.
Of course, the cocktail is only the beginning.
One of the pleasures of a proper brunch is that you don't have to decide exactly what you're in the mood for before you arrive. Breakfast? Lunch? Something sweet? Something savory? The answer can simply be yes.
That's especially true when a brunch buffet is involved. The first trip is less about commitment and more about getting acquainted. Take a look around. See what's fresh from the kitchen. Make note of what you'll be coming back for. A little restraint on the first plate leaves room for strategy later.
Then there are the action stations. If brunch gives you the luxury of taking your time, something prepared just for you deserves a moment of it. Stop by, make your selections, and let that plate be its own course before deciding where the next trip will take you.
The beauty of a brunch buffet is that no two plates have to look alike. Something hearty can sit beside something sweet. A familiar breakfast favorite can share space with the dish you wouldn't normally order. You can return for the thing you loved the first time or use round two to try everything you missed.
There is no wrong way to do it. Although, we do have a few opinions.
In the Spotlight: The Croque Renegade
Some dishes understand the assignment. The Croque Renegade lives comfortably between breakfast and lunch, which is precisely where a proper brunch dish belongs. Rich, savory, and worthy of your full attention, it's the kind of plate that makes choosing brunch over breakfast feel like a very good decision.
Best Enjoyed With: A Bloody Mary, good company, and nowhere you need to be for a while.
Brunch has always been as much about gathering as it is about eating. It's the birthday that doesn't need a formal dinner. The long-overdue catch-up with friends. The family meal where everyone can find something they want. It's what you suggest when someone texts, "We should get together soon," and this time, you actually put it on the calendar.
That's part of what makes weekend brunch in downtown Boise so appealing. The day is already waiting outside when you're finished. You can wander downtown, make another stop, or simply decide that brunch was the plan all along. There's no need to squeeze it between everything else.
And there certainly isn't a need to rush through it.
The Unwritten Rules of a Proper Brunch
Every great tradition picks up a few rules along the way. Ours aren't particularly complicated.
Rule No. 1: Your first plate is reconnaissance. You don't have to get everything at once. In fact, we recommend against trying.
Rule No. 2: Sweet and savory belong together. There are very few places in life where this requires no explanation. Brunch is one of them.
Rule No. 3: If there's an action station, visit it. Something made just for you is worth the detour.
Rule No. 4: Second helpings are part of the experience. You didn't miss something on your first trip. You were saving it for the second.
Rule No. 5: A Bloody Mary counts as an opening course. We don't make the rules. Well, technically, we made this one.
Rule No. 6: Save room for dessert. Always. We've made our feelings on this subject quite clear. If you need further convincing, consider Why We Always Save Room for Dessert required reading.
And that brings us to the final course.
There is something particularly satisfying about ending brunch on a sweet note. By then, nobody is thinking about what technically qualifies as breakfast or lunch anymore. The plates have been revisited, the conversation has stretched on, and dessert feels less like an extra course and more like the natural conclusion to a morning well spent.
That's really the pleasure of brunch. It gives us permission to make more of a meal than we usually do. To order the cocktail. Try a little of everything. Go back for the dish we can't stop thinking about. Have dessert even though it's technically still morning.
At Baraboo Supper Club, that's how we like our weekends: a little slower, a little more indulgent, and best enjoyed around a table. From the first Bloody Mary to the final something sweet, a proper weekend brunch isn't something you squeeze into the schedule. It is the plan.
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