Restaurant Review: Brown Butter Café
BROWN BUTTER CAFÉ 1528 91st Street | brownbuttercafe.com Instagram: @brownbuttercafe Co-Diners: The E.A.T Crew
I love a cafe. LOVE! There is no better simple pleasure than sitting in a cozy cafe with a delightful warm beverage. I'd been to Brown Butter Cafe in the far south area of Ellerslie Industrial a couple of times before but when the Edmonton Food Faves We Crave 2022 list named them as a Favourite Cafe I knew that I had to return and really dig into their menu a bit more. Opened by a couple who met in culinary arts school, Brown Butter Cafe has gained quite a lot of popularity thanks to their yummy beverages and light Asian-inspired fare. I am a total sucker for a rotating seasonal specialty drink (I need to try them allllllll) and Brown Butter Cafe certainly delivers them. I stopped in right after they opened on a Saturday morning. The cafe can get busy and I wanted to avoid any sort of a rush. This was a huge success because the morning vibe was quiet and peaceful with plenty of available seating options (which is not always the case when it's busy). The space feels very fresh and airy with light wood and lots of greenery but it's a little bit modern as well with it's high, industrial-style ceiling and polished concrete floors. Hanging Edison bulbs bring a warm glow and the friendly staff add to the welcoming atmosphere. Like most cafes, you place your order at the counter and then are free to sit wherever you like. The drink menu features all of the usual cafe suspects, including various versions of lattes and mochas (my fave!) and there are several tea lattes (fogs) available as well. I tend to gravitate towards "special" drinks and was excited to see Brown Butter's Winter Drinks menu. The cookie butter latte was no longer available but thankfully the Pistachio Praline Latte ($5.55) for 12oz was. The staff member asked if we would be dining in, which usually means that the drink will be served in an actual ceramic cup.
I love a little bit of latte art - who doesn't? This latte was like a warm hug, which I enjoyed. I found the pistachio flavour to be very strong and almost bitter, which I'm starting to believe might be what all pistachio-flavoured syrups taste like? This isn't the first time that I've had this thought. I wanted more of the promised praline flavour and I found that it got a bit lost. The next time that I visit I really want to try the black sesame latte (from the always menu) because that sounds amazing. Brown Butter Cafe is known for their buns. They're pretty similar to pandesal, a Filipino breakfast staple. The cafe does a few different things with their buns, such as the very popular savoury bun-wiches and sweeter versions where they fill them like a donut. It's a versatile bun! The Good Morning Bun-Wich ($7.25) is definitely the one that gets the most hype.
Light and fluffy, this handheld is so much of everything that you could want a breakfast sandwich to be. Their famous bun is warm, soft, and slightly sweet with a crispy top. The egg is whipped to a pillowy perfection. I liked the pickled onion but I did find it to be a bit heavy-handed - it over powered the avocado and spicy mayo, both of which I wished there had been more of. Overall, it's easy to see why this lovely little sandwich, er, BUNwich has gained such a following. Unfortunately, the sandwich was served in a to-go box even though we were staying to eat and I felt that an actual plate would have been a bit nicer and help to reduce unnecessary waste. There is other food on the menu as well, including their highly desired katsu (that is only available in limited quantities) and a variety of rice bowls. Any of these would make an excellent lunch and everything on the menu is at a very reasonable price point. I love the concept behind Brown Butter Cafe a lot. I enjoy that the cafe has a little retail section that you can browse through while you wait for your order. It's a wonderful and popular spot in the deep south of Edmonton that adds so much to the community. I look forward to returning and trying more of their food!
Comments