Restaurant Review: PIP
PIP
10403 83rd Avenue ~ pipyeg.com Instagram: @pip_yeg ~ Twitter: @pip_yeg Co-Diners: Tim Golem, Anita Morissette & Matt Morissette
Part of The Next Act, MEAT, and now PIP wall of restaurants in Old Strathcona, they've taken over an entire block and have become quite a force! All three of the restaurants serve both dinner and brunch, but of them all, PIP is the one that is known for their brunch. No longer reserved for weekends only, PIP serves brunch every single day of the week! Finally! Opening in 2017, their deal is premium comfort foods and tons of brunch. The space is cute and small and you'll know them by their pineapple logo. VUE Weekly named PIP the #1 Best Brunch 2018 and Avenue Magazine called them the Best New Restaurant 2019 and Best Brunch 2020. They don't take reservations for brunch so the earlier that you can arrive, the better. I popped in on a Sunday morning and was happy to settle into their cozy space. While the inside might be little, there were no corners cut in chic decor. There are beautiful triangular-cut tiles in black and seafoam, light wood, dark tufted booths, and a nice feature wall. It's simple, clean, and modern. We were seated right away and our server was very prompt and friendly. I was handed a cocktail menu because let's face it, brunch and cocktails are very close pals. Of course they serve coffee as well... But brunch cocktails. You can go classic with a mimosa but I had to pick the Brunch Punch ($8.00) because it just sounded right.
This cocktail made me happy. The cheery colour was like a morning sunrise and I enjoyed the sweet effervescence. It combines everything that you want at brunch; orange juice, you still get that mimosa vibe, plus it's got more booze and feels more like an interesting beverage. Great! The food menu itself is generally pretty straight forward, pairing down the list to all of the hits. Keeping up with the trends, you'll find avocado toast and a breakfast bowl. But you'll also see traditional favourites like the farmers breakfast. I'd heard a lot about their eggs benedict, brunch's biggest celebrity, and decided to set my interests there. They have three different versions to choose from and the Short Rib Eggs Benedict ($19.00) called out to me the loudest.
The food took no time at all and I dove in! The server had asked if a soft poach was alright with me, and my general rule is to take your food however the restaurant recommends it. Slicing through the egg, the golden yolk cascaded out, mingling with the surrounding hollandaise. The base of this benedict is built with a slice of ultra-buttery sourdough that provided just the right chew and bite. Next was the braised beef short rib, which was nothing short of perfection. It was tender and melted in my mouth, a perfect match for all of the other rich and velvety flavours. I really liked the idea of a dill hollandaise because it felt a little different than the usual and added a nice herby element to the plate. The hollandaise was buttery and slightly acidic, just the way that you want it. Each bite was an indulgence that I wholeheartedly enjoyed. The house hash was good as well. The potatoes were tender and had a nice browning on them. I liked the hint of lemon that I picked up from them. I also added a bit of hot sauce for some extra excitement. I certainly cannot complain about this brunch experience because it delivered everything that I was looking for on all levels. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was comfortable. I noticed a BLT on their menu that I would definitely like to try (I'm a little obsessed with BLT sandwiches at the moment) and I would absolutely like to return during dinner hours to find out what that meal is all about. At this point, the 82nd block on 104th Street is pretty reliable. You know that they're gonna feed you and that it's gonna be good.
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