83 Hanover Street serves Sunday brunch worth braving storms for

Last week I sat comfy in the window of 83 Hanover Street, sipping a Sundaytini and watching the rain and hail pelt the stairs outside. There are few things I like more than being inside when the weather outside it high-level awful. I was very glad that I’d braved the weather because I was about to have brunch with Chilean flavour and warmth at 83 Hanover Street.

A feast for your eyes (and your stomach).

Sunday brunch

‘Brunch? What’s brunch?’ I was at a barbecue in Texas, speaking to a Dutch work colleague.
‘It’s like breakfast and lunch at the same time. The name is a portmanteau of the two words: br-unch.’
‘Breakfast and lunch? At the same time?’
‘Yes.’
‘But that’s genius.’
Yes, it is.

Brunch is leisurely affair, ideally taken with a glass of something fortifying, the aforementioned Sundaytini, for example, hearty food and good company. The foodstuffs of brunch too reflect the meal’s delicious in-between status: soothing starches, comforting proteins, and decadent sweetness. Everything is allowed.

A Chilean twist

83 Hanover Street is a perfect spot for lingering on a Sunday with its relaxed feel and city centre location. The brunch menu launched last week and is one of those menus where I want everything. Each delicious classic has a Chilean twist that makes it that little more tempting. I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch with the bonus that I got to try almost everything on the menu.

We started with a warming dish of morcilla (black pudding), potato and fried egg with a sprinkling of chillies. It was rich and warming and very delicious. I wish I had filmed the yolk spilling over the black pudding: it was high-class yolk-porn. Pair with one of the interesting juices – the spicy pineapple, for example – and a cup of coffee and you are set for the day.

Black pudding, potatoes, egg and chillies. What absolute brunch perfection.

The eggs Benedict are served on sopaidillas, gorgeous crunchy-soft pumpkin breads, and are drenched in merkén Hollandaise. The smoked chilli lifts the Benedicts from standard to exquisite. I loved them. We had them with salmon but you can have it plain, or with morcilla or haggis. To feel like a New York sophisticate, I’d suggest you have a Sundaytini with the Benedict. The eggs are rich and the Sundaytini cuts through that richness nicely.

They make it hard to chose. This is probably the best eggs Benedict I’ve ever had.

More of a pancake person? The banana and caramel pancake stack was gorgeous. There were three of us sharing but I think I had 2/3 of it. More than my share.I(I can eat a lot. I am passionate hooverer of plates and tidier up of last morsels.) Springy pancakes with not-too-sweet caramel, fresh bananas and a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Go full dairy by pairing it with a Vanilla ice cream piscgroni.

I want to eat it all

We didn’t stop there. After dessert we tried the bavette steak frites with a fried egg. Everything was cooked to perfection. Silky egg yolk, umami-full sautéed onions, delicious steak and the comfort of frites. Looking for a drink suggestion? The Bloody Mary is a natural, and suitable, partner to steak.

Bloody Mary, ~Sundaytini, Vanilla ice cream piscogroni in a ray of sunshine.

Bloody Mary (look! a padron pepper), Sundaytini, Vanilla ice cream piscogroni in a ray of sunshine.

We didn’t eat everything on the brunch menu. For vegetarians, there’s a butterbean and potato hash served with avocados that sounds really nice. The vegan pastel de choclo – jackfruit and mushroom mince topped with corn mash and oven baked, served with green beans, tomato and onion salad – also sounds good. There’s a steak and cheese dish, and rice pudding. Or why not try the Sunday roast? At £25 for two, it’s good value.

If you’re looking for somewhere to spend Sunday with friends, with great food and lovely drinks within easy reach, I’d suggest you visit 83 Hanover Street.