If you were worried that the Corcoran’s demise signaled the end of the Sunday vegan brunch at Muse Cafe, don’t fret. Todd Gray moved the brunch to his downtown restaurant Equinox in July. While downtown feels a bit out of the way for a weekend breakfast, this one is worth venturing out of your neighborhood—especially on a nice day when you can enjoy their comfortable patio.
Equinox’s all-you-can-eat vegan brunch costs $30, not including beverages. Starting in early November, Equinox is celebrating truffle season with a special vegan brunch menu that highlights the luxurious item by topping dishes with freshly shaved truffles and using white truffle oil in recipes. DCist had the chance to preview the new menu on Sunday, and it’s definitely decadent. The addition of shaved white truffles adds richness to each dish without overpowering other flavors. While many of the dishes include truffle oil in their preparation, adding shaved white truffle to your dishes adds a $20 supplement to your bill (raising the cost to $50). It’s worth trying if you love truffles or want to see what all of the fuss is about. This special menu will only be available during truffle season, which typically goes through the end of January.
Food is served buffet-style on the bar, with separate stations for breakfast pastries, soup, and (wait for it) a tofu scramble bar. Just like an omelette bar, you pick what you want on your scramble (Sunday’s offerings included banana peppers, scallions, onions, artichokes, Daiya cheese and more), and the chef fries up your seasoned tofu scramble with veggies and voila. It’s a genius idea for a vegan brunch that I’m surprised I’ve never seen before. Also particularly tasty: the toasted couscous salad with pumpkin seeds, the pear-stuffed French toast, and the truffled risotto fritters with garlic chive Veganaise. The crunchy exterior of the fritter was filled with creamy, rich, and perfectly cooked risotto; this was a dish to remember.
With a menu that changes weekly, and a good variety of dishes—salads, soup, and a lentil stew in addition to the more traditional breakfast offerings—this brunch is worth regular visits. The deft work behind the bar is an added bonus that offers a welcome respite from the typical mimosa; their refreshing pear martini fit perfectly with breakfast.
Equinox is located at 818 Connecticut Avenue NW. Brunch is served on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
