DELISH. Chef Aaron Grissom shows off his version of a bagel and lox – featuring lemon zest mascarpone, smoked salmon, pickled red onion and caper berries. (Photos by Clare Jensen)
Ever had one of those Saturday mornings when you wake up after a long night and just need a solid breakfast, like something with bacon, eggs, cinnamon rolls maybe? With a giant Bloody Mary on the side? Me too. It turns out Dirty Oscar's Annex's newly launched breakfast menu is just for people like us.
The Toad in the Hole ($9) – last weekend's fan favorite, according to Chef Aaron Grissom – combines all that is good about that first meal of the day: a giant, freshly made cinnamon roll baked at Top Foods to Grissom's specifications, Jack Daniels caramel sauce, a poached egg in the center, all topped with thick-cut bacon. As if it needed anything else, it's served with crispy hashbrowns.
Another highlight on the new menu is the vegan hash ($9), featuring a healthy serving of winter squash, asparagus, mushrooms, shallots, tomatoes, red bell peppers and home fries, served up with toast on the side. The lone vegan dish on the menu will not disappoint, and most likely, health conscious, non-vegans will be impressed, as well.
Grissom's new menu retains D.O.A. classics such as the Cap'N Crunch French toast concoction (thick-sliced sourdough French bread dipped in cinnamon, nutmeg egg batter and crusted with the delicious cereal, grilled until golden brown and served with marionberry whipped cream and blackberry coulis) and fried chicken and waffle, while also adding some unexpected options.
My favorite on the menu is Grissom's version of bagel and lox. Although it's not something I would naturally gravitate toward on a breakfast menu, the combination of lemon zest mascarpone with pickled red onion and caper berries was too much to resist. The fresh baked bagel with a subtle hint of lemon with the smoked salmon is a lethal combination. In a very good way. The lox and bagel runs $10, which is about the average price point on the menu. When you consider that most dishes are shareable, that's not a bad deal.
"I really want to offer the best breakfast in Tacoma – that's my goal," Grissom said. "We're still just trying to elevate standard bar food that's out there, but now we're bringing that idea to breakfast."
A couple of new drinks on the menu – not that anyone is condoning day-drinking, of course – are pretty unique, as well. The Moonshine Mimosa features muddled lemon, moonshine and club soda to give it that kick of the bubbly, and orange juice. There's no better way to start your day.
Dirty Oscar's Annex, located at 2309 6th Ave., offers breakfast 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
