New menu week is one of the most stressful times for a restaurant. The amount of work and energy put into creating, testing and perfecting new recipes to revamp your menu can be overwhelming. So when we see one of our absolute favorite places to eat teasing new menu items on social media AND just so happen to find both of us with a morning off together and no other plans, that means we get to go try out some of these new creations.
It’s no secret that Christian Felix is an absolute mad man. It’s even lesser of a secret that he could serve me microwaved sludge from the bottom of a fryer and somehow make it taste like the greatest meal ever made. This new breakfast menu at BUC is the farthest from microwaved fryer slop you could find anywhere. Some major fan favorites were kept, like the Redeye Poutine amd Cowboy Breakfast. But when he starts teasing things like Baklava Johnny Cakes, we were sold. We went in Thursday morning after the menu had rolled out on Monday and were surprised to see that Erin and Christian were both somewhere other than BUC. But that speaks volumes to the faith they have in their staff to be able to hold down the fort in their absence on such an important week.
We were seated immediately by Krystina and, although we perused the menu to see what other new options were there, we knew exactly what we were going to order. Chelsea got her usual of coffee (now featuring Recess Coffee because local supports local always) and water to go with the Baklava Johnny Cakes: corn cakes griddled in butter with hazelnut, walnut and pistachio butter layered with crispy baked shaved phyllo (kataifi) with clove honey syrup and extra crushed pistachios. I only got to try one bite because I’m pretty sure I would have lost a finger if I attempted to try any more, but every single aspect of that plate just WORKS. The savory of the butter combined with sweetness of corn cakes, the crunch of the kataifi, and sugar from the honey clove syrup create one of the most unique flavor combinations and texture mixes I have ever had. Chelsea was dancing in her seat with each bite. You would think with so many different sweet flavors all at once, you would need a shot of insulin on the side. But somehow it all plays off of each other flavor and the sweetness doesn’t overwhelm the savory. This could be an award-winning dish and legitimately one of the best breakfasts either of us have ever tasted not just at BUC but anywhere we have ever been.
In my usual fashion, I am not a smart man and I left my breakfast up to chance. Unable to choose between Billy’s HUGE Buritto and Jeff’s Brunch Burger, I let Krystina make the choice for me and told her to surprise me. I ended up with Billy’s HUGE Buritto. The original Facebook post showcasing the buritto advertised it as “as big as a baby’s arm and thicker than a snickers” and they were not kidding in the slightest. I’m a sucker for white gravy and the original post had this bad boy SMOTHERED in gravy. I’m relieved that it wasn’t and the gravy was on the side because this monstrosity is INTIMIDATING. Three eggs, ham, sausage, bacon, cheddar jack cheese, breakfast potatoes and white pepper gravy rolled up in two (yes, TWO) giant tortillas and seared on the grill to seal it. I knew immediately upon Krystina setting the plate down that I had made a grave mistake and had flashbacks to my birthday burger Christian had made for me last year. For starters, this burrito is HEAVY. Christian and crew did not hold back in stuffing this bad boy to the brim and the weight definitely shows it. For a burrito that should be sloppy and falling apart with how wet some of the ingredients were, this thing held together really well. It’s an absolute savory overload in all of the best ways with soft textures bouncing off of the dense crispness of massive breakfast potatoes. Cheese melted just enough to give a nice pull, the perfect amount of pepper in the gravy to accentuate the sausage and bacon, and a hard sear on the burrito to bring it all home. I’m a big guy and I can absolutely eat, but even I couldn’t finish this goliath. I put in a valiant effort, but couldn’t quite bring it to the finish line. This thing could easily be shared by two people and, in all honesty, probably SHOULD be shared for safety reasons. But I regret nothing.
In true Christian Felix fashion, he had to taunt me via text about not finishing the burrito, but this was a great start to the day. Krystina is fantastic and always happy to see people whether they are first timers or seasoned regulars, the dining room was immaculate and had tables full of happy customers and everything about our visit was wonderful. Well worth the drive from Jordan to Brewerton, BUC continues to cement themselves as a leading example of how to do everything right when running a restaurant. If I didn’t actually really like my job at Drumlins, I would happily give a kidney to work at Brewer Union Cafe if that’s what it took to have the opportunity to work with someone I would consider the best in the area. Not even worth rating on a number scale because it just isn’t fair to everyone else, BUC is where it’s at. Go try the new menu, you won’t regret one bite.
5771 Miller Rd. Brewerton, NY 13029
(315) 668-5207