Day Dining for Brunch at the Newly Opened Fort Oak in Mission Hills
What do you do when your significant other is out of town? For me, I took the time to check out brunch at a newly opened restaurant with three of my girlfriends. Brunch may have turned into finally walking into my home at 2 a.m., but that’s a story for another day. The important part of the story begins at 10:30 a.m. on a beautiful San Diego Saturday morning in the chipper and adorable neighborhood of Mission Hills.
Me and my girlfriends headed to Trust Restaurant Group’s newest installment, Fort Oak, situated on the corner of…. Fort Stockton and Oak Street in Mission Hills. Now that Fort Oak has settled into the neighborhood, they have finally launched their weekend brunch and it was so worth the wait. Fort Oak’s brunch is interesting and forward thinking and stays true to the overall inventive culinary concept of the restaurant.
In a sea of chilaquiles, breakfast burritos, and huevos rancheros, typical for Southern California brunch menus, Fort Oak is pushing the boundaries of what a brunch menu can be. Trust me there is nothing better than having a hangover, drinking a stiff bloody mary and devouring a giant breakfast burrito, but it is also nice to have a more refined and upscale brunch experience. When you try a new restaurant and get the experience of tasting something you’ve never experienced before; don’t us brunchers and day diners deserve the same experience?
On Fort Oak’s brunch menu, you’ll find Chicken Fried Quail and French Toast with hot honey, date puree and house-cultured butter, Smoked Lamb Shoulder Hash with pickled peppers and vadouvan aioli, and Tahitian Vanilla Waffle’s topped with sweetened ricotta, lemon curd and hot smoked almonds. Still kicking myself for not ordering the Wagyu steak and eggs when I had the chance, but all the more reason to go back!
Not only is the brunch food phenomenal, the cocktail program at Fort Oak is top notch. My girlfriends and I ordered a few rounds of cocktails which included the Charger with coconut infused vodka, cold brew and mint and the elegant Thunderbird made with vodka, lemon, hibiscus and fino sherry. All of Fort Oak’s brunch cocktails will replenish and revitalize.
My personal favorite, the El Camino, is a green bloody goddess of mother earth, made with vodka, tomatillo, cilantro, cucumber, jalapeño and Tajín. The green bloody mary is light and earthy with just the right amount of spice to say good morning to your senses. Green bloody marys have a soothing and healing quality to them, perfect for someone looking for a brunch cocktail that is refreshing and natural; not full of sugar.
Fort Oak is the perfect backdrop for a weekend morning get together with your friends, family, or significant other. I am planning on my next trip in, taking my husband. If you’re a foodie in search of a day dining experience that is forward thinking and interesting, Fort Oak delivers on all fronts. The service is that of a fine dining restaurant, and the adorable neighborhood invites you to come back again and again.