August 11, 2023 – This specific sort of sumptuous, this sun-splashed episode of indulgence, this high-calorie lost art…is not dead yet.
Sunday brunch the way Goddess intended it lives on in all its glory at Mission Ranch 10am-1:30pm once a week.
And at $45 ($20 for kids), it remains a solid value.
The ample patio, pasture views and River Beach in the distance continue to provide a sparkling setting that’s only elevated by the live piano coming from the bar area.
A buffet with three different embankments of food overload eaters with options.
At one of them omelet wizards whip up eggs to order flanked by a dozen plus ingredients while a separate chef slices roast prime rib to pair with au jus and horseradish.
Catering trays at various stations fill with applewood smoked bacon, home-fried potatoes, French toast (one of the few misses of the morning), classic eggs Benedict and beef burritos in molé sauce. Clam chowder and garlic cheese bread felt like a must-do appetizer. Same goes for the Caesar salad, fresh fruit and house croissants.
Mediterranean-spinach and Napa cabbage salads also appear, and the baked salmon with dill demands at least one round of reload.
Then “Chef Charlie’s Fabulous Dessert Table,” which is more like a runway, closes the deal with a half dozen rotating treats like cheesecake, pecan cookies, un-soaked tiramisu and (my favorites) weighty brownies and mini slices of key lime pie.
Drinks run extra ($25 corkage for BYOB) and there are no reservations, so anticipate a little wait. At 11am, our four-top got a half hour to kill so we walked the dogs around the adorable neighborhood.
Mission Ranch drips with flowers, character and history, with one exhibit to check out being the menu by the piano.
There appear items like lobster Thermidor ($2.75) and veal scallopini en casserole and sautéed chicken livers with mushrooms (both $1.85).
The other to-dos on the agenda: 1) Bring sun hats, because the patio is where you want to be, and it’s uncovered; 2) Visit the plump sheep, which provide another fitting piece of history and timelessness, munching quietly on their own all-they-can-eat buffet below.
More at missionranchcarmel.com.
About the author
Mark C. Anderson, Edible Monterey Bay's managing editor, appears on "Friday Found Treasures" via KRML 94.7 every week, a little after 12pm noon. Reach him via mark@ediblemontereybay.com.
