Although I love brunch, the meal is usually reserved for my off-seasons. After all, I wind up drinking one too many mimosas, and my plans for an afternoon hike usually turn into a nap.
But when Dishing Co-Publisher Allison Arthur and I learned that Old Yellowstone Garage is serving Sunday brunch, we decided to make a day of it down south in Alpine. The plan? To pig out on Paulie O’Connor’s delicious dishes, then head to Palisades Lake for (some) calorie burning in the form of paddleboarding.
OYG started doing brunch this season, and it’s easy to see why it’s already been wildly popular.
We chose to sit outside on the patio, which overlooks the elk refuge. Had we chosen to imbibe, we probably would have opted for their over the top bloody mary (only on the menu occasionally), which can come overflowing with meatballs, pepperoncinis or shrimp. Instead, we sipped strong black coffee and tea.
The menu is a mashup of the Italian style OYG is known for with a Southern/Cajun flair brought by Sous Chef Drew Tobin, who recently relocated from Susan Spicer’s Bayona in New Orleans. It was he who posed the idea of brunch, O’Connor said, since no one in the area was doing it. And since New Orleans has such a cult brunch scene.
The menu offers a variety of plates, from small salad starters to salamis and cheeses to heavier main courses. We opted to start with the grilled toast, which comes with house-made butter and jams, along with the weekly selection of cheeses. This week jams were black pepper and chianti and elderberry. Sometimes the jam and cheese selection are house-made.
The decision on what to order for our mains was a tough one, but ultimately we chose the Guido’s Godfather salad with grilled baby iceberg, fontina, peppers and caramelized onions. We also ordered OYG’s decadent take on a tostada: crispy fried chicken skin topped with pulled pork, poached local eggs, tomato and cheese.
Selections change every few weeks can range from chicken and waffles to steak and eggs.
Afterward, we headed to Greys River Sports to pick up our rented paddle boards for an afternoon on the lake. OYG serves brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday (reservations are recommended). If you plan to rent paddle boards, we suggest going on the earlier side, as Greys River Sports closes at 2. Or you could be really adventurous and road bike down there (I’d suggest getting a shuttle home).
