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This post is sponsored by Maggiano’s Little Italy in Memorial City. All opinions are mine alone.
#Maggianos #MaggBrunch
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Maggiano’s Little Italy Introduces Brunch!
[/custom_headline][gap size=”1.313em” id=”” class=”” style=””][text_output]Maggiano’s Little Italy introduces brunch to their Italian-American menu! This is big news because it’s the first time Maggiano’s changes their menu since their inception.
Since Maggiano’s is a go-to-place for celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and family gatherings, they decided to expand their menu to include brunch.
Per Steve Provost, president of Maggiano’s Little Italy, “Brunch is not just a meal. It’s a celebration. And, that’s what we specialize in – creating memorable events in our dining and banquet rooms. It is a natural next step for Maggiano’s chefs to introduce our authentic and indulgent culinary twist on this beloved weekly celebration.”
So when I received the invitation to attend Maggiano’s kickoff brunch weekend at Memorial City, I knew I was in for a special treat!
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A Toast to Brunch
[/custom_headline][text_output]After checking in with the event planners, I met Maggiano’s Executive Chef Philippe Verain. Chef Philippe provided an overview of our featured tastings and told us that he would show us how to make lemon ricotta pancakes! He also mentioned Maggiano’s new brunch menu is a take on classic brunch items and infuses Maggiano’s Italian roots. The Meatball Benedict and the Crab Cake Benedict are two examples of such unique recipe creations. Once I heard that I couldn’t wait to try their two out of five eggs benedict entrees.
It’s not brunch without a little adult beverage to toast the weekend, right? We didn’t think so either. Our traditional brunch goers ordered classic Bloody Marys or Mimosas, but I stayed true to the Italian roots and ordered a peach bellini to start the party. The peach bellini was refreshing and paired well with the orange streusel cake topped with a light icing and powdered sugar. It was the perfect way to toast to brunch!
Our next course featured the Meatball Benedict and the Crab Cake Benedict. They are two of the five signature eggs benedict on the brunch menu. The other three benedicts on the menu include:
- Nueske’s Smoked Ham Benedict featuring an English muffin, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce
- Smoked Salmon and Spinach Benedict featuring an English muffin, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce
- Chicken Francese Benedict featuring an English muffin, arugula, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce
After taking photos of our main entrees, we dined family style and sampled bites of the Meatball and the Crab Cake benedicts. I loved them both. I ordered mine without eggs since I have a mild egg allergy. Chef Philippe said Maggiano’s entrées can be modified to address most food restrictions. You just need to advise your server when you place your order.
The Meatball Benedict featuring an English muffin, poached eggs, oven-dried Roma tomatoes and hollandaise sauce was a unique take on an old classic. The hollandaise sauce is handmade in small batches using the freshest ingredients. Then it’s topped on one of Maggiano’s legendary meatballs and served with crispy Yukon gold potatoes season with parmesan, garlic and sea salt.
The Crab Cake Benedict featuring Maggiano’s favorite jumbo lump crab cakes, English muffin, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce was a crowd favorite! It’s also topped with the handmade hollandaise sauce and served with pan fried potatoes.
For the next course, Chef Philippe asked for a volunteer to help him with his cooking demo. I raised my hand and was selected to beat egg whites to a peak. It really takes a lot of work to beat the egg whites by hand to get the right texture for the lemon ricotta batter. Chef Philippe mentioned that every time an order is placed for the lemon ricotta pancakes, they have to beat the eggs by hand and make the pancakes fresh. This process is what makes Maggiano’s Lemon Ricotta pancakes so light and fluffy.
The Lemon Ricotta Pancakes made fresh daily in-house and are served with whipped cream, maple syrup, and blueberries are incredible. You simply have to try these. All of our group wanted more of these gems!
The Crème Brûlée French Toast made with cranberry raisin focaccia and served with maple syrup and fresh strawberries and bacon offered the sweet and savory combo I love in a brunch entrée. I especially loved the bacon.
When our brunch was over, Chef Philippe and the Maggiano’s staff thanked their guests for attending Maggiano’s first Brunch weekend at Memorial City. They gifted us with swag bags and a complimentary pasta to take home. What a treat!
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Taste & See Maggiano’s Little Italy for Yourself
[/custom_headline][text_output]I thoroughly enjoyed brunch at Maggiano’s and highly recommend them for your next celebration! Brunch is offered seven days a week from 10:30 or 11 a.m. – depending on the market – to 3 p.m. at all 52 restaurants across the country. How cool is that? Now you don’t have to wait until the weekend to get your brunch on!
Maggiano’s is the perfect spot for brunch celebrations too. The entrées are shareable and perfect for family dining. Maggiano’s Little Italy in Memorial City is kid-friendly. So you can dine with your family and enjoy a great meal with various options to choose from. The dining room, private banquet room, and outdoor patio can accommodate large parties. So if you have an upcoming social gathering, birthday, baby shower, and anniversary to plan, just call Maggiano’s to make reservations and speak with the event coordinator to plan your event.
Thank you, Maggiano’s for a wonderful dining experience and the cooking demo. I can’t wait to brunch at Maggiano’s Little Italy again with my friends and family. You know I’ll be back for the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes!
Friends, go taste and see for yourself and let me know what you think![/text_output][text_output]
602 Memorial City Mall | Houston, Texas 77024 | 713.461.0692
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