Northern brunch-lovers, rejoice! With the unfortunate closure of Smoke in Plano, we've been hard-pressed to find a worthy brunch North of Tollway. Our recent trip to Denton proved us wrong with brunch at Barley & Board (previously our favorite burger in DFW). Albeit smaller than we would prefer, their brunch menu is diverse yet down-to-earth, offering dishes from the farm, air, and sea. Fluffy pancakes topped with Bourbon-Pecan Maple syrup are the perfect entree or dessert to their savoury Smoked Salmon Scramble. If you're a Denton resident, this is probably already one of your favorite restaurants. If not, their brunch is definitely worth suffering through I-35 for! But I digress, here is what we ate and what you should try:
Conflicted Pig aka Meat Lovers Brunch (16)
Heritage Ham Steak, Neuske's Bacon, 2 eggs, Black Pepper Bacon Biscuit
Certainly a hearty brunch plate by any means, this was made for the carnivore. All of the meat, especially the bacon, was flavorful and juicy, pairing well with the bacon biscuit and eggs. I'm a huge fan of poached eggs, but it was a mistake on my part ordering them with this dish, over easy or scrambled would have paired much better in hindsight. The biscuit was on the dry side, but their butter was heavenly, something you could eat out of a tub with a spoon (maybe if just in my dreams).
Banana Nut Pancake (12)
Bourbon-Pecan Maple Syrup
The obvious choice for the brunch sweet tooth, fluffy pancakes smothered in bourbon-pecan syrup and rich butter. As far as sweet brunch entrees go, this was a hearty meal! While fluffy, the pancake dough was heavy and sweet. Great as a meal or dish to share for dessert!
Hangtown Frittata (13)
Smoked bacon, shallot, peppadew, cheddar, fried oysters
The fun twist of adding fried oysters on a classic frittata was unexpected but delicious! The dough used for the fried oysters was wonderfully fluffy, topped with a whole grain mustard aioli. This was the perfect egg brunch dish, heavy enough to fill even the hungriest brunch-goer and perfect with a bloody mary.
Smoked Salmon Scramble (13)
Eggs, spinach, tomato relish, smoked salmon, potatoes, toast
My personal favorite brunch dish at Barley & Board, the Smoked Salmon Scramble is a perfect balance of flavors without the guilt of a great brunch dish. I've always been a fan of smoked salmon with eggs, but the spinach and potatoes brought a variety of textures and flavors in each bite. If you like salmon, get this dish and thank me later!
BONUS: MIMOSA FLIGHT AKA BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE + 4 JUICES OF YOUR CHOICE (20)
If you plan on getting a mimosa, get this for the table (or yourself) instead. A bottle of champagne plus a variety of juices to spice things up make for a very interesting brunch.
Have you been to Barley & Board brunch? Did you just go? What did you think?
Follow Barley & Board on social media below:
Instagram: @barleyAndBoard