SAN ANTONIO — It just opened one month ago, but you may have already of heard about Eastside Kitchenette.
"We heard about this place through word of mouth from one of my wife's coworkers," says one patron.
The cozy, home-like restaurant at I-35 and North New Braunfels, serves gourmet home-cooking for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.
Owner Jeff White, who served for five years as the executive chef at the Boiler House, says he intentionally chose the up-and-coming Government Hill area of the east side.
"We wanted to be part of that revitalization, and we wanted to have a nice, homey, family restaurant, a neighborhood restaurant that pretty much appeals to anybody and everybody," White said.
Fans of the Boiler House might recognize some similar themes with the Eastside Kitchenette menu.
"I'm known for very big cuisine, very meaty, very hearty. That is what I have taken with me, that is who I am," White said.
One of the best examples of his style is the Chicken and Waffles. White says he dropped the common buttermilk brine regimen, in favor of a less-sugary method.
"We make our own pickles here in house, our own dill pickles. We will take the pickle brine and will brine the chicken with pickle juice and hot sauce. We roll it in flour the day before, let it refrigerate overnight. In the morning, we flour it again and then deep-fry it. It comes out super crispy and delicious."
Another favorite is the restaurant's gourmet take on Huevos Rancheros.
"I get excited about the Huevos Rancheros. A lot of times you go somewhere and they have Huevos Rancheros, its a few potatoes and you get a couple eggs and some kind of red sauce. Here, we do it right. We do a tostada, our house-made black beans, ranchero sauce, made in house, and the eggs are cooked in it. We take great pride in that dish. It's a dish everyone knows and trusts. But a lot of times, people haven't seen it made the right way."
The new restaurant's menu is still evolving. White says the Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs will be the next addition.
"That's going to be an off-menu item for the moment, but next time we change the menu, it will definitely be on the menu."
The restaurant also offers some lighter fair including inviting fried green tomatoes and bagel and lox.
"We decided to do bagel and lox because its nice and refreshing, its light. A lot of times, brunch items seem really heavy with gravies and eggs and potatoes that stick to your ribs. Sometimes people just want to have a couple of mimosas and something light," White said.
Atmosphere is an important element of the restaurant. White says he renovated a historic home from 1906. The patio features a live DJ for weekend brunch and there is an adjacent dog park.
Check out this Brunch Brigade darling at 2119 N Interstate 35. Click here for the full menu.