Pitcher and Piano
18 Friar Street,
Reading RG1 1DB
0118 958 8964
pitcherandpiano.com
INVENTED as a cure for hangovers, brunch now has the ability to cause and cure a weekend of merriment.
Enter, bottomless brunch. Think Mimosas over Bloody Marys, the fizz-fuelled event is being served up by Reading-based Pitcher and Piano for £25 per head.
With unlimited Prosecco, Bellinis and Mimosas, guests can choose from a range of brunch menu classics and some unique additions.
Entering the bar, visitors are guided to their pre-booked table after a customary coating of hand sanitiser.
With table service very much the new normal, the dining experience has become a more leisurely affair. Tables are spaced out and there’s less chance of restaurant eavesdropping.
On arrival, the Pitcher and Piano team are quick to deliver the first glass of fizz as the menu-browsing begins.
Being vegetarian, I would usually dine with a meat-eating guest. But Covid-concerns meant I was joined by my vegetarian partner.
The menu did not disappoint. With five vegetarian options, five meat options and one vegan dish, there are a variety of brunch choices.
The Pitcher and Piano veggie breakfast, which includes grilled halloumi, smashed avocado, fried egg, flat mushroom, confit of tomato, hash brown, baked beans and toasted sourdough struck a perfect balance between aesthetics and flavour. Where some brunch-serving establishments sacrifice taste for Instagram-ready pictures, the dish found harmony between the two.
Well-seasoned throughout, the halloumi was faultlessly soft, the mushroom rich and buttery and the hash brown crisp.
But the showstopper was the Mushroom Madame. Based on the French dish, melted Croxton Manor cheddar and sautéed mushrooms were served in a grilled white bloomer topped with a fried egg and served with house salad.
Unlike the classic brunch dishes, the Madame felt unique and packed a cheese-filled punch.
Somewhere between a mac n’ cheese and peppercorn sauce, the mushroom and cheese mix was rich and creamy, impeccably seasoned and as luxurious
as it sounds.
Decadent flavours were balanced by a bright salad dressed in a light vinegar, bringing acidity to the cheesy mountain of food.
Paired with Prosecco and a Bellini respectively, the brunch was a fantastic way to start the weekend.
Served from 11am until 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays, guests may wish to travel by train or bus in order to make the most of the free-flowing drinks.
New Government restrictions mean that all visitors to pubs, restaurants, bars and cafés must wear a face covering when they are not eating or drinking.
JESS WARREN
