Restaurant Review: Brunch with a View at Tucci’s

Tucci’s has been on the review list for a minute now. More than a minute, actually. But in recent months, the restaurant’s been orchestrating a big indoor-outdoor patio expansion project. And while operations largely continued during remodeling efforts, it seemed like best practice to postpone any official visits until the remodeling was complete.

Well, it’s complete and truly something to behold. Tucci’s was lovely before, but now it’s large and luxurious with the new space plus a murmuring fountain, serious plant life, hard surface floors…and soft chairs that wrap around and invite you to linger.

Within this context, Tucci’s menu is and was nice. Niiiiiiiice. It’s an upscale establishment with steaks in all sorts of grades for discriminating carnivores; certified angus, prime and wagyu. And the menu offers more than fancy steak; there’s a commitment to entrees that include seafood and pasta as well. Beyond that, there’s also Eggs Benedict and brioche french toast: That is, Tucci’s has a significant brunch scene that provides a little glitz for morning people.

Heck, you don’t have to be a morning person, exactly. The weekend brunch serving hours actually start at 10 a.m. and they go til 3 p.m. That’s plenty of time for anyone to get their brunch on.

Let’s kick things off with a throw-back, shall we? Honest-to-goodness New England Clam Chowder ($11) is available on the menu. Unlike tomato-based Manhattan Clam Chowder, New England style is cream-based and Tucci’s executes it with panache and tender little bits of clam and potatoes that give it the summer flavors of the beach in a warm and comforting context.

A bowl of yellow soup with a drizzle of green oil on top — New England Clam Chowder

Staying in the heady, heavy lane, there is also Eggs Benedict ($15). Supported by English muffins, glistening, perfectly poached eggs sit atop their respective rounds of Canadian bacon that cup up just a bit to hold a bath of golden-rich hollandaise. It’s the richness of the hollandaise that adds the magic and elevates it above a lesser egg n’ bread combo.

Two English muffin halves are topped with rounds of ham, poached eggs and a yellow sauce. A pile of roasted potatoes in the background. — Eggs Benedict

Speaking of bread, the Brioche French Toast ($13) presents diners with substantial slices of brioche, griddled and caramelized for crisped edges that peek out from beneath a snowy crown of powdered sugar. It’s served with a traditional fresh berry mix on the side that provides a tart textural contrast.

French toast is topped with berries, balls of butter, powdered sugar and a drizzle of syrup — French Toast (Editor’s note: the French Toast is now served with Challah as pictured above)

From there, you can adventure on into the land of omelets in variations that include Bacon & Cheddar or Southwest. Alternately, there are plenty of non-breakfasty menu options that are more reflective of Tucci’s daily menu. That would include an array of sandwiches ranging from a burger to chicken salad, a filet mignon, and a delightful rendition of Angel Hair Chicken Piccata ($25). While tender sautéed chicken might be the anchor, it’s outshined by the skinny-noodled pasta nest populated with artichoke hearts in a sublime sauce with lemon and caper accents.

A chicken breast sits on a bed of spaghetti with bits of green. Fried capers and a sprinkle of cheese sit on top. — Angel Hair Chicken Piccata

Like any upscale operation, Tucci’s offers a well-developed bar menu as well. For brunch, that menu includes the requisite mimosa and bloody mary options, as well as something more niche such as the Tucci Tini which blends blueberry vodka, lemon and ginger. Fruit is, after all, part of a nutritious breakfast.

You can find Tucci’s and its completed construction project up in Dublin at its version of High Street, specifically, at 35 N. High St.

For more information, visit tuccisdublin.com.

All photos by Susan Post