Republique - Los Angeles

It's beautiful. I walk in and catch my breath. My eyes wander, and I can't help but look. Long tables lounge across a bubbly cobblestone between vestigial windows, setting the scene for a leisurely lunch-brunch on the cafe patio of a Parisian city street. It channels an old-school simplicity, the glamour of days gone by. 

Sip a delicate Mimosa while people-watching, and let the prosecco shines sharp through a delicate fresh-squeezed juice of orange.

Luxuriate in a low and sloe House G&T, smooth and bitter brightened with spring citrus and wintry thyme.

Let the Watermelon Spritz sweep you away in summer sugar, a whiff of candied fruit over-ripened on the vine. Dashes of lime and aperol cut through to finish with a bitter snap.

I sip from my glass, and I raise it in a toast to all of the toast. 

The Ricotta Toast is the first toast, one for the sweet tooth for sure. A bed of bold, crusty sourdough, a topping of thick, creamy ricotta, and honeyed stone fruit. The peaches and pomegranates are kissed by the last rays of summer sun, juicy molecules that graze the tongue, riding on a golden stream of honey that hangs heavy and sweet. 

The Mushroom Toast is for the savory tooth. Airy crevices of comfort-bread, crammed with fluffy eggs and squares of tender ham. The wild mushrooms are a velvety confluence with silky spinach and a waterfall of hollandaise. 

The Croque Madame gets a honorable mention, a salty house-cured ham, thick with gruyere and a runny fried egg that works wonders.

The Mushroom Omelet sings of enchanting chanterelle, porcini, and cheese. The herb sprinkles disperse through the thin wrapper of egg like fragrant fairy dust.

I've had my fair share of pastries, but Republique bakes in a class of its own. The entrees may be out-of-this-world, but the pastries can almost eclipse them entirely.

Even the simple Danish is the peak of perfection, sweet slices of roasted apple stack on layers of flaky pastry, grounded by a sweet cheese anchor.

The Berry Crostata is crusty with character; moist crumbs with a black berry burst.

The Key Lime Cake is a fragile column, a pristine cup that stings sharply citrus-lime with the mere flick of a fork.

None are a match for the Raspberry Matcha and Almond Bostock. Moist brioche-y bread and bold matcha give structure to sugary raspberries against a robust almond backdrop. I've never had anything so superb, and I doubt I ever will.

I never thought I'd see the day I was blown away by brunch. I've had plenty of hangover lunch, but Republique brunches on a whole new level. There is so much complexity in their simplicity, so much cleverness in their combinations, so much beauty in their execution. Republique is easily the best brunch I've had in years.