Bloody Good Brunch: Bistro 31

by Steven Lindsey    photos by Rob Orta

In the trailer for Paranormal Activity 3, the young girls whose house is haunted are seen in front of the bathroom mirror chanting, “Bloody Mary! Bloody Mary! Bloody Mary!”—all in the hopes of conjuring up a spirit.

I also chant “Bloody Mary!” multiple times, hoping for a different kind of spirit to appear from thin air. It’s a technique that rarely works unless I’m standing in front of a bar. Yet when I proclaimed this mantra at Bistro 31, I had a truly otherworldly Bloody Mary that made me a believer in not just the supernatural, but the immense skill of GM and mixologist extraordinaire, Marcus Cascio.                                         

When this brunch cocktail arrives at your table, it almost looks like a tropical drink has been delivered by mistake. The translucent cherry red/purple juice looks too refreshing to be a Bloody Mary. Gone is the thick, viscous, salty tomato purée and in its place a homemade “V8” that’s absolutely refreshing and downright remarkable.

And it’s healthy, too. (At least when compared to say, a Long Island Iced Tea or gallon of Rocky Road covered in Bailey’s Irish Cream.)

Filled with carrots, beets, tomatoes, spinach, jalapeños, red and green bell peppers, celery, onion and kale, this juice is something so fresh and light it could probably provoke Richard Simmons to add a few cocktail cards to his Deal-A-Meal diet program.

It’s all topped with an olive, pearl onion and slice of crispy Jamon Serano, if for no other reason than to prepare your palate for a savory drink.

But don’t just stop at the bar. It’s worth ordering a little food to justify ordering a second (or third) round of Bloody Marys.

The Eggs Benedict here sounds a bit traditional, and it kind of is, but it’s got enough of a twist to make it fun. And it’s prepared perfectly, which is better than a gimmicky Benedict that doesn’t taste great. Here, instead of an English muffin there’s a nicely toasted Panini with Serrano ham in place of Canadian bacon. The poached eggs and hollandaise are excellent, as are the addictive “garlic marble” potatoes.

Another highlight is the Ham & Gruyere Galette. I haven’t seen anything like this in town, so I was eager to try something new. Featuring a savory buckwheat pancake studded with plenty of ham and cheese (but not too much), a sunny side egg is the ideal accompaniment to bring all the flavors melding together with a richness that isn’t too heavy.

And even though the marble potatoes are fantastic, never pass up an opportunity to have a side of Bistro 31’s Pomme Frites. In fact, a brunch of Bloody Marys and French Fries could just be the closest thing to heaven you’ll find in Highland Park Village this weekend. Although the Christmas decorations are going up, so I won’t count out an angel encounter or two.

Brunch served Saturday and Sunday.