JW’s Kitchen — Restaurant in Springfield

11 August 2024

Ever since Gastropub stopped serving weekend brunch (another love ruined by COVID) I've been heartbroken. I especially loved relaxing on their patio with my dogs. When the owners recently announced they were opening a separate breakfasts location, I was elated! However, due to the opening hype and long wait times, we hadn't dined in until today. A little late to the party but we certainly had a good time!

I like that they utilize Google's feature to view and join the online waitlist. We watched it and it never said there was a wait. Upon entry, we found the restaurant almost full but were able to snag a hightop by the bar. Given today's highs are in the 80s with the potential of rain, we didn't request to sit outside.

For brunch, I ordered The Wife's Hash. Two things in particular led me to my selection. Firstly, the flavor combination is not one I would have thought up on my own. Secondly, it's certainly not something I'd attempt to make at home. I tried to make brussel sprouts one time and it was a disaster! The hot sauce brought just enough heat and the sweet potatoes, being mixed with potatoes, added a delightful touch of sweetness that complimented but did not overpower.

My husband ordered the loaded potatoes and devoured it. The cheese added that fun stringiness, and the bacon was cooked perfectly. He's not usually a gravy guy but for this he was.

The juice of the day was a green mixture that tasted fresh and was a nice touch. For $6 it was a little steep in price for the quantity offered but again, it's a treat that I otherwise wouldn't make at home.

We were tempted by the $20 bottomless mimosas but with errands to run, we opted to save it for next time. 😉 Another Gastropub touch that I've missed.

The atmosphere as compared to what we enjoy at Gastropub left something to be desired, and as a standalone (i.e., not in comparison), it was just another breakfast spot without much personality. The hostess wasn't unfriendly but she wasn't very friendly either. Our server was kind of in the same mood but she was enthusiastic and super sweet to compliment my ensamble which made me feel great about myself. I was having one of "those" days and though she didn't know it, she helped boost my mood. But after the clothes chatter she returned to being busy and aloof. I chalked it up to how busy the restaurant was. It was great to see Tyler, Springfield's best bartender and on our way out, Andy the owner thanked us for coming in and wished us a nice day.

Two entrees ($15 & $14) my juice ($6), and his iced tea ($3.50) cost us $38.50 before tax and tip. Though they were quick to clear the table, we were never rushed and had the opportunity to enjoy a leisurely brunch together. That experience is something we've come to enjoy about our trips to Europe and were glad to feel it at home. Overall, we had a lovely Sunday brunch and look forward to...

Saw this place the last time we went to the Farmer's Market and decided to make the trip back to try it today.

Was lovely, stepping in. Clean and well appointed, not surgical room bright, but also not a cave. Great dining room and a nice spacious patio for seating. That's where everything starts downhill.

The hostess who seated us spoke very quickly and seemed annoyed I had to keep asking her what. It's a struggle being hard of hearing or having a processing disorder in restaurants sometimes.

Soda is served in a can or a bottle. Okay, fine, we're quirky. Ordered chicken and waffles and eggs benedict (the bacon choice instead of ham).

Food came out super fast. This is a red flag for eggs benedict and waffles, usually. The waffle itself was fluffy and thick, delicious and a great carrier for the syrup. Chicken was mid at best, lacked flavor and the crunch just wasn't there. The candied/pickled jalapenos were a choice that I wouldn't have made. The texture of them was just... Odd and off-putting, but it didn't ruin the dish.

The eggs Benedict were edible. Nothing to write home about. The best part was the bacon. But there was zero seasoning. No, I don't have COVID, adding salt and pepper from the table was a vast improvement, even on a hollandaise sauce that tasted packaged. The poached egg was super fluffy and poached perfectly, so it's not all losses.

I have to seriously question whether this kitchen is familiar with salt. I can understand a low-sodium menu take, but this wasn't it. My side of cheddar cheese grits tasted like plain corn mush. Might as well have been slightly gritty wallpaper paste.

I wanted to like this place. But between a waitress that never checked on us and seemed annoyed by our presence-- versus her coworker who checked on her tables and made suggestions about cocktails and mocktails and asked questions-- I...

The food was not as good as I was hoping - the biscuits were rock hard and were like little hockey pucks. There was no flakey-ness or softness to them. The butter we got tasted old and had a weird aftertaste and flavor to it - out of the flavored toppings the molasses one (I think that’s what it was) was the best. I can’t remember the name of the meal I got but it had a mix of regular potatoes and sweet potatoes and chorizo.The ratio of just potatoes to the other parts of the dish made it hard to eat. There was no good flavor to the potatoes and they were pretty dry. I like to see meals with a little more variety and a good blend of flavors. Maybe that was what they were going for with that dish, but it was difficult for me to continue eating. I may try something else there if I go again but it was not a place that I was craving to try again unfortunately. Our server was very enthusiastic and nice. He gave us sample juices that they make in house and those were very good! I liked it better than my meal, so maybe next time that’s what I’ll get instead! I’m a big foodie so I was a little disappointed with the food and expected a lot better quality for the reviews I heard and got...