Every now and then, you just need to stunt on the ‘Gram for a second. It could be to remind your ex of their clownish ways or to remind yourself that you are, indeed, your best thing. I don’t know about you, but I love to see folks stunt on Instagram. We deserve to celebrate our best thing – whether it’s a new car or a new job or a new boo or finally seeing your body as beautiful or a new kimino you purchased from Target. Some may call it your ego at work. I call it your joy at work.
This weekend, against the heat of August and the seemingly quiet hustle of Poydras Street, I found the perfect stunt on the ‘Gram brunch spot – Copper Vine. There’s something about the lighting in Copper Vine that just makes everything and everyone look lush, rich, bougie, if I must say so myself. It truly looks like it doesn’t belong in the middle of the CBD, but somehow, with its plants hanging beautifully on the patio and its very on brand copper look and feel on the inside, it makes sense. I try to not speak in absolutes, unless it comes to Beyoncé (she’s the greatest of all time, don’t argue me), but Copper Vine is probably one of the best brunches this crazy city with cars in the drains has to offer.
Here’s why.
Starters
Here’s a free tip to those who run restaurants: add a sweet treat to your starter menu. Just do it. Trust me, it’ll be perfect. Sometimes, you don’t want to start off with something savory. And if you’re like me, you’re always craving something sweet in the midmorning, and the beignets from Copper Vine are the satisfying treat you need. Made surprisingly with filo dough, these man-catching beignets (the waitress loved that I said that with the shimmy as she sat the bowl down) are fluffy and sweet and are just enough to share with the table.
As your girl gets older, her palette becomes a bit more refined. Like, I have a favorite fish now – salmon. I love it grilled, smoked, raw, all the things. The bourbon smoked salmon dip with dill and leek cream was the perfect next starter to compliment the sweetness of the beignets. The toast that came with the dip was not your ordinary toast – it didn’t do that weird “let’s get messy!” crack that often happens. It was crispy but clean.
We also ordered a delightful twist on gumbo: chicken and boudin gumbo. The boudin acted as the rice base for the gumbo, giving the chicken and roux a chance to shine.
And lastly, we ordered deviled eggs with crab meat, although we discussed that you can’t just be eating everyone’s deviled eggs. But I’ll eat Copper Vine’s deviled eggs, especially with the fun treat of hefty crab meat on top.
Meals
We were a gaggle of hungry gals, yet, still had trouble deciding what to order. Copper Vine provides a wide array of plates for brunch including seafood dishes, pork belly, and several sandwiches. We finally settled on a three different dishes that brought out the best of us.
The Crab Cake Benedict
If I could describe myself as a meal, it would be this Crab Cake Benedict. And being able to enjoy it (and leave the plate clean) was like meeting myself for the first time. A fresh crab cake sat on top of some rather sizable duck fat potatoes and scrambled eggs, and everything was covered in a perfect hollandaise and shellfish cream. Whew, y’all. I wanted to hug the plate but didn’t want to get hollandaise on my new kimino.
Chicken Fried Duck and Cornbread Waffle
I know it’s August, but the holidays are always on my mind. And this meal, with a big ole piece of fried duck sitting on a sweet waffle with some kind of magical gravy, tastes like a Thanksgiving meal. It’s a lot of food, so get ready, but it’s a comforting meal to have for brunch while you wait for November to step on through.
Shrimp and Grits
What’s brunch without Shrimp and Grits? A sad brunch. And this shrimp and grits dish made with shrimp, stone ground grits, rosemary and a mushroom sauce definitely belongs in the Southern Brunch Hall of Fame. You can get this dish as part of Copper Vine’s coolinary menu but you only have a few days left!
Dranks
For libations, we indulged in the bottomless mimosas and sparkling rosé (we toggled back and forth!), and after our bottomless finally made its way to the bottom, we had an idea.
Copper Vine, at its core, is a wine pub with wine on tap and frequent wine tastings. And they offer one of my new favorite things: a wine flight. 🍷🍷🍷We got the rosé flight and since the mimosas were our pre-fuel, it was by far the most entertaining flight I’ve ever enjoyed. My friend and I, who are still reeling over the season finale of Pose, just kept saying, “Come judge for me! Come judge for me!” as the waitress poured glasses of three rosés to try.
I highly recommend it if you’re looking to stay at brunch much longer than you thought. Tens across the board. 🔟
Before summer ends, gather your aces, your mellows, your girls or your boys, and brunch at Copper Vine. Come for the food and drinks, stay for the decor, and please don’t forget to stunt on the ‘Gram when you take your pics in the bathroom hallway.
Smooches! 💋
