Company Brewing: Brunch

Bacon jam, truffled omelets & plaid

Oh Company Brewing, you tasty hipster haven, you. I've been to Company Brewing for dinner, a concert, and finally for brunch. We dragged ourselves out of bed on New Year's Day, expecting a packed house at 11:30, but there was plenty of room. The neighboring tables were filled with millennial types sporting all the plaid, corduroy overalls, and beanies in Milwaukee's river west. When I realized that I'd also thrown on plaid that morning, I had to laugh.

Maybe the hipsters come for the polenta pancakes (which I've heard taste like cornbread — do with that info what you will) or the vegan French toast — or maybe they come for the Brunch Burger, which is what won my heart. It's a juicy beef patty served on an English muffin, topped with Car Valley cheddar cheese, candied bacon jam, and a fried egg. Talk about hangover heaven! The flavors were robust in their own right but also mingled perfectly. Food porn to the max.

Others at our table enjoyed the Migas Verdes: Fried tortillas, pimento crema, charred tomatillo salsa, queso fresco, and scrambled eggs. Make sure to add chorizo for an extra kick of deliciousness! 

There was also a Truffled Mushroom Omelet with brie, mixed greens, and truffled mushrooms. You could immediately taste the truffle flavor — a point in this omelet's favor. However, there was no melty cheese — a huge point docked, in this Wisconsinite's book. My best guess is that the cheese is baked into the eggs, therefore indistinguishable. Who wants that? But the flavors were good otherwise, so if you're looking for a healthier option, this is a solid one. 

We also tried a side of the house-made sausage. It's a little on the sweet side, if that is or isn't your thing. As for the toast, it looks amazing, but tastes a little like grill char. It's also topped with unsalted oil, not butter — a major disappointment for a butter lover like me. Instead, I tried ordering a biscuit on the side, but they were fresh out. To me, that means they must be good!

Moral of the story: Some of the brunch goodies at Company Brewing are completely worthwhile — like the Brunch Burger. For others, my fellow taste testers and I have our quibbles. But the atmosphere, friendly staff, and bounty of unique food items make Company Brewing a worthwhile gamble for brunch in river west.