This weeks Weekly Bite comes from a quirky bookstore - believe it or not! I just got home from college for the summer, and was looking for a brunch place to meet my longtime friend Saoirse to catch up. Quill Books & Beverage immediately came to mind. It’s one of our favorite spots to catch up and get (the best meal of the day) brunch. It' is both a bookstore and a fun spot to eat. It’s a coffee shop and sandwich/salad eatery by day, and a bar by night. When I was there for brunch, there were people doing work on laptops, sitting outside on the patio reading a book with an iced coffee, and people like me - who just came to eat and chat. The environment at night is great too; they have happy hour specials, lawn and board games on the patio, and even live music.
The Landloxed - Proscuitto, CC, capers, lemon
Quill is a versatile environment and always reliable for a great bite to eat. Saoirse and I ended up staying for over two hours chatting and enjoying our time in the unique space. My go-to order is always something on their toast menu. This time I tried two different pieces of toast.
The first toast I tried was the Landloxed - sourdough topped with cream cheese, Prosciutto, capers, and lemon zest. If you love Prosciutto as much as I do, this is definitely the way to go. Instead of a traditional Salmon Lox toast with capers, the Prosciutto adds the perfect salty contrast to the bright acidity of the lemon zest. I’ve never had the combination of Prosciutto, cream cheese, and lemon zest before, but it was exactly what I didn’t know I needed!
Apple, Ricotta, Honey
The second piece of toast I tried was the Apple Ricotta - sourdough topped with a generous layer of ricotta cheese, sliced granny smith apples, honey, and (my favorite addition) salt and pepper. Ricotta was one of my favorite foods growing up as a kid so this one immediately caught my eye. The tart apples and sweet honey are perfect on top of the smooth ricotta, but the salt and pepper is what really makes this toast a shining star. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty that will definitely leave you wanting more.
Spicy Veggie - Everything bagel topped with Harissa Cream Cheese, carrots, pepper relish, chives, and pickled onions.
Saoirse got the Spicy Veggie - Everything bagel topped with Harissa Cream Cheese, carrots, pepper relish, chives, and pickled onions. The chives and veggies add the perfect amount of savoriness for a brunch dish, and if you like a nice spice like Saoirse, this one is for you. I’m a total wimp when it comes to spicy foods, but I actually really enjoyed the balance of flavors the veggies bring to the Harissa Cream Cheese. (And the dish is so colorful it’s hard to resist!)
Toasts are always one of my top go-to bites to eat, and these bites from Quill Books & Beverage hit the spot.