Before we can talk about the new fall menu at Snooze, we should first introduce you to the restaurant itself. Per the menu- “Snooze was born on April 2, 2006, in Denver, Colorado seeking to evolve the A.M. dining experience through culinary innovation, an eclectic and energetic atmosphere and comfortable and friendly service.” Luckily for us in San Diego, there are three Snooze locations to serve us, Hillcrest, La Jolla, and Del Mar. Snooze also has locations in Arizona, Colorado, and Texas.
We were hosted at the La Jolla location by the General Manager Justin Fritsch and found all of these things to be true, especially the culinary innovation. The location at 8861 La Jolla Village Drive had ample free parking and a hopping lively crowd, especially for 11:00 on a Tuesday morning. We were seated on the patio and greeted by Justin. He invited us in to try the fall menu even before it hit the streets. We were not disappointed.
Libations: We started with an iced and a hot vanilla latte, which were both really good and made from their exclusive, organic Guatemalan coffee. Things got more interesting when Justin brought out the new fall drinks – a grapefruit IPA mixer and a gazpacho bloody mary. The IPA mixer was a masterful blend of sweet, tart, and hoppy that was deep, crisp and satisfying. The bloody mary was deeply savory and would have made an excellent gazpacho on its own even before the house create garlic infused vodka was added. We were sneaking out on a work lunch so we couldn’t indulge in the rest of their full and creative adult menu.
First Course: The first food out was shrimp and grits and an egg white frittata. The grits were smooth and creamy, almost like a risotto and packed with full flavors, plump shrimp, and superb andouille sausage. The frittata started with fluffy eggs layered with wild mushrooms, garlic, and roasted sweet potatoes. It was like Thanksgiving dinner landed on top of your omelet, complete with roasted corn salsa and shaved Manchego cheese.
Breakfast with Bennies: Honestly, we would have left the table after the first course with our stomachs full and our taste buds excited, however, we were Justin’s guest and he had more culinary creations to show off. Next up were the two new fall eggs benedict creations, “I like you E’Lote Benedict” and “Steak + Eggs Benny”. For those of you who haven’t tried Snooze yet, they have an entire menu section titled “The Art of Hollandaise” where they experiment with all three elements of eggs Benedict: the base, the meat, and the sauce to create amazing combinations. Their benedicts go way beyond English muffins and a piece of ham. They all had a wonderfully poached egg but the rest got really creative.
The E’lote was built up around their delicious roasted corn salsa. The fire roasting imparted a deep and powerful flavor as a counter to the sweetness of the corn. They needed a hearty base for their creation so they selected corn quinoa cakes that were pan fried to perfection. The new world benedict theme continued with a chile lime hollandaise and a top coating of Cotija cheese. If the ancient Incan chefs made a breakfast for the king, this would be it.
The Steak + Eggs Benny was built to showcase the seared hanger steak medallions. They were tender and flavorful. The steak was paired with asparagus, roasted mushroom, and tomatoes and placed base was roasted poblano cheddar grits cakes. The hollandaise was accented with smoky cheddar and gremolata. This was savory breakfast perfection.
Sweet Utopia: We were absolutely stuffed at this time and had to save half of the benny’s for later but we weren’t about to miss out on Snooze’s pancakes or what they call “Sweet Utopia”. Snooze was built around their signature Pineapple Upside Down Pancake with chunks of caramelized pineapples covered in house made vanilla creme anglaise and cinnamon butter. They even have a program to donate pancakes to the local community to support worthy causes. New for the fall was the Bourbon Street Pumpkin Pancakes.
They start with a stack of light and fluffy pumpkin buttermilk pancakes and top with a layer of bourbon pecan jam but the sweet utopia doesn’t stop there. They add sweet cream cheese drizzle, whipped mascarpone and mocha crumble. It was sweet, decadent, and absolutely sinful. We shouldn’t have kept eating but we couldn’t stop.
Wrapping Up: Snooze makes it a priority to be creative and keep adding fresh and seasonal items to their menu. We thought their fall additions were amazing. They were deeply flavorful, some sweet and some savory but staying away from overly salted or candy like sweetness. If you are looking for a culinary adventure to start your day, you should consider hitting the Snooze bar. Thank you, Justin, for having us and we look forward to tasting your new creations and catching up on the rest of your menu.
Disclaimer: Although our experience was complimentary, the views and opinions expressed are entirely our own.
