Bonefish Grill for Sunday Brunch

Bonefish Grill is now serving Sunday brunch in Jacksonville!

You know I’m a softy for the local dining scene here in St. Augustine.  But when I was invited to blog the Bonefish Brunch the day before it officially opened, I eagerly accepted.  Truth be told, I hadn’t stepped foot in a Bonefish Grill for years {we don’t have one in St. Augustine} and I had a hard time figuring out how happily brunch & fish would marry… I wasn’t really sure what to expect.

I arrived 20 minutes before the friends I was to dine with, so I sipped a signature 10 ingredient Fresh Tomato Bloody Mary ($6.90) to pass the time.

Wow.  With some heat & a nice kick, this was the best Bloody Mary I’ve ever had!  I’m not a Bloody Mary aficionado by any means, but this one was made with freshly muddled Roma tomatoes, basil & horseradish.  In a word- Bonefish’s Bloody Mary is FRESH!  It’s topped with a blue cheese stuffed olive in addition to the traditional celery stalk.  (Fortunately, I learned how to conquer celery last time I tried a Bloody Mary at Black Molly Grill so I didn’t look like a fool.  )

My blogger friend, Nancy, arrived and we sampled the Greek Yogurt Parfait ($6).  Vanilla yogurt, fresh berries & house made granola are layered for a satisfying, healthy breakfast option.  When Laura & Michelle joined, the four of us shared this with some left as an appetizer.

We also sampled the maple glazed Chocolate Croissant ($4).  It was warm & chocolatey so I enjoyed it!  {If you’re in St. Augustine and this makes you long for a croissant, head to Bistro de Leon- Chef makes his from scratch every weekend morning.  THOSE are memorable!}

It was hard to decide which to order- Creme Brulee French Toast or Smoked Salmon on Toasted Bagel Chips.  I ended up ordering the Creme Brulee French Toast, which came with Applewood Smoked Bacon.  The slightly charred sugar provided a crisp crunch with each bite of soft french toast.  No syrup needed- this sucka is sweet enough for even my “sweet tooth” 10 yo!  Oh, and the applewood bacon = delish.

Laura saw me struggling with the choice between french toast & salmon and took pity on me.  She ordered the Smoked Salmon on Toasted Bagel Thins ($10.90) for my sake.  It was my favorite dish of the day- dill cream cheese & salty capers compliment salmon well at any restaurant!  Sometimes you just don’t mess with a traditional favorite- well done, Bonefish.

The other gals at the table both ordered the Shrimp & Creamy Corn Cake ($12.90).  I thought. Ah-ha!  This is where we’ll see the marriage of seafood & breakfast.  Not that salmon isn’t seafood- but it’s a breakfast staple.  I was eager to see how Bonefish’s creole dish was prepared.  Almost everything is made in house- from the chorizo in the omelette to the creole sauce on the shrimp.  That’s impressive for a chain!

It had enough spice to earn it’s creole name.  We agreed that the sauce was salty.  Aside from that, it was flavorful and quite a generous portion!!  No one will leave the Bonefish brunch hungry!

My one disappointment for the day was the SMORE Hot Chocolate.  The presentation is adorable- we all oohed & awwwed over the giant “smore” floating in a pool of whipped cream.  After a sip… and another… and another… I couldn’t quite place what tasted funny.  Laura came to my rescue again when she figured it out.  The whipped cream was flavored.  It’s supposed to be a brown sugar whipped cream, but it’s flavored with a syrup and I think it throws off the flavor of the whole hot cocoa.  It tastes a bit caramel-y.  I don’t like caramel flavored things.  So ask for this with plain whipped cream instead.

Would I go back for a Bonefish Grill Brunch?  Yes.  Would I recommend it?  Sure- to friends who live elsewhere & read my site from afar.  I wouldn’t have locals drive into Jacksonville just for brunch, but if you find yourself there, you won’t be disappointed!  Since this Bonefish is near where our church meets, I plan to enjoy brunch Sunday with the fam.  There’s something on the menu for everyone!

The four of us agreed {three below & Nancy took the picture!} – Bonefish Brunch is comprised of tasty offerings on a menu that is surprisingly fresh (it will be updated seasonally).

Bonefish Grill Brunch is served at the Mandarin location only
Sundays from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, full dinner menu is also available
10950 San Jose Blvd. Jacksonville, FL
Phone: (904) 370-1070

I was invited to a complimentary preview of Bonefish Grill’s Brunch Menu.  This blog reflects my personal, honest opinions of what I was served.