Jim U.
Yelp
I was looking for something a little different to experience in brunch dining. Bastion definitely fit that bill! What few reviews I saw were all glowing. The place promotes themselves as gluten free, sugar free, etc. Now, normally my experience with those tags is that the food sucks and someone is trying to convince themselves it's good stuff, so they don't start crying. Yeah, I've literally cried over a bad meal before, so I get it. Bastion was NOT that place. Loved it! My girlfriend had the salmon hash with fingerling potatoes. It was fresh, flavorful and honest to God, I wanted to lick the bowl when she had finished her breakfast. Actually, she was so full, she had to take some of her brunch with her. I had the fried chicken and waffles. Sweet Chubby Baby Jesus! Second best chicken and waffles I've ever had! Now you might say, 'Oh, but only second best'. Yay, hold onto your participation trophy, that's the highest praise. It was absolutely delicious. There was just a hint of curry, a hint of heat, chicken fried perfectly and tender. The waffle. It was like the Dude's rug; it just tied it all together. Crisp exterior, tender interior and full of flavor. My mind was blown when I discovered it was made with acorn flour. It was finished with real maple syrup. I would eat this every day.
Service was what you hope great service would look like everywhere. I thought each staff member owned the place, they were so concerned about us having a great experience. We did!
There were two small negatives, and these things in no way will stop me from returning. I tried the chicory dandelion brew as an adventurous alternative to my morning coffee. I love chicory. Nope! It was like my dad's watered down Folgers coffee, flavorless. Also, for the aforementioned things we ordered, it was just a bit expensive at $46 including tip. That said, dining out has generally become expensive, so I think cost might be a wash.
For a small, busy cafe, the atmosphere felt surprisingly intimate.