Brunch at Om
What do you think of when you hear the word Om?
I think of yoga. Meditation. A serene place where I can relax.
But now, when I hear the word Om, I think of eggs. And brunch.
I was invited to a Boston Brunchers event last Saturday at Om Restaurant where I ate one of the best brunches I've had in a long time.
But before I get to our brunch, let me give you a little background on how I feel about Om Restaurant first. When Om opened a couple of years ago, I thought it would be a calm, organic, granola type of place, maybe even vegan. I live very close to it and I was excited to check it out. I was shocked when I learned that it was actually a fancy restaurant that turned into a neighborhood hotspot at night, complete with thumping music and a club-like atmosphere. It was definitely NOT a namaste kind of place.
I dined there a couple of times but the food just never blew me away. The drinks, however, were a different story. Lychee martini? Yes please. So I always considered Om to be a nightlife kind of place, and don’t really think of it in terms of culinary excellence. However when Patricia Yeo recently took over as Executive Chef, I was curious about how the food will improve. After all, I really liked the food at Ginger Park (her former restaurant in the South End). I was very happy when I found out that I will be able to try their brunch, courtesy of Boston Brunchers.
In the bright morning weekend light, it looked very different from the happenin' bar it turns into late at night
Gone were the party-goers, the plunging necklines and tight dresses, and the house/hiphop music. Instead, there was an aura of calm that morning. People talked in normal tones, and there was plenty of open space (no grinding involved here). All was serene and relaxed.
it looked like a place aptly called Om
I checked out the Brunch Menu beforehand and was very pleased to see that they offer a brunch special, which was $15 for any menu item, with a mimosa, bloody mary, or cocktail. (Is the Boston brunch scene turning into New York?) My whole meal was complimentary but I think that is a great deal. Especially because you can try this:
the lychee bellini: pure lychee puree and prosecco
I love lychees – I grew up eating them in the Philippines – and the bellini was an even better version of the lychee martini I always get at Om (hmmm I wonder if I can order a bellini at night too…) Have you ever had a lychee? It is a small round fruit, about one a half to two inches, and it has a sweet, almost flowery flavor. I always thought of it as an Asian fruit, but I learned from Renee of EatLiveBlog that it is also common in South Africa. Now I am seeing it more and more in the US, and it is being cultivated in different parts of the world. It is delicious and I urge you to try it if you can find some. I particularly love it chilled.
I usually go for eggs during brunch, but if you put a plate of french toast or pancakes in front of me, I rarely say no. And that’s what Om did, before we even placed our orders :) They gave us a couple of plates for our table to share:
soft pillowy french toast...
... stuffed with chocolate and bananas
and lemon buttermilk pancakes...
... with maple syrup and orange honey butter
I ordered the Duck Confit Hash (two eggs any style and spicy chili sauce)
let's take a closer look, shall we?
Soft potatoes and carrots, duck confit that wasn’t overly salty, topped with creamy scrambled eggs, and a hot, hot, hot chili sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It was very, very good. So good, in fact, that I am planning my next visit to Om already so I can order the exact same thing.
The Om brunch was such a pleasant surprise for me since I didn’t really like the food there before. And our ten-person table was so satisfied with our orders. Om is going on my “list of places I recommend for brunch” – it would be perfect to start a relaxing weekend with, because it really is pretty serene during the day and of course because of the fantastic food. I would definitely try the brunch again, maybe after a morning run or even a yoga session! And conveniently for me, it is located just across the street from my yoga studio, which means I can come here after I practice my own om…
Is there a restaurant that you didn’t like before but you now can’t wait to go visit again?
Welcome, I’m Bianca Garcia. I love food, yoga, running, shopping, and writing. I'm an advertising professional, social media enthusiast, blogger, freelance writer, and obsessive list-maker. I think about dessert constantly. 
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Orange honey butter and French toast stuffed with chocolate and bananas? Man, I wish I had been around for this brunch! Will have to add this to my list of brunch spots.
You know, I had the same previous dining experiences at OM. It is good to hear that things are changing for the better there.
Occasionally you can find fresh lychees at Russo’s in Waltham. Its pretty awesome! Love it when a restaurant shines during a brunch :)
Heh, I felt pretty much the same way about Om: expensive drinks, meh food, Euro-club scene patrons. Nice to know they have a delicious, reasonable brunch!
That pancake looks and sounds amazing. Sad I had to miss this.
My prior experiences at Om had been meh, but I have attended 2 events at Om since Chef Yeo has taken over and she has transformed the place. The food is much better now and I am disappointed that I missed out on brunch, but will have to make sure to stop by there another time. I am also really looking forward to Moksa, Yeo’s new restaurant.
This is so great to hear. The brunch scene in Boston has always made me a little sad. Hard to come by on Saturdays. And often with an underwhelming menu. And one that certainly did not include a complimentary cocktail!
I can’t believe that I have never been to Om, for brunch or otherwise. Love the food porn photo with the syrup and honey butter. YUM.
OM scares me. I went there once and it was a total sausagedouche fest. Their brunch looks good though. Especially the French toast!
so i have so much to say about this post:
- brunch is absolutely my favorite meal out
- the french toast looks absolutely divine..
- Duck confit hash, say no more.. looks so freaking good..
Namaste to OM :-)
It seriously was an amazing brunch!
All of those brunch items look delicious but the eggs and duck confit hash looks just out of this world good. I swear I could taste it as you were describing.
I love when brunch places embrace the idea of appetizers! Looks like a great spot for different takes on the traditional brunch items. And delicious drinks are never bad…
So nice chatting with you at brunch! That french toast was so good!
Brunch is the BEST! That looks so delicious. I can’t pass up pancakes, or french toast. Even though halfway through I always feel like crap and then two hours later I’m hungry again, still. Life’s too short. :)
pretty jealous of this fabulous brunch! I’m so glad OM is making a comeback!
sooo great to hear that Om has shaped up! i remember going there years ago on a first date, and i was NOT impressed. but boy oh boy does the brunch there look devine!
I’m glad you gave Om a second chance… it looks like they really know how to do brunch!
I’ve been there for dinner and drinks before and wasn’t totally a fan (actually the drinks were good, I think, but the loud tacky music wasn’t my favorite). The brunch looks phenomenal… I’m sad I was away that weekend to join you!
The duck confit hash looks so good! So does everything else, what a brunch!
The chocolate and banana french toast looks fantastic! I have never tried lychee before, I will have to check it out!
Well, for over ten years when I heard “Om,” I thought of the Om/Aum Shinrikyo sect that launched the sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.
I think a nice brunch restaurant is a better image.
I’ve been to Om for dinner, and thoroughly enjoyed how unique and flavorful everything was. Their service was also very impressive! Brunch looks great. It’s one of my favorite meals.
I’ve never been to Om. It sounds like the exec chef has done some good revamping though.
Good to know! I haven’t tried the brunch under Patricia Yeo (and you know my thoughts on my dinner there!). That French Toast does look incredible though!!!