Tucked away in Chestnut Hill’s Top of the Hill Plaza, Heirloom is one of the coziest spots to enjoy a leisurely brunch. I welcomed the opportunity to relax and take a break from preparing for Hurricane Sandy. Though the sky was darkening and leaves were beginning to blow, the warm, natural decor inside was perfectly calm, welcoming, and elegant.
After taking a few moments to peruse the menu, my husband knew right away what he would order: the Heirloom Crabcake Benedict with a Vegetarian Scrapple side. I, on the other hand, waffled between the Red Velvet Waffles and the Almond Crusted French Toast. Chris, our server, recommended the French toast. Not only was his service impeccable, his recommendation was spot-on. It turned out to be exactly what I wanted to eat. The crust was flaky and crisp, the middle of the toast was melt-in-your-mouth soft and flavorful, and the almonds added the perfect texture and taste.
My husband is a bit of an eggs benedict connoisseur. His standards are difficult to meet, and he is often disappointed. That said, he was in benedict bliss with his order of Crabcake Benedict. He says that this dish, with perfectly poached eggs atop crabcakes on delicious, soft biscuits, was a total benedict overachiever.
Originally being from the land of pig parts that is Central PA, we sincerely wondered how anyone could pull off Vegetarian Scrapple. I, for one, don’t like vegetables. My husband is scared of eating real scrapple. However, Heirloom’s Vegetarian Scrapple rose to the gargantuan challenge of surprising and delighting both of our ever-differing palates. It must have been a Hurricane Sandy miracle, though I’m sure this dish is just as delectable every day of the year.
I had checked out the menu online prior to our visit, and the dessert section lodged itself in my memory. Even though I couldn’t make up my mind about my entree at first, I was prepared to save room for either a Warm Apple Pie Donut or the Gingersnap Mascarpone Cheesecake. We ultimately settled on splitting the cheesecake. I must say, it was the first time I’d ever ordered cheesecake at brunch, but I might have to make it more of a regular occurrence. This cheesecake in particular was not as gut-busting as its often too large fellow slices of cheesecake elsewhere. Instead, it was a dainty, round, and creamy cake with a delicious gingersnap crust, the perfect way to end our meal.
I asked Chris what some of the most popular dishes are for brunch-goers at Heirloom. He told me that people usually order comfortable favorites, like omelettes or the French toast that I ordered. “People don’t come [to brunch] to experiment; they come to forget about Saturday night,” he said. Even these comfort-food brunch staples go above and beyond, with the Grafton cheddar, spring onions, and vidalia home fries served with the omelette, and the toasted almonds, Boston creme, peach jam, and warm maple syrup that accompany the French toast. And those brunch eaters on an adventurous mission won’t be disappointed. Heirloom takes classic brunch dishes and just punches them up a few notches into something that’s both comforting and sophisticated.
So whether you’re trying to forget Saturday night or just looking for a relaxing way to spend a Sunday morning, Heirloom could easily become your go-to brunch spot. Just show up between 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., and remember to save room for dessert!
