Scusi ***3.5/5 stars

 

So somehow I got drug out to St. Paul again. Luckily it was worth the trip cuz Scusi is super adorbs. I found out that these guys are part of the Blue Plate club, who also owns the Lowry, whom I awarded 4 stars last year. 

Scusi isn't far from Mcalester University. Being poor white trash, I am not familiar with all of the fancy colleges of this area. Luckily Brandon was able to clue me in on a few important aspects. One, is that the school is EXTREMELY liberal. I asked if that meant that it was a bunch of ultimate frisbee playing hippies. He said, no, I think it's a bunch of lesbians. Okay, then.

So the dining room is very classic Italian atmosphere. Nice lighting, checkered table cloths, butcher paper and crayons for the kiddos. Our server was easy on the eyes, if you're into dudes. He gracefully fulfilled our wishes for coffee, eggs and copious amounts of champagne and fresh-squeezed OJ.

The menu here is pretty great. Lots of standard Italian fare mixed in with some great brunch options that I never saw on the menu when we were in Italy. I don't function on croissants and espresso. Some of you might fight me on that one, but I stand firm. Eggs are king. And mimosas are queen.

There's no hard booze here. The Bloody Mary, apparently, was invented at a New York bar in France. Or was it a French bar in New York???

Brunchitizer™!!!! These were donuts with Masala soaked cherries, chocolate and cream. I'll just leave it at that...

Lobsta and eggs with the most beautiful brioche. Somehow I had come to believe that brioche was some nasty crustless, dense, white bread. Well, maybe this wasn't real brioche, but it was fantastic.

Spinach and ham omelette. Those potatoes will make you slap your mama.

Here's your classic eggs, bacon, toast brekky with homemade jam. I kinda want to punch myself every time I use the term "brekky"... I'll have to reconsider that one...

And the number one reason we were lured to the netherlands = eggs benny with risotto cakes, arugula and a tomato reduction. Bellissimo!!!!!

So the coffee had some grounds floating in it, the dishes took a little longer than normal, but all in all, I would say this place is worth the long distance travel. Just watch out for the crazy liberals from Mcalester... You might come back to MPLS with a conga drum and a women's studies minor. #MattSharma