Upland has gotten tons of rave reviews lately but I can never get a dinner reservation there, so when my dad decided to come to town, I figured brunch might be easier to get a table - and it was. It was still pretty crowded but I was able to get a table at 12pm with no problem.
The minute I walked in, the service was great - very nice and attentive. I don't know want it was, but it just felt very comfortable and inviting in there. The brunch menu ranges from egg dishes to pizzas to pastas and sandwiches. I was incredibly tempted to get the burger because it comes with fucking avocado but in an attempt to be a bit healthier, I went for the Spanish frittata ($14) and couldn't resist a side of sausage ($8) because I'm just a glutton for punishment. My dad got the little gem salad ($14) and also got a side of sausage which turned out to be a bad idea because each order came with 2 ginormous links that neither of us could finish, so just a warning that the side order is more than enough for 2 or even 3 people. The food came our relatively quickly and from a presentation perspective, it was very beautifully plated. My frittata was covered in roasted garlic mayo and chives and it was just picture perfect. Typically when I've had frittatas before, it's been at a Spanish tapas place and it's usually served cold or chilled. The frittata here was on the warm side which was not what I expected but it was still delicious mostly because of the garlic mayo. It was a very large portion and combined with the huge sausage serving, I had hit my limit half way through. The sausage was fantastic - perfectly cooked and had a tasty spice blend in it that really made it stand out from other generic pork sausages I've had before. I didn't try the gem salad, but it was quite a beautiful and large salad. It was served with sliced peaches, goat cheese, spiced cashews, and peppercorn and it's been the first time in a while that I've actually been jealous of someone else's dish. I had thoughts of coming back and sitting at the bar eating this salad by myself on a hot summer day.
Even though I was totally full, I always have room for dessert and this is where I was pleasantly surprised. I generally don't get dessert at brunch but the strawberries and cream panna cotta ($10) sounded really good so I couldn't resist. It was one of the best desserts I've had in a while - really hit the spot on in terms of tasting exactly like what it sounds like which would be - strawberries and cream with a hint of elderflower. The strawberries looked to be locally picked and where those giant scary genetically grown ones you see in the grocery store. They were small, sweet and delicious. I'm not a fan of really heavy sweets so luckily this was quite the opposite - it was light and really for me the ideal summer dessert. Loved it.
While I can't pinpoint what it is that I exactly loved about this place, I just know that I really enjoyed everything about it: the friendly approachable service, the bright happy decor, and terrific food. I saw a bunch of people get the burger and it looked amazing and the table next to us got the pancakes and they were picture perfect pancakes. Hopefully I can get a reservation for dinner one day and check out that menu, but for the time being, I absolutely don't mind still going for brunch again. Total bill: $84 for 2 people with tax and tip
Photo Credit: Yelp
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