A Tongue and Rabbit Brunch at The Hoof Café

I went to The Hoof Café with Cindy back in January. It's been, what? 4 months now? Geez, how time flies. Anyway, since it's been so long, please don't mind my lack of details in this post. Maybe just enjoy the pictures? There are a few things I remember about The Hoof Café: 1) the place is tiny 2) the food is awesome 3) I want to go back. 


I went there on a Sunday afternoon for brunch. In case you didn't know, I love brunch. Also, if you have read about my experience at The Black Hoof (The Hoof Café's sister restaurant across the street), you would know I am quite carnivorous in nature, and I dig food that is out-of-the-ordinary (especially the artery clogging kinds!). The Hoof Café, originally opened so that people waiting for a table at The Black Hoof has a place to go, combines my love for brunch and unique foods in one place. FYI, The Hoof Café doesn't only serve brunch, it turns into a bar with a snack menu at night, with a cool offering of dishes like crispy beans and grilled beef heart.


Cindy and I didn't get table right away. I had to leave my name and phone number, and the lady suggested we go get a coffee around the corner until she calls. We walked around for maybe 15-20 minutes and got a call back. We sat at the bar (my favorite!)


The decor is pretty simple but artsy. It gives a bit of a farmhouse feel due to the wooden bar, but yet it has a cool tin ceiling, whitewash cupboards (old windows as cabinet doors), and a stainless steel counter. All this gives a modern yet rustic feel (I notice I'm using a lot of juxtapositions here).

This is the chalkboard menu - I heard it changes often. I was looking forward to trying out some timbit-like things that I saw on an online review of the restaurant - they are supposedly crispy bite-sized donuts stuffed with house sour cherry jam and bone marrow dusted with caster sugar. Another dish I heard about was the blood sausage crepe with grilled quince and walnuts. Obviously none of these were available that day.

We ordered the house-made country toast, goat butter with smoked black salt, with a generous bowl of blueberry jelly. 

This is the tongue grilled cheese, my favorite that day. The meat was so tender and juicy, and with the cheese, it's really the best grilled cheese I've ever had.

Rabbit and buckwheat pancakes. The pancakes are topped with house-cured bacon with chunks of braised rabbit meat along with some ricotta cheese and blueberry sauce. Underneath the pancakes is some house-made celery jam. I thought this was just OK, not as good as I expected. I remember the rabbit didn't have much flavor.

We didn't have a chance to try dessert at The Hoof Café, which I also heard is really yummy, especially their dessert called the "Malteser", which combines a salted caramel base with moist cake, soft dark chocolate, malt ice cream and Malteser candies. ARGH! YUM! A MUST NEXT TIME!

Just like The Black Hoof, The Hoof Café place is definitely not for vegetarians, or for people that are particularly fond of cute rabbits and can't imagine eating them! But if you're up for this, I suggest you go either really early at 10am or go later at 2 or 2:30 (brunch is served from 10am-3pm). I want to go back soon so I can try their other stuff.


And oh yeah, like The Black Hoof, cash/debit only!