Girl Power

If you're considering a brunch spot whose name is that of a woman, go. Ella's, Brenda's, and now Judy's are among the best brunch experiences I've had in the city (Dottie's in the Tenderloin just shot to the top of my To-Do list). Last weekend I was looking for a homey, low-key brunch place to take my college friend, Lauren. Given Judy's prime location in the heart of the Marina and positive word-of-mouth reputation, it made the final cut.

First impressions are key. As soon as I walked in, I knew I was going to be in for a treat: the man who greeted us was jovial and welcoming, while the restaurant itself is cozy - if not a bit cramped. Also, Judy's passed the all-important "walk by" with flying colors - every patron was chowing down on amazing looking brunch fare.

What is usually an intense internal battle between protein or carbs, I had a hankering for eggs so ordered the crab omlette special with little deliberation. I chose the pumpkin loaf (of the possible blueburry muffin, english muffin, toast, or potatoes side options). Luckily, Lauren was in the mood for a sweet treat and opted for the cream cheese stuffed french toast.

My omelette was bursting with chunks of crab, tasty hollaindaise sauce, and sauteed spinach. The serving was so large I had to pack half up for later. The pumpkin loaf was moist and large; extra points for originality too. Judy's real trump card, though, is the cream-cheese french toast. The waiter mentioned they butterfly the bread (whatever that means) to stuff the filling. This cheese is not your average, run-of-the-mill spread. It is light but flavorful, and perfectly proportioned to the cinamon bread. It is a RICH meal. Lauren couldn't finish hers, so I begrudgingly helped her out. In fact, she had so much left over, I got to take some home and discovered it's equally tasty after a few hours in the refridgerator. That's legit.

Judy's is reasonably priced (except for the coffee) and perfectly located for a Sunday post-run meal or pre-shopping fuel up. Now the question is, will Judy, Brenda, and Ella let Corinne be their friend?????