Food Review: The Blue Glass serves up a unique and dazzling weekend brunch

Brunch at The Blue Glass is a hidden gem in our neighborhood located on the sunny corner of NW 65th Street and 7th Ave NW. Their brunch menu features unique, comfort style dishes that break away from your traditional brunch. The atmosphere is warm and intimate with local art hanging on the walls and Turner Classic films playing while you dine. The Blue Glass also has a lovely covered patio out front so you can enjoy the rest of Seattle’s warm summer days. This 21+ establishment strives to have a little something for everyone on their menu with plenty of gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan options. I loved to see that most menu items could be altered to accommodate dietary restrictions. 

James Kincaid bought the business 5 years ago with the intention of adding a delicious neighborhood-focused spot with great service. After years of working in other Seattle kitchens, he wanted to take his creative dishes to a new level and build his own business. Since acquiring the space, he has crafted a local and organic menu that shifts with the seasons. He is also particularly passionate about using local seafood, which is featured in their indulgent PNW Dungeness Crab Benedict.

James’ long history of loving brunch, as both a chef and a diner, has led to the creation of this brunch menu. He often takes inspiration from his kitchen and front-of-house staff to give them an opportunity to contribute their ideas for new specials. His menu changes roughly 2-3 times a year to accommodate seasonal availability of produce and seafood.

While having brunch there I stepped outside of my usual dishes and tried their Braised Short Rib and Kimchi Benedict. Perfectly soft poached eggs sat atop layers of tender, spicy braised short ribs, kimchi, and their house-made sweet potato English Muffins. The heat from the ribs is beautifully balanced by the bright, tangy kimchi. When you dig your fork into this dish, it glides seamlessly through the eggs, ribs, and muffin. Personally, I hate when I have to fight my way through a tough English muffin, so this soft sweet potato version was heaven for me. In addition to this, their benedict comes with a heaping scoop of crispy herb roasted potatoes. When James began building his menu, he set out to have the best benedict in town. This benedict’s gooey poached egg and fluffy English muffin certainly make a strong case.

I also ventured into trying the Brunch Carbonara, a delightful spin on the classic pasta dish. This version served, again, a perfectly poached egg that ran yolk over the noodles and crispy pancetta. Mixed into the carbonara was chopped asparagus that gave the dish a lovely crunch. If you are looking for a hearty, creamy dish, this is it.

If a lighter Brunch is more your style, they offer multiple salads from a classic Caesar to a Greens and Grains salad. The Greens and Grains is the perfect summer salad that mixes greens and quinoa with a honey dijon vinaigrette. They finish this off with sliced oranges, cherry tomatoes and crunchy chips. You can also build your own breakfast plate a la carte from their list of sides. One of James’ goals for brunch was to provide a diverse spread of options for any mood. This menu certainly offers everything from rich mains to smaller bites, with plenty of room for adjustments. The next time you are waiting too long for a table at other, over-populated brunch spots, stop by this neighborhood establishment instead for a delicious, locally-sourced meal.