HUMBOLDT — If you think “bruncherie” sounds like a made-up word, you’re only partly right.
A bruncherie (also spelled brunchery) is becoming a sort of modern term for a restaurant that specializes in serving brunch, often with alcohol.
The HoneyBee Bruncherie in Humboldt is the newest business to open through the efforts of A Bolder Humboldt and the Works family. The bruncherie is on the ground floor of the former Bailey Hotel building at the corner of Ninth and Bridge streets downtown.
And just like the name, HoneyBee Bruncherie is something new and different.
The restaurant offers a classic diner experience that also challenges patrons with modern menu options.
Most of the food is made from scratch, including breads, biscuits and tortillas, as well as sauces and even sausage. When possible, food including farm-fresh eggs will come from local or regional sources.
For lunch, you might want to try the grilled chicken and brie, or maybe the pork tenderloin with fresh apple slaw.
Come in for breakfast, and check out the chilaquiles. That’s breakfast with a Mexican twist, featuring pork and eggs with fried corn tortillas, pickled onions and sauces.
The kids can order pancakes made the Saturday Morning Cartoon way, with ground Cap’N Crunch cereal in the batter and topped with cereal, pop-tarts, berries and whipped cream.
And don’t freak out when you see your cinnamon roll. It’s purple. (More on that later.)
A drink menu includes mimosas and bloody Marys, along with other cocktails and beer.
HONEYBEE Bruncherie is the first of three businesses to open at The Bailey building, built in 1904 by L. Perrenoud.
“We wanted it to be a place where people could gather comfortably,” owner Josh Works said.
“It’s like a modern diner. It should feel like Humboldt. We didn’t want it to be too foreign, but also we try to do things a little more interesting than taking the obvious paths.”
He designed much of the building with his wife, Jessa.
The three businesses work together: The upstairs of The Bailey will offer five guests rooms for visitors. Downstairs is the bruncherie. Next to it will be Perrenoud’s, aka Perry’s, an upscale cocktail lounge that will be open on Friday and Saturday evenings. The hotel and lounge are targeted for a July opening.
