First, some history on the prominent little landmark at 601 S. Main, just south of downtown and the 35 overpass: It used to house The Breakfast Club, but that closed in April 2007. Jim Koehnen and Jim Vari, who run the Fairway Inn at Kittyhawk Golf Center, took it over and opened up The Brunch Club in November 2007, keeping most of the menu and bringing over some special sauces and sandwiches from Fairway. It’s a breakfast-all-day kind of place, closing at mid-afternoon right after lunch.
The place is usually hoppin’ in the mornings, and is the perfect place for early-morning meetings or just to get the day started.
But lunch? Hadn’t managed to get over there for that, and we’re glad we finally did.
Sister Laura had the Reuben, Brother Ron had the signature Brunch Club Butter Burger. Brother Ray did the patty melt.
As is our custom, we sliced up the sandwiches and passed the pieces around, so that we each got a taste of the others’ food. Brother Ron liked the Reuben better than the burger, not that it was bad. Laura, however, liked the patty melt better than her Reuben, and it too was delicious.
The patty melt is on marble rye and swims in grilled onions; the Reuben was stuffed just right with corned beef ... not too much, not too little, and the dressing was perfect.
Just for grins, Brother Ray also got a bowl of chili — because he likes chili, but also because it’s what he uses to test how well he likes the place. Stephanie, our waitress, warned him: “It’s good, but it’s pretty sweet.”
She was right. It was sweet but also had a bit of back-of-mouth kick to it. According to co-owner Jim Koehnen, the not-secret ingredient is hot-pepper jelly.
“Do you want something else?” Stephanie asked when Ray reported back. He decided he liked it enough to finish, and everybody felt that it grew on you with every bite — kind of interesting, that.
A word, too, about Stephanie: She was terrific. Very attentive, smart, friendly and quick. And we ain’t easy.
So, there you go. We had a fine time and will definitely be back ... for lunch!.
BROTHER RAY: My first bite of chili reminded me of sucking on a pixie stick. But it did grow on me. The patty melt took no growing, however. From the first glorious, juicy, perfectly cooked bite, I had found burger heaven. Too bad I shared.
SISTER LAURA: Too bad? Too good! The meat in both Ron’s and Ray’s burgers was undeniably delicious, tasting fresh and nicely juicy. The Reuben was everything you’d expect — nothing more, nothing less — and that’s as it should be, I suppose. Maybe I’ll take a break from the Reubens and move on over to something more adventurous — say patty melts? The chili — that deserves a story all its own. Very strange. VERY sweet, a little spicy. Can’t complain — we were warned. Ray acclimated his taste buds to the sweetness and went on to finish the bowl. Enough said.
BROTHER RON: Don’t forget, too: Fab for breakfast.
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