Everyone likes to be on vacation. And if we can’t be on vacation, why can’t we play pretend? Enter brunch at TRACE at the W on 2nd Street. I pretty much only eat at hotels when I’m traveling. But in Austin, that may be slowly changing, considering my lovely dining experience here not too long ago. Thanks to TRACE, I had the opportunity to treat myself and some dear friends to brunch yesterday and our experience was fantastic. I’m a sucker for the adorable personal white angular ceramic teapot holding my favorite and Austin’s local Sweet Desert Delight tea by Zhi Tea. Other options included Austin Breakfast (comparable to English Breakfast, of course, but with a local twist). And yes, to make sure I felt educated enough about TRACE’s brunch offerings upon leaving to tell you about it, I ordered two entrees. Did I eat them both? Not entirely. There’s more to the story, but check out the chic, plush, hip, textured decor that makes you feel like your pretend vacation quickly became real.
My delicious omelette with mushrooms, tomatoes, diced squash, and gruyere giving it a slight tasty punch, served with mixed greens and tasty roasted fingerling potatoes.
Jesse’s eggs benedict with hot smoked salmon looked delicious–he confirmed.
Southern girl Allison went with the Shrimp and Grits.
The star of the meal and the shared entree- Multigrain Pancakes with fresh berries and sweet butter. This light and fluffy stack fooled my tastebuds into thinking they weren’t as healthy as they actually were! Each bite was airy, soft, and melted in my mouth. With a drop of maple syrup and a bite of berries and cream, you can’t go wrong. In fact, the combination is very, very right. Our healthy dessert was just the perfect ending to our vacation brunch.
In fact, I’m sure we’ll be brunching at TRACE again soon when we get the vacation urge without wanting to endulge in vacation spending. With all items (except a shared larger medley of munchies) under $15 which is perfectly on par with other brunch options in town, TRACE is a perfect option for locals and visitors alike. Next time you’re looking for a tasty brunch option, treat yourself to TRACE.
6 thoughts on “A Morning Taste of TRACE”
Optimista January 24, 2011 at 8:46 am
We must’ve just missed you – we had a late brunch there yesterday. I agree – fantastic! We had the brioche French toast to share instead of pancakes, and it was just as delicious as the pancakes sound.
Fabulous Drinks Austin January 24, 2011 at 8:51 am
Rebecca,
Great post and it was great to see you there as well! Our table ordered almost exactly the same items, but add soup and winter salad. I concur, Trace at the WHotel in Austin is fabulous! See you there soon, maybe for a fabulous drink.
Tweets that mention A Morning Taste of TRACE -- Topsy.com January 24, 2011 at 9:20 am
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by TheRebecca and Trace, W Austin. W Austin said: RT @Rbcammendations: Bruch like you're on vacation at @WHotelATX http://bit.ly/hLTSDc […]
beth stockwell January 24, 2011 at 9:39 am
Looks DELISH! Going tonight for dinner and can’t wait!
Sarah @ The Smart Kitchen January 24, 2011 at 12:33 pm
You had me at Shrimp & Grits.
[Also, is that a really awesome abstract pillow on the booth? If so, I love that place for its decor.]
Biz Spotlight: W Hotel Integrates with Austin | Localize Austin May 18, 2011 at 7:56 am
[…] it has the new Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theatre adjacent to it, their restaurant, TRACE, has a full-time forager to make sure local farmers benefit while the restaurant infuses their […]