Launderette {Brunch}
Brunch is Just Right
Words by Jessica Devenyns Photos by Ashley Haguewood
Goldilocks would have loved brunch at Launderette. It’s “Not too loud, not too dark, not too bright. Just perfect,” grins head chef Rene Ortiz.
On the surface, Launderette’s food is approachable and playful. The BLT gets a sunny fried egg on top. The classic burger is cradled by a brioche bun and smothered in a secret sauce that is comprised of every condiment imaginable plus a habanero-pickled onion slice. For those who enjoy lighter fare, there’s the sunshine bowl which is turmeric-infused hummus that shares space with a wide array of vegetables, a scoop of quinoa, and a photogenic dusting of sesame seeds.
At Launderette, sunshine works its way into every facet of the restaurant. With a streamlined façade of windows, indoors and outdoors meld together. Similarly, brunch casts natural ingredients in starring roles, but each bite over-delivers on your expectations. Launderette’s pastry chef Laura Sawicki confirms this is no mistake. It is her intention to “present the food in the simplest fashion so that the food really explodes upon eating it.”
Even though it appears simple, it isn’t, in Rene’s words, “fancy things with foam or lasers,” Launderette’s flavors are the culmination of years of travel, experimentation, and trial and error. Rene and Laura finally found their stride when they decided to create food for the community. “It’s about friendships, times we’ve been away, trips that we’ve taken,” says Rene. The vision behind Launderette was simple; it’s supposed to be a comfortable restaurant that one can grow old in. Unfortunately, Rene laments that their vision was destroyed when it boiled over with popularity.
Now, Laura is nominated for the fourth time for a James Beard award. Although she hasn’t won yet, a bite of her reimagined Caramel DeLite Girl Scout Cookie makes you wonder why. Held together with the pleasantly unexpected taste of miso, it’s not astonishing to learn that she herself is a cookie fanatic. In fact, for three years running, she was the Cookie Queen of her Brownie troop.
So, while brunch may often revolve around eggs and mimosas in our collective imagination, step outside of the box when you take a seat at Launderette. Perhaps try one of their daily pastries and pair it with a blanco tequila Bird of Paradise.
To read more about other brunches featured, click here.
Contact:
launderetteaustin.com
2115 Holly St
