My parents and I celebrated Mother’s Day yesterday with my favorite thing ever…brunch! Especially necessary after hardcore Derby debauchery on Saturday, our trip to 4 Bells in Loring Park officially added a new destination to my list every time someone I love comes to visit.
4 Bells is the sister restaurant of my beloved Butcher and the Boar, and the similarities between the two spots became apparent the moment our server mentioned that fact. With a focus on Southern/Lowcountry seafood, however, 4 Bells takes quality dining in a totally different direction than B&TB. Without further ado:
Location/Ambiance:
Tucked away off Loring Park in the old Joe’s Garage space, 4 Bells captured my heart immediately with their sunny yellow patio chairs:
And further cemented its place there with a sexy, Edison-bulb-laden bar, high ceilings, cushy booths and sleek, stripped-down décor.
Their roof is apparently amazing as well, and I can’t wait to go back with friends and sip cocktails overlooking the park as soon as possible.
Score: 10/10
Beverage:
Like I mentioned, I Derby’d way too hard on Saturday…and found myself unable to handle alcohol at all on Sunday…not even Café Lurcat’s delicious pink champagne, which I valiantly tried to conquer before Mass with Jodes and Dick. Given that embarrassing fact, I stuck to bottomless coffee, served with real sugar cubes and a tiny pot de crème, and left the boozing to the experts.
Dad went with a Bloody, which was served in a Mason jar and left my basic-girl self all happy and pleased with the presentation, and Jodester toasted Mother’s Day with a Bellini Crush, a lemon-and-peach concoction that looked like the most heavenly adult slushie. I’ve never regretted too many mint juleps more.
Score: 8/10 (based on parental feedback)
Food:
Well, we were a bit embarrassed when, after ordering, our spread ended up looking like this:
Actually, no shame. It was 100% so worth it. Jodester and I both went with the chicken and waffles, which were served with two kinds of syrup and a generous smear of honey lavender butter. HONEY LAVENDER BUTTER. Excuse me while I go wipe the drool off my chin. No exaggeration: if I could, I would smear the honey lavender butter all over everything I ever eat again in my entire life. The chicken itself was just the right amount of crispy and salty, and the waffle was an herb-laden, light and fluffy dream. I could practically feel each bite soaking up the residual bourbon residue coating my insides.
Sides of note were a serving of deliciously sweet-and-spicy Butcher and the Boar sausage served with pickled onions…
..green chili-potato “hash” that wasn’t actually hashed but was delicious anyway…
…and feather-light, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits with a side of fruit compote and MORE HONEY LAVENDER BUTTER. We cleaned our plates with embarrassing speed and unabashed delight in the process.
Score: 10/10
A further note: our server, Erin, was an absolute delight. It’s always a joy when we dine somewhere and the server makes honest and candid recommendations, plays along with my dad’s somewhat ridiculous sense of humor, and takes the time to really go above and beyond. Erin and the 4 Bells team did that, and it was a pleasure to dine there, even in the midst of an utterly punishing hangover.
