West Side Lounge
A weekend brunch can be the perfect start to the day. Hence, we headed over to the West Side Lounge (WSL), a pleasant five minute walk along Massachusetts Avenue from either the Harvard or Porter Square T stop.
Loud bar by night, neighborhood breakfast joint by day, the WSL appears to have an identity crisis. Rustic red walls clash with office-building ceiling tiles, while urban paintings and art deco lights add to the confusion.
I enjoyed the lounge music, with songs by Jem and Adele completing my vision of a lazy Sunday morning.
The brunch menu included the typical french toast and eggs benedict, but noticeably absent were staples like pancakes and waffles.
My OJ was pulpy and fresh out of the carton sitting at the bar five feet away.
The Chef’s Devil Omelet with brie and chorizo was savory but lacked the spicy kick I was expecting. Served with home fries, burnt toast, and chunks of melon, the plate was bland and rather underwhelming.
The fish tacos, also available for dinner, were better. Made with haddock, slightly sweet purple cabbage slaw and flour tortillas, they were served alongside a cup of fries.
It was the snail’s pace service, rather than the food, that made the experience memorable. If you are planning a never-ending date, WSL is the place to go. We waited too long for the food, the check, and for the credit card to come back, while watching our waitress chatting with the bartender.
When we finally walked out, the maitre d’ sent us off with a half-hearted, “Have a good night!”
Despite being trapped inside the restaurant for nearly two hours, it was still only one o’clock in the afternoon. —Tracy Kambara