Brenda, chef/proprietress of Brenda’s. Brenda’s Meat and Three and Brenda’s Oakland, comes from a long line of French and Filipino inhabitants of New Orleans, which explains the ube beignet. Besides ube, they also serve crawfish, Ghirardelli chocolate, and apple beignets. The purple yam was too heavy for a beignet dough, and although it was good, it was too heavy, like a cake donut, and should maybe just be used as a filling. I’m not saying we didn’t eat it, and I’m not saying it wasn’t good, I’m just saying it pushed the boundaries of the word “beignet.”
The flagship of the restaurants, Brenda’s French Soul Food, was opened in 2007 by Brenda and partner, Libby, followed by Meat and Three. More than 10 years later, Brenda’s Oakland was born. next they plan on setting up in Temecula.
I was very excited to see catfish Benedict on the menu. It was amaaazing! Why isn’t everyone doing it? The tomato gravy on the shrimp and grits was so flavorful it was as if I had just grown new tastebuds, and the cream biscuits! Oh my God, the biscuits! Light as a feather. It was as if every other breakfast I had ever eaten was just phoning it in.
