I’ve been meaning to go to the Stumbling Goat Bistro in Phinney Ridge for a long time, but somehow my plans seem to always get jettisoned at the last minute. Not so this weekend. After braving the Capitol Hill Block Party crowds Friday night, staying out later—and having a drink too many more—than my normal constitution smiles upon, a hearty brunch on Saturday morning was in order. I started with their freshly made tayberry donut—not greasy, sugared gently, and filled with the sweet-sour fruit that is a literal cross between a blackberry and a raspberry. A delicious, civilized donut. Then I moved on to savory with their vegetarian hash topped with a duck egg, which I quickly made into a carnivore’s dish with the addition of their demi-glace, that brown, silky sauce that’s one part of the classic five French “mother sauces”: sauce espagnole. Basically veal stock thickened with a roux, it’s decadent and coats the mouth with its luxurious heft. As if that weren’t enough, I took them up on their suggestion to add to it another mother sauce, hollandaise. So what makes it vegetarian? Chanterelles, peas, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and squash. It’s sophisticated despite its outlandishness. Kind of like the Block Party… or not.

nsprinkle@seattleweekly.com