The finest culinary minds take the art of cooking to new levels even when the dialectic of simple versus grand is a basic conundrum.   But consider another possibility in our flavor domain: weird—or deliciously weird. It’s one thing to spiral high over an incredibly flavorful dish when the sum of its ingredients are unique. But then there’s the far-out mother of invention taking hold and you, as a diner, encounter something so completely different. These revelations don’t often occur at brunch, the superciliousness of a meal that occurs mostly on Sundays.  The progression of mimosas and bloody’s, all kinds of eggs Benedict and omelets,  pancakes and French toast or just plain old bagels and “lox” (as it’s still known in Manhattan circles) are often mundane and predictable even if comfort-food good.

An old Caiola’s favorite, The Hot Brown

In Portland we have some pretty popular restaurants that do booming brunch business.  From Marcy’s to Local 188 to Hot Suppa and the Bayside American Café—these are standard issue menus, though excellently crafted, that put the tonnage on our bodies for that one last event of weekend overkill when too much partying and play flags us down.

Then there are the more rarefied bastions where the standard brunch fare gets a twist of fancy: Petite Jacqueline, Piccolo, Five-Fifty Five, the Rooms, Sur-Lie, Central Provisions, Tiqa, et al.  You’d think the chefs at these busy haunts would want a day off.  But, no, the bottom line counts and brunch is big business everywhere.

But for pure weirdness—or let me put it another way—wonderfully inventive brunch menus, Caiola’s is the star of the show. Portlanders know to pack the place from morning to early afternoon in anticipation of the brunch specials dreamed up by the kitchen’s team of sous chefs, most notably Nick Ryder and Alex Love.  Note, it you get there too late in the morning, the kitchen often sells out of these coveted brunch  creations.

I look forward to Sunday brunch there if only for curious travels down to this unique gastronomic highway.  One brunch dish that I remember vividly was called Lion’s Head, a take on a Chinese New Year specialty.  It’s pork and ginger meatballs (for breakfast?) swathed in a creamy, spicy cabbage and a perfect egg dropped on top.  Talk about otherworldly, this one took the prize of scrumptiousness to the next level.

Clockwise: The bird’s nest– sausage gravy over pullman toast with egg inserted; incredibly fluffy pancakes and  fried egg over Portobello mushroom, with spinach and roasted red pepper sauce

Yesterday’s brunch menu had a cast of characters on it that was gastro-intrigue personified. Of the two starters one was a soup of roasted corn, rice and duck with sacred basil and shiso.  Heavy stuff for the morning meal.  The second was Dr. Rodney’s Saskatoon Berry salad with arugula and mozzarella. The berry is grown at Old Ocean House Farms in Cape Elizabeth by local medical doctor Rodney Voisine who is the only commercial grower of the berry—which is uniquely high in anti-oxidants—in Maine.

The main courses presented a difficult choice because they all sounded so good.  Consider this: bacon, Cheddar and fried egg sandwich wrapped in French toast with maple syrup, all of which is pan fried until the bread is golden. It’s served with wisps of sweet potato fries.  This was my choice and I gobbled it up with great pleasure.

Brunch perfection: bacon, Cheddar and fried egg on French toast

But I also considered house made pastrami eggs Benedict with warm Russian slaw and Hollandaise and finally scrapple with two sunny side eggs, marinated red peppers and home fries.