Sunday brunch is arguably one of the best meals.
Not only is it a mix of my two favorite mealtimes, breakfast and lunch, but it is also a combo of sweet and savory food which is a heavenly duo for my tastebuds.
You can order a stack of waffles with some fried chicken, or at Tostadas, you can get churro waffles with a side of soy chorizo, or ‘soy-rizo.’
Located on the corner of Seventh and East Santa Clara Street, Tostadas cooks up breakfast, lunch and dinner that puts a twist on traditional Mexican cuisine.
The restaurant’s brunch time is from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is open until 9 p.m. except for Fridays and Saturdays when they close at 10 p.m.
My best friend and staff writer Erica Lizarrago and I went to Tostadas Friday morning around 11:30 a.m. for brunch and were seated right away.
The restaurant can fit around 80 people at once, but its simplistic, modern decor and open windows make the space bright and less stuffy.
Upon browsing the menu, there are traditional dishes being served like the chilaquiles and of course, tostadas.
However, there are some interesting items on the menu for brunch like the tres leches french toast or even the chimichurri burger which you can order with truffle fries.
I stuck to the name and ordered the vegan tostadas, which were made with soy chorizo, avocado spread, refried beans, pico de gallo and corn.
The colorful plate held two tostadas but had enough soy-rizo and corn for a third tostada. I mixed the leftover soy-rizo with the side of potatoes I ordered and it made for a delicious side.
The tostada had a slight kick from the pico de gallo, but it didn’t sacrifice the flavor of the soy-rizo which surprisingly, mimicked real meat very closely.
Lizarrago ordered three sides: the soy-rizo, potatoes and tortillas, which made up a meal in itself and was very inexpensive.
I didn’t order any cocktails this time, but I did have the caramel iced coffee which came in a tall cup complete with a striped straw and whipped cream.
Despite the drink being packed with sugar and ice cubes, the coffee kept me awake for the rest of the day.
Its drink menu offered interesting mixed drinks and fun mimosas which included flavors such as pineapple-mango, cucumber-melon and blackberry-jamaica.
On Yelp reviews, its most popular drink seems to be the Mangomeadita, which is a cocktail of sabe blanco, agave wine, tajin, chamoy, mango puree and lime. It’s served in a glass and topped with a hibiscus flower, taking you away from the hustle and bustle of Downtown San Jose and transporting you to the beaches of Mexico.
The whole vibe of the restaurant allowed me to slow down so I was able to travel away from my worries through a meal that didn’t even cost me an arm and a leg.
All together we spent around $30 total for our meal with drinks and tip included, so dining here will not put a huge dent in your wallet.
So if you are looking for a good place to go near campus that doesn’t require a drive, head over to Tostadas for the ultimate brunch.
