Weekend brunch at this Cocoa Beach restaurant is worth the trip | Restaurant Review
I did not intend to review Heidi’s, restaurant or jazz club, this week, but of the other two restaurants we visited, one did not make the grade and is a go-backer and the other had its charm washed out by last week’s deluges.
The reason for Heidi’s, one of the few restaurants here awarded five stars for dinner and lunch, is that it has introduced brunch, with a menu that looked perfect for the venue’s elegance and reputation: pancakes with fresh fruit, salmon in puff pastry, eggs Benedict with smoked salmon.
Yes, we found parking fairly easily, probably because it was too hot even for beachgoers last weekend. Parking can be troublesome in Cocoa Beach.
Heidi’s, which was sold some time ago, retains its sophisticated looks and menu, with clothed tables, properly set, and stemware awaiting wine. It is a sunny place too, though not with temperatures this high; down go the shades. Good.
Good too, that everything is immaculate, from the little jazzy statues on the wall to the umbrella-like cloth that shades a pair of tables.
Service was a bit indifferent, though perhaps because of a language difference. One fellow diner wanted an omelet minus the German sausage with which it comes but was refused. She ended up with cucumber soup and a salad ($18), which she loved, with cause.
Our server also neglected to bring milk or cream for tea or coffee and did not offer us dessert, a grand thing at Heidi’s any time of day.
Other diners went with the eggs Benedict ($18), which in Heidi’s case is an English muffin topped with smoked salmon or crab cakes, with poached eggs and Hollandaise. They selected the crab cakes, which were delicious. They groused about the paucity of Hollandaise.
One diner asked for fruit cup ($5), and it was a thing of beauty, placed in a cocktail-style glass with a carved apple at its back. Perfect.
More dining coverage: Twisted Birch in Rockledge isn't closing; owner plans seafood restaurant in Cocoa
More dining coverage: Yo-ho-ho and a refreshing rum drink: Here's where to find them on the Space Coast
Because the Syrniki (Eastern European-style pancakes, served with berries, $18) were not available, I opted for strawberry cream cheese crepes ($16), two of which arrived beautifully plated, drizzled with berry coulis and accompanied by blueberries.
The filling was terrific: smooth and not as sweet as one would expect. The crêpes were exactly as they should be, beautifully browned and tender, clearly newly made. Go to the top of the crêpe class. Well done indeed, Heidi’s.
Having had my fill of coffee at home, I ordered tea, which was nicely, properly presented, but all of which, save an Earl Grey, were tisanes. Come on. Heidi’s. Give us some strong, European tea. It’s great, however, that mimosas came with the food, if you wanted them, at no cost.
Because we received checks ahead of dessert recommendations, we didn’t order anything else.
That’s all, really.
Under its new owners, Heidi’s remains a bastion of sophistication and first-class food at the corner of Minutemen and Orlando.
Somewhere, the late, great Heidi Deleuil smiles.
Heidi’s Jazz Club & Restaurant
Four stars (brunch)
Address: 7 Orlando Ave., Cocoa Beach
Hours: Noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday; noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Call: 321-783-4559
Surcharges: None
Other: Seating is available at Heidi’s Jazz Club, adjacent; full bar with premium wines and spirits
About our reviews
Restaurants are rated on a five-star system by FLORIDA TODAY’s reviewer. The reviews are the opinion of the reviewer and take into account quality of the restaurant’s food, ambiance and service. Ratings reflect the quality of what a diner can reasonably expect to find. To receive a rating of less than three stars, a restaurant must be tried twice and prove unimpressive on each visit. Each reviewer visit is unannounced and paid for by FLORIDA TODAY.
Five stars: Excellent. A rare establishment to which you’d be proud to take the most discerning diner.
Four stars: Very good. Worth going out of your way for. Food, atmosphere and service are routinely top notch.
Three stars: Good. A reasonably good place with food and service that satisfy.
Two stars: Fair. While there’s nothing special about this establishment, it will do in a pinch.
One star: Not recommended. Don’t bother.
Join the conversation about restaurants at Facebook.com/321FlavorWhereBrevardEats.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brunch joins jazz and dinner on this Cocoa Beach restaurant's menu
