HOTEL RL BREAKFAST & VICTROLA COFFEE ROASTERS

Well, Chef Ricky has done it again. I went into Hotel RL for breakfast expecting a warm beverage and a pastry, boy was I wrong. Ricky prepared a special breakfast spread complete with everything puff pastry topped with goat cheese and chocolate cherokee tomatoes. For a more savory pastry, he made a rosemary fig and marscapone tart with parmesan.

Nestled in inside the seemingly endless Hotel RL is a hidden foodie gem. The Restaurant at Hotel RL is a contemporary space that doesn’t take itself too seriously with mismatched chairs and chalkboard walls with lively drawings and quotes. Our dining experience started at the Victrola Coffee Bar. Victrola Coffee Roasters began as a small café in Seattle at the beginning of 21^st century. They have now grown to partner with larger companies, like Hotel RL. Victrola’s mission is to source, roast, and prepare the finest coffee available. We tried several of their signature beverages that included everyone’s favorite caffeinated bean, and I can assure you that were even tastier than they look (hard to believe, huh?).

Dining at Hotel RL brings one word to mind: fresh. The menu is inspired by Chef Ricky Webster’s personal garden. To showcase his love for these fresh, seasonal ingredients, Chef Ricky brought us an expansive platter of assorted food and pastries. I don’t like to choose favorites, but my pick of the day was the rosemary, fig and mascarpone tart. The base was a light and fluffy puff pastry that served as a perfect vehicle for almost honey-like fresh fig spread. The tart was rounded out by the mascarpone, which had a rich, creamy texture that provided the ideal balance to the sweetness of the figs. Another stand out of the day was the “breakfast style” carbonara, topped with English style cut bacon, edible flowers and a raw egg. Yes, you read that right. Pasta for breakfast.

So, don’t be thrown off by the Restaurant at Hotel RL’s corporate exterior. It is a comfortable, local dining location that is perfect for special occasions, meetings, or a weekly lunch spot.

Be on the lookout for a LIFE SIZE gingerbread house in the Hotel RL Lobby coming this Thanksgiving. I am expecting nothing less than a magical candy experience from Ricky. He says it will be close to the size of a small NY City Apartment. Gummy bear chandeliers, candy lawn furniture with patio.

The Victrola Coffee Bar is open until 11am daily serving up Victrola coffee, pastries, and on-the-go breakfast favorites.