Enjoy aesthetics, tasty brunches and dinners at Mimosas | Grub Scout

The Grub Spouse loves a good brunch, so I fast-tracked Mimosas to the top of my list. This new Kennedy Concepts restaurant — situated on the ground floor of The Davy apartment building, on the corner of Henley Street and East Blount Avenue — specializes in brunch. It offers separate brunch menus for weekdays and weekends, and there’s a dinner menu as well for later-in-the-day diners.

The garage behind The Davy is the most convenient place to park, but The Spouse and I found a free lot behind the garage, on Kerbela Avenue, not far from where that street becomes the aptly proximal Mimosa Avenue. We arrived a hair before the traditional lunch hour, and a host escorted us to a table. I really liked the aesthetics of the combo dining area/bar. The contemporary space makes the most of lighting, angles and architectural accents to create a warm and inviting mealtime environment.

One side of our weekday-brunch menu featured a wide variety of bar bevs, from beer and wine to non-alcoholic drinks and familiar brunch go-tos like mimosas and Bloody Marys. Signature cocktails include the Frozé, a slushy made with vodka and rosé wine.

We forewent the strong stuff in favor of water and sodas and set about poring over the food options. Shareables include avocado toast, house-made biscuits and overnight oats. Main dishes expand beyond familiar brunch items into sourdough pizzas (the one I spotted at a patron’s table looked awesome) and sandwiches/wraps. In fact, my first meal choice was the open-faced short rib melt, made with caramelized onions, horseradish cream, gruyere cheese and sourdough bread.

Menu options at Mimosas in South Knoxville include a large brunch plate of Nutella French toast, a side of bacon and a lunch entree of carbonara.

Unfortunately, short rib had already been 86-ed for the day, so I ordered one of the lunch entrees instead: the carbonara ($19) — bucatini pasta topped with cherrywood bacon, Parmesan cheese and a poached egg. Other entrees include a crab cake with crab fries, pot roast and Springer Mountain citrus chicken.

The Spouse ordered one of the brunch large plates. That’s where you’ll find the brunchiest of Mimosas’s fare — pancakes, biscuits and gravy, a meat lover’s omelet, crab cake Benedict and a Philly cheesesteak breakfast burrito. The Spouse ordered the Nutella French toast ($16). For that item, the kitchen tops skillet-cooked brioche with caramelized bananas, whipped cream and Nutella and plates it all on a bed of hazelnut maple syrup.

We also ordered a couple of extra items. The Spouse selected three strips of bacon ($6) from among the brunch sides (which also include an English muffin, seasonal fruit, pimento cheese grits, etc.), while I requested a bowl of loaded potato soup ($10) from among the regular sides. A trio of salads is also available as a complementary dish.

My soup came out first, and we took turns taking hot bites. The soup base was thick and potato-y, while the cherrywood bacon, cheddar cheese, cream and chives added diverse dimensions to the flavor palate.

The entrees were both impressive. The Nutella French toast boasted sweetness on multiple levels, from the syrup to the whipped cream to the chocolatey Nutella spread. The medium-cooked slices of Nueske’s bacon were a welcome savory change of pace. My carbonara was wonderful, from the thick bucatini noodles to the slightly runny poached egg to the small cubes of Nueske’s bacon, each of which packed a surprising amount of salty, pork flavor into a small space. I had decided to finish my generous bowl of soup while it was hot, so I stopped halfway through the carbonara and boxed up the rest to take home.

While Mimosas may not benefit from as much foot traffic as a downtown storefront might generate, the location is still fairly convenient, with plenty of easily accessible parking nearby. When I consider the food, the atmosphere and the thoughtful, attentive service we received that day, I think downtown and South Knox diners would have to get up pretty early in the morning to top this brunch experience.

Mimosas

Food: 4.25

Service: 4.25

Atmosphere: 4.5

Overall: 4.25

Address: 115 Mimosa Ave.

Phone: 865-357-7020

Full bar service

Hours: Weekday brunch: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Weekend brunch: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Dinner: 3-10 p.m. Sundays-Tuesdays; 3 p.m. to midnight Wednesdays; 3 p.m.-2 a.m. Thursdays-Saturdays.

Bottom line: For a tasty brunch or dinner in a vibrant SoKno setting, check out this new Kennedy Concepts eatery.