By Chanda Temple
When Antoinne Davis woke up this morning, he checked social media and his heart sank.
Post after post talked about the rainy forecast for Saturday, Jan. 18, the same day he plans to launch his new brunch menu at Encore Rouge, bursting with bold bites such as New York Cheesecake French Toast with a strawberry compote, peach cobbler egg rolls with a vanilla drizzle, cinnamon French toast, collard green rolls stuffed with dirty rice and pieces of turkey, chitterling eggrolls, and much more.
But Antoinne, 41, didn’t let a wet forecast wash away his determination. He got up and headed to his restaurant.
“If you think negative, negative things will happen,” he said, after chopping vegetables and marinating meats for Saturday. “Encore Rouge is going to bring the sunshine, rain, sleet or snow.”
The restaurant is located at Seventh Avenue South and Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard, across from Arby’s and next to Taco Mama. Brunch will be held from 11 am to 4 pm. The band, Hygh Energi, will start to perform at 1:30 pm.
The restaurant will also have cocktails; flights; Creole shrimp and grits; catfish and grits; a brunch dip; chicken and waffles; and a seafood croquette made with shrimp, salmon, onions and bell peppers. Traditional sides served a la carte include scrambled eggs, bacon, pork sausage, chicken sausage, an open face omelette, a veggie omelette, grits, cheese grits and a waffle.
They are known for their loaded fries with homemade Alfredo sauce and different toppings; wings; and the Bayou burger topped with shrimp. But those type dishes will not be available until the dinner menu after 4 p.m.
A 2003 graduate of West End High School, Antoinne has been running his brick and mortar since October 2022. (He opened it after successfully starting his food truck in 2017. ) Always one to try something “outside the box,” he said he is excited about bringing a new Saturday brunch option to the Magic City.
“Just tell everybody to come out and support Encore Rouge because we need it at this time,” he said.
Chanda Temple is an award-winning writer living in Birmingham, AL. She blogs at http://www.chandatemplewrites.com. If you have a food story idea, email her at chandatemple@gmail.com. Follow her food postings on Instagram at @chandatemple.
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