Crushed Review - San Diego, CA

By Tiffany

There was a buzz and energy this past Sunday morning. Not only was it declared brunch day, but since moving back to San Diego, Crushed has been mentioned several times as a favorite around town, so we couldn’t wait to try it.

It’s easy to tell what brunch spots are favorites among locals here in San Diego. If you see flocks of crowds surrounding a podium outside a restaurant, it’s a sure sign that they’ve got something worth waiting for. Crushed is one of those places. Luckily, Garnet Street offers some unique shops to peruse while you’re waiting. Visit our friends at the California Sock Company, their collection will keep you entertained while you wait.

Along with the excitement of Crushed, we sacrificed some beauty sleep to get there before the rush at 9:30am. I was so proud everyone made it out of bed on time, even though it was a little bit earlier than a typical call time. The gentleman I spoke with to make arrangements for our large group prior to arrival was extremely helpful with the logistics for our event. A huge plus!

Crushed is cozy, aesthetically pleasing, and true San Diego style. With fun local art adorning the walls, each table decorated with succulents, a Crushed logo burned into the community-style wood tables, natural lighting, and the cool ocean breeze on a beautiful San Diego day, it makes for some perfect Instagram-worthy photos!
 

The Drinks and Food

Crushed has a reputation that will typically follow with, "You have to try the mimosa flights”, or, “Did you know that they’ll make anything into a wrap, sandwich or burrito?”

I prepped the gals beforehand that, although it may be early, everyone should get excited about the mimosa flights, boasting unique flavors such as:

• Passion fruit
• Blueberry pop
• Classic orange
• Pear necessity
• Pina colada
• Rosemary grapefruit
• Lavender
• Blood orange
• Elderberry
• -Strawberry mojito

You can order it as an individual cocktail, but we definitely recommend that you go with the flight - go big or go home! Plus, you can enjoy the flight for only $9 on the weekends. That’s a steal! It may be one of the most diverse mimosa flavor menus we’ve encountered, along with Café 21’s mimosa menu. The presentation is a sight to been seen on a wood board and unique garnishes for each flavor. I come from a foodie family and my grandma, Mimi, and I always discuss the factors that separate the good from the great. It’s always in the details - from the salt on the table to having a thoughtful menu, when it comes to the mimosa menu at Crushed, they have the details down pat. The resounding favorite at my end of the table was between the rosemary grapefruit for the tangy fans and the passionfruit for those that appreciate the sweeter spectrum.

It does not help that the Crushed menu starts off with the appropriately named “Bresserts” – darn you! Even for a savory fan like myself, the temptation is a strong force to be reckoned with. Crushed knows exactly what they are doing there! We had half of our table cave into the taunting pancake options like blueberry cheesecake, yogurt crunch, lemon poppyseed, Nutella banana, and cinnamon roll – I mean, how could you not? Then, as you drift further down the menu with the “make anything into a wrap, sandwich or burrito”, of course they make the decision even harder because how can you decide between a pretzel bun and abulelas tortilla – basic brunch gal decisions.

I drifted down the menu to the chilaquiles and, most recently since moving back to San Diego, I’ve been excited to explore what is unique to California cuisine. Most of the time, you’ll find an option like chilaquiles, informally known as breakfast nachos – helllllllo! So, I have been temporarily drifting away from my beloved benedict all for the #SDBrunchshowdown and helping find the best of the best brunch dishes. I thought Crushed did a killer chilaquiles - shredded chicken, scrambled eggs, fresh tortilla strips in a green tomatillo sauce and crumbles of fresh cotija. Each bite was packed with flavor, a tiny hint of spice and tanginess, but also a pop of freshness with the cilantro, onion, and tomato. I think the battle in executing a successful chilaquiles is making sure the tortilla doesn’t get too soft too fast. Thankfully, Crushed added a thickness factor to their tortillas that helped make the dish incredibly successful.

Around the Table

For those of you that didn’t get a chance to join us, it was quite a sight. Looking down the table at 24 radiant and astonishing young women, the table was buzzing with electric conversation (our poor waiter just trying to find whose order belonged to whom in our massive group - we HEART you and thank you), the smell of coffee and sunshine gleaming through the patio on a perfect Pacific Beach day. You just wouldn't have been able to not feel drawn to the magic around the table.

I was excited to have some familiar faces and new faces at my end, one of the gals who had just come to us from the military and moved here from Guam, another girl after traveling for the last several years circling back around to So Cal as a special ed teacher, and then my lovely friend Elena who had brought a friend along and another gal who is a local graphic designer that brought along our mascot for the day, 8-month-old Nolan, the only boy allowed at our table :). At one moment, there was an older gentleman that walked by, took one glance and said, "Now that is a lot of women!” He couldn't help but turn around again to make sure he was awake, haha.

I left brunch full of great conversations, delicious food, and an excitement knowing that every time we gather, it’s impactful and shifts the atmosphere. I know that when a group of women come together, we can do ANYTHING!

I think we all would certainly circle back around to Crushed again. It was such a delight and we want to thank their team and staff, thank you so much for hosting us!