Brea’s Lillie’s Q Restaurant is the first location west of the Mississippi. Guests enjoy the same award-winning barbeque, unique cocktails and warm ambiance created at their original Chicago flagship location. Chef Charlie McKenna opened the doors in July 2010 after graduating from CIA and honing his skills at top restaurants in Miami, New York and Chicago. Named after his Grandmother Lillie, now in her 80’s, who taught him the art of southern cooking back home in Greenville, South Carolina and is the inspiration behind many of the dishes.
We went to check out the Southern Sunday Brunch and it was bountiful. This is a brunch in which you must arrive hungry because the menu is very hearty. The buffet is comprised of about 75 percent of the regular menu with such treats as a carving station featuring brisket which is smoked and slow cooked for 14 hours and was melt-in-your-mouth perfection.
I’ll get back to the food in a moment. Drew Blackburn, the mixologist came over and took our cocktail order. My guest had the Morning Lillie, a take on a bloody Mary, with Georgia Moon moonshine garnished with okra, celery, a pickled egg and a meat stick. I, on the other hand, went for the Kentucky Mule, Buffalo Trace Whiskey and ginger beer and it was so refreshing on this hot summer afternoon. They offer over 40 all-American craft beers, plus specialty moonshine-based cocktails and other standards. For wine drinkers, they have a nice variety on tap.
McKenna handed the baton to Executive Chef Kody Havener, who started cooking at the age of 12 with his mother. After high school, he went to Riverside Community College Culinary Academy from 2006-2007 and graduated top of his class. From there, he worked mainly at mom and pop restaurants for the next few years, while earning his degree. In 2012. He joined the TAPS Fish House and Brewery family and started off as a line cook and soon jumped the ranks to Kitchen Manager than Sous Chef at TAPS Corona. After his second year there, he was approached and asked to be the Chef at Lillie’s Q. For the last two years, he has been Executive Chef and has loved each and every day ever since.
Now back to the brunch menu. “Starters” include delicate pork rinds with pimento cheese powder, Kool-Aid pickles, LQ Southern chopped salad, Q salad with apple cider vinegar and blue cheese, freshly made potato salad, chicken salad, Southern-style coleslaw, sliced watermelon and fresh strawberries.
The carving station is to die for, featuring Prime Brisket as I previously mentioned. Also on the cutting board, a smoked turkey breast with a third rotating meat—be it Honey Ham, Tri-Tip, etc. Guests can enhance the savory barbecue with Chef Charlie McKenna’s renowned Lillie’s Q sauces—everything thing from Smoky, Hot Smoky, Carolina, E.N.C., Ivory, Carolina Gold to a Hot Pepper Vinegar which are found on each table. FYI- the line of barbecue sauces are available for sale at the restaurant and have made their way into Sur La Table, Whole Foods, Target and Albertsons.
Some of the stand-outs presented were the creamy stone-ground grits (from South Carolina), collard greens, green beans, bacon (which I crumbled over the grits and mac-n-cheese), cinnamon nutmeg pancakes, baked beans, mac-n-cheese, tilapia two ways, roasted potatoes, sausage, Lillie’s Brunswick stew (tomato, smoked pork, smoked chicken, corn, Lima beans), fire roasted corn and biscuits and gravy. They also had salads, with a variety of dressings. Chef Kody told me that the menu does have some changes from week to week.
On top of the buffet is a petite, yet smart “Made-To-Order” menu which includes The Pig Lover Omelet, bacon, ham, hot sausage, pulled pork and white cheddar. The Gardener, a healthy take on an omelet comprised of egg whites, spinach, onions, tomato, roasted corn and pimentos and a Memphis Breakfast Burrito with scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, pulled pork and a side of salsa verde.
We sampled one of my favorites, the Chicken n’ Waffles, consisting of Lillie’s irresistible smoked fried chicken breast and Chef Kody’s family waffle recipe drizzled with grade A Vermont maple syrup and absolutely loved it. This was the embodiment of comfort food on every level.
The Southern Eggs Benedict was a fun and tasty take on the classic. In this case, a combination of a warm fresh biscuit, country ham, poached egg, fried green tomato slathered in hot mess hollandaise sauce was divine.
Who doesn’t love Steak and Eggs? Well, vegetarians and vegans, but the rest of us can indulge in this superb thinly sliced smoked tri-tip and a poached egg atop fried potatoes and when that poached egg burst over the potatoes it transformed into the perfect flavor and texture profile.
Desserts were plentiful, including Grandma Lillie’s famous Banana Pudding, Cobbler and Brownies. How often to you get to “build your own shortcake”? Options include Lillie’s biscuits, strawberries or fruit of the season and whipped cream; a luscious chocolate fountain with assorted dippers complete the impressive selection.
On the second round of cocktails we tried the Champagne Smash with fresh mint, 3 lemon slices and simple syrup muddled, 2 ounces of even Williams Bourbon, crushed ice and champagne to top it off. I could drink those all day!
A shout out to the dinner menu! Give me those Baby Back Ribs, coated in Carolina dirt and apple glaze served with two sides (Mac-n-Cheese and Brussels Sprouts) that brought my five senses alive and gave new meaning to the term finger-licking-good.
Another must-have entrée is a Southern staple, Shrimp and Grits. The Shrimp was tender and juicy and the creamy grits soothe the soul. What sets this dish apart from the rest is the Lillie’s sauce; it’s a Creole broken butter sauce and was heavenly.
As I mentioned, most of the items in the Brunch are on the regular menu and all of the meats are available in a sandwich. Lillie’s Q brings down home Southern cooking to Southern California in their own loving way.
If you are reading this from Chicago or plan on traveling there, they have two locations in the Windy City and one in Florida. Info on the website below.
Lillie’s Q, 240 S. Brea Blvd. Brea, California
Reservations 714.482.2001 or www.lilliesq.com
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