Brunch at Ma'ono

I had been awhile since we'd done brunch.  Luckily, Seattle is filled to the brim with brunch options.  It was a rainy Saturday and we were feeling a little bored and house bound.  So it seemed like a good time to eat out and grab some brunch from a restaurant we've never been to.  Sometimes just experiencing a new place, like a restaurant, can help you beat the winter blues by mixing up your routine a little.  We decided on Ma'ono in West Seattle because their menu looked good and there were several dishes we wanted to try.  It was a packed house when we arrived and I didn't think to make a reservation.  Good thing for us several tables were getting up so we only had to wait fifteen minutes.  Our children were acting up and continued to the whole meal.  The servers were gracious though and nobody seemed too upset by their behavior. 


The food at Ma'ono is Hawaiian style with a large whiskey menu.  They also have fried chicken, which you have to make a reservation for ahead of time.   We started with some Apple Malasadas (doughnuts) which were covered in cinnamon and sugar and arrived with a small pot of vanilla cream for dipping.  We also had the Warm Portuguese Sweet Rolls with Nutella.  I loved both starters and I think brunch should have its share of sweet to match the savory.  Brunch should also have cocktails, so my husband and I also got a drink.  He had a Bloody Mary and I had "The Crush" a cocktail with brandy, pressed apple cider-honey syrup, sparkling wine and frozen grapes. 


Then for our main dishes he had the Tostadas which had fried eggs, crispy corn tortillas, black beans, iceberg lettuce, coconut chutney, cotija, and sriracha sour cream.  Our boys shared a small bowl of rice and then helped me eat my Coconut-Fruit French Toast, my main dish.  I'm still thinking about that French toast because it was so delicious and unique.  There's a reason some restaurants are always packed, because the flavors are original and just plain tasty.  I really liked the pineapple on top with the coconut shavings.  The coconut butter, served on the side to pour over the top, was also memorable and really good.  Ma'ono means flavor and they live up to their name.