Enjoying the Weekday Brunch Trend

Years after most Philadelphia area luncheonettes closed for good, a new breed of restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch only has come to the fore in the local dining scene. In both the city and suburbs a growing number of places have made brunch a meal option all week long. And none of those that I’ve come across has a more interesting bill of fare than Tank and Libby’s of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania.

My mother and I tried to meet there last year, but the wait for a table was long enough for us to go elsewhere. We gave it another shot Friday and were able to get one of the last available tables a little before 11 a.m. The brutal weather that morning may have kept a few people home. 

It was raining too hard for me to worry about getting a perfect angle for an exterior photo. They had a covered outdoor seating area that obscured the view of the restaurant’s front. 

The menu at Tank and Libby’s is eye-popping. There were numerous items on it that I would have jumped on without hesitation if not for the presence of the other possibilities. In fact, I can’t remember the last time deciding what to order was such a dilemma. 

You can view the entire menu here. I only photographed the sections that contained all the dishes of interest to me. 

In the order they appear in the above photos, the dishes that tempted me were Shrimp and Grits, the Down South, Breakfast Tacos, the Big Fish, 6 Hour Hash, and all of the sweet items, including the Baked Blueberry French Toast that was among the week’s specials. 

My mother faced the same dilemma, but made up her mind first. When she announced she would order the Baked Blueberry French Toast, that influenced my decision. I knew I’d get at least a taste and possibly more of the French toast, so I decided to go with something savory.

I’ve been tempted to try shrimp with grits for years. It just sounds like something that would be in my wheelhouse. Yet whenever I’ve had the opportunity to order it, I have opted for something else instead. When my turn to order arrived Friday, I decided it was finally time to find out if this dish is as good as it sounds. 

The wait for our meals was relatively short – especially considering how busy they were.

My mother let me try her Baked Blueberry French Toast before she dug into it. We agreed that it was much more like blueberry bread pudding than French Toast and both loved the flavor. I thought it was fairly light for such a rich dish, but my mother didn’t come anywhere near finishing it, so I got to enjoy more than just a taste. 

The photos don’t really do justice to how good it was. It looks like a bit of a mess. 

After waiting so many years to try shrimp with grits, it didn’t take me more than about ten minutes to decide I probably won’t get it again. 

I have no point of comparison but would think they do a pretty good job with it at Tank and Libby’s. The cheesy grits, shrimp, andouille sausage and peppers certainly tasted good. But I couldn’t believe how heavy it was. I started to feel full after just a handful of bites. The grits had to be the culprit. I wound up taking the majority home. Between what I ate at the restaurant and later that evening, I managed to finish off the shrimp and sausage, but still wasn’t able to put away all of the grits. 

Perhaps someone with more expertise on the subject can explain why the grits had that impact on me. I assume the combination of cheese and butter had something to do with it. 

In spite of my order not turning out as I had hoped, my mother and I agreed that we will be meeting for more meals at Tank and Libby’s. In fact, we may need to go there another half-dozen times before I’m satisfied that I’ve taken the full measure of their menu. The Big Fish could be up next.