My Key to the Long Run: Kitchen Union and Tap

Sunday I ran my longest run to date for my half marathon training: 8 miles!!!  Woo hoo!  And guess what? I actually maintained a 10:06 min/mile pace.  Not too shabby considering the training plan I'm using says my long runs can be anywhere from 10:10-11:10 min/mile.

The key to my success?:  Having plans to go to BRUNCH afterwards!

I kid you not, for the first two or three miles (and then again on the last mile) I could not stop thinking about what delicious food would be consumed in the next few hours.  Eggs, waffles, potatoes, fruit...I thought about it all.  I also rejoiced in the fact that a few beers would be drank as well because Sundays, football, and beer are a winning combination.

The Brunch Locale: Kitchen Union and Tap

1108 South Coast Highway 101  

Encinitas, CA 92024

http://www.localunion101.com/

A few months ago Shaun, two of our friends, and I went to Kitchen Union and Tap for dinner during San Diego's Beer Week for a Tap the Cask event.  Dinner was great and their menu was full of fresh, unique, and creative entrees.  They also have an extensive, rotating craft beer menu, yum!  I just love the overall mood of the restaurant which is like a modern tavern.  The restaurant fixtures are a mix a wood and metal, and it has a really inviting atmosphere.  The food can best be described as New American.

Less than a week following the aforementioned dinner, my inbox notified me of a Livingsocial deal for brunch at, you guessed it, Kitchen Union and Tap.  The deal:  $12 for $25 worth of brunch food and drinks.  Weekend brunch is served from 9am-3pm.

We arrived around 12:30pm and the place was full of late brunchers, lunchers, drinkers, and football watchers.  We were told it would be a 40 minute wait to be seated, but if a table opened up in the 'open seating'/bar area we were able to take it.  

I ordered a mimosa ($5) while we stood around the bar area watching some football.  After about 25 minutes a table opened up, so we took it.  I oogled over the menu, but ultimately settled on Waffles served with fresh seasonal berries, whipped butter, maple syrup ($9), a side of breakfast potatoes ($4), and a cranberry mimosa ($5).  After much debate, Shaun chose the breakfast flatbread with housemade bacon and sausage, eggs, and cheese ($12).  These were some tough decisions, because there whole menu looked sounded pretty damn good.  We both agreed that our meals were delicious and I would without a doubt stop by again.

 

The rest of the day was beer + football at home.  Overall, a great Sunday.  I'm already thinking of where to brunch next Sunday...gotta have something to think about on those long runs!