Portuguese sweet bread, bite-size blueberry muffins and cinnamon rolls, with and without raisins, are a few offerings Tampa brunch enthusiasts will discover during Bailey's Brunch at Carmel Kitchen. But they're also what the man who established the service, Kim Bailey, grew up eating.
"A lot of these things started with my family," says Bailey, who used to offer brunch at his Davis Islands restaurant.
CL talked with Carmel Kitchen operating partner Anthony Eaton back in March, when the restaurant brand first started testing out the brunch market at its South Tampa location. In the months since, Carmel has introduced the partnership with Bailey to Carrollwood, as well as the two Pennsylvania concepts, due to its success.
Included on the southern-inspired lineup's greatest hits are shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles (the chicken marinades for 24 hours before it's fried), and the Birds Eye View Egg Sammy with homemade wheat toast, egg, spinach and more.
The Carmel gang and Bailey, who are also working together on a new Mediterranean-style menu that will be offered all day, are rolling out brunch to one location at a time. The service will reach the three remaining restaurants by the end of the year.
Bailey says he's been traveling to help the chefs, including those in Pennsylvania, with the recipes, too. After all, much of food formulas — Mom's maple syrup and Aunt Hilda's complimentary muffins among them — come from Bailey or his relatives. The dishes are driven by fresh, house-made ingredients and feature local products, such as cage-free eggs from Land O' Lakes' Orange Blossom Acres, whenever possible.
As a self-described foodie, Bailey likes watching patrons take that initial bite. Often, they react by passing their plates to the people dining with them.
"Everybody loves brunch," he says. "If it's good enough to share, then I'm happy."
