On the morning of Sunday, Oct. 15, six Norse Star members drove to Waypoint Public House at 320 W Broadway E, Monona. What were they anticipating? A delicious brunch.
The writers, including sophomores Ainsley Gerard, Libby Phillips, and Madison Kenrick, juniors Naomi Matthiesen and Simon Mehring, and senior Mylah Hall, all tried Waypoint Public House. Before entering the restaurant, the group had a problem: a lack of parking. Mehring, unable to find a parking spot, was left to park in a neighboring parking lot meant for customers of a nearby Chinese restaurant.
Upon entrance to the restaurant, the group was met by a host with news of a 10-15 minute wait. However, after only a five-minute delay, the writers were happy to be informed that their table was ready. Right away, the Norse Starians were impressed by how inviting the space was and the beautiful waterfront view. However, they were also shocked to learn they would be sitting at a large table alongside another group.
“I thought the restaurant’s atmosphere was very nice. It was very lively and homey. We were sitting at a communal table, though, which I was not particularly a fan of,” Mehring said about the setting.
Shortly after sitting down, a kind server greeted the group and placed their drink orders.
“I got a Pepsi, but I wanted a Coke,” Kenrick said. “Mine was very watered down, and I did not get a straw.”
All members chose a different drink, including Hall ordering a black coffee with sugar, Matthiesen choosing a lemonade, and Phillips ordering water.
“I got an orange juice, and they put ice it in. It was very interesting,” Gerard said about her drink order.
The restaurant serves burgers, salads, tacos, sandwiches and signature drinks throughout the week, but offers their customers an entirely different menu consisting of breakfast foods on Sundays. Highlighting thirteen various breakfast items, staff members had a considerable amount of options for their meals.
When it was time to take orders, the classic French Toast ($14) dish with pecans, bacon, and coffee maple syrup was chosen by Phillips, Kenrick, and Gerard.
“I thought the french toast was delicious, and the plate sizes were large, which was good because I had leftovers,” Phillips said. “I wasn’t sure why they added pecans, though, because I couldn’t even taste them.”
Matthiesen, also wanting to try the French toast, ordered the French Toast Sandwich ($16). Consisting of two French toast slices filled with sharp cheddar cheese, scrambled egg, bacon, and ham, Matthiesen was also given the choice of a side of greens or potatoes.
“I ate [the sandwich] with a fork because it was so big, but it was really good. It was really filling,” Matthiesen said about her meal.
When it came time for Hall to order, she took an immediate interest in the APE Toast ($14), a featured item consisting of sourdough toast topped with avocado, pesto, arugula, cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, and soft fried eggs.
“I appreciated how fresh my dish was […] it was really obvious that the goat cheese was fresh,” Hall said. “But also, it was a little overwhelming when it first was set in front of me because there were a lot of things on the plate, and I didn’t know where to start.”
Another featured item, the Breakfast Wontons ($12), caught the eye of Mehring, who was intrigued by the wonton shell filled with bacon, scrambled egg, cheese, and chipotle cream.
Mehring said, “The wontons were delicious. It’s like a breakfast burrito, but instead of a tortilla, it was a deep-fried wonton shell, so it added a bit of crunch.”
Along with its abundance of delicious food, Waypoint Public House also had a variety of friendly staff members happy to help the Norse Star members.
After Matthiesen and Phillips boxed up their leftovers, the now-satiated group left the restaurant, walked over to the neighboring Chinese restaurant parking lot, and were on their way. After much consideration, the Norse Star staff has decided to give Waypoint Public House a rating of 4.5 out of 5 French toasts, and Gerard is already planning her next visit to procure the beloved dish again!
