Beyond the bloody

A bartender serves up a Salty Balzac at Salut Bar Americain. Photo by Carlos GonzalezNot long ago, I was sitting in a Chicago restaurant called the Fountainhead. I was preparing to order brunch, something I've done thousands of times, both as a professional brunch scout and as a gluttonous, too- frequent bruncher. Spirits were high because my friend had just had a baby. What to drink for a giddy new auntie? Mimosa? Boring. Bloody Mary? The classic brunchtail didn't seem right.

Then my eyes shot down the menu to something called the "Breakfast Manhattan" -- a powerful concoction of bacon- and ancho-infused rye whiskey, Canadian maple whiskey and sweet vermouth. The drink, which seemed aggressive even by my libertine standards, got me thinking about what to drink at brunch beyond the usual suspects.

Brunch is by nature more casual and more personal than dinner, but that doesn't mean brunchers should lose their taste for interesting cocktails and on-point food-and-drink pairings. Taking a cue from the Fountainhead, I searched Twin Cities restos for exciting brunchtails that go happily, ecstatically beyond the Bloody.

It can't be overstated how passionate the guys at the Strip Club are about good hospitality and transcendent food and drink. They're in it for the art of it, and it shows. Owner Tim Niver is like a food-focused, latter-day blend of Sam Malone and Sirio Maccioni -- your indefatigable host with bottomless charm, sincere kindness and restaurant know-how. Right-hand guy Ryan Ecklund is one of the more eloquent servers in the city -- a treat for wordy, foodie freaks like me, and an essential part of the Strip Club gastro-theater. Ecklund took me and Strip Club regular Erik "Easy" Eastman through a tour de force of brunchtails. Get there pre-rush on Saturday or Sunday to soak in a similar experience. If Eastman's there, which he probably will be, tell him what's up.

Who says you can't have cognac in the morning? The Don Cornelius is as smooth and deep as the voice of the "Soul Train" host himself, may he rest in peace. Courvoisier, port, honey simple syrup and a thick lemon "Soul Train slide" somehow impart a warming, citrusy, black-tea taste that you'll want to savor, preferably before lulling yourself to sleep. Just try to make it home to your couch first.

Puts the Breakfast Manhattan from Chicago's Fountainhead to shame. It's a flip, which means it uses a whole egg (as opposed to a fizz, which is generally just the egg white). The rest is a luscious combination of Jim Beam bacon bourbon, Luxardo Amaro Abano liqueur, maple rosemary simple syrup and a final hit of Dan Oskey's homemade black walnut bitters. The egg is creamy, the bourbon's hearty -- a genuine cocktail treat full of complexity, whimsy and good humor.

If you know cocktails, you know John D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum, a Bajan liqueur with notes of clove and ginger. The Hymnal plays up both with homemade ginger beer and a splash of cherry heering, a Scandinavian cherry liqueur that tastes a bit like not-sweet Swedish punch. The result is unlike anything you've tasted before, in a good way. It pairs nicely with the garlicky, bright trampi -- a generous helping of scrambled eggs and giant sautéed shrimp over a heap of buttery sourdough toast.

Deschutes Red Chair Pale Ale, so named after a Mount Bachelor chairlift, is a hoppy, malty brew with good caramel and punch, a complement to the crepe's smoked ham and pleasantly pungent Morbier.

This hop-tastic, award-winning IPA from Denver is the perfect foil for one of Tilia's newer dishes, an elegant plate of seared shrimp, grits, parm and a Bloody Mary tomato pepper sauce. A fancier, tastier version of a Bloody with a beer chaser.

Light, refreshing and lovely, prosecco is always an excellent choice at brunch. The addition of bitters from local artisanal bitters-makers Bittercube adds a gentle bite to complement the luxe lobster benny with cornbread waffles, bacon hollandaise and garlic-lemony spinach. Totally sublime.

Salut is working on its image. It suffers from a minor misperception as being inaccessible and overly Edina-y, when in fact it's warm and hospitable and serves super-appealing brasserie fare that feels fun and tastes just right (warm cinnamon-sugar popovers, anyone?). Everything Parasole does well, it's doing in spades at Salut. Complete, of course, with an extra helping of cheeky humor.

Just try ordering with a straight face. The souped-up greyhound is made with vodka, pink grapefruit and a frisky salty rim to boot. It goes great with the Tartiflette, an herby, savory-sweet potato hash with bacon, gruyere and fried eggs.

I recently took my mom to Sun Street Breads, and she, an utter grainophile, nearly passed out with joy. She's still talking about the raspberry cream scones. The cheery cafe and bakery on Nicollet is a perfect brunch spot to bring a toddler, grab a quick bite or catch up with girlfriends. While they do serve beer and wine, it seemed fitting that we move beyond the Bloody with at least one nonalcoholic option here.

Chef Annette Colon recommends the homemade pineapple soda as a bubbly, refreshing companion to the heavy-hitting Biscuit Royale, a decadent crepe-within-a-biscuit filled with gooey, oozy swiss cheese, mushrooms and a good helping of bitter greens.

What's not to love about a place that prides itself on "burgers, beer and brunch"? The Lowbrow is a low-key south Minneapolis eatery that does local, sustainable scratch cooking with a hipster, diner vibe. You can go vegan or gluten-free if you need to, or you can tuck into the criminally good coffee cakes if you don't. Perfect for a casual brunch before foraging for antiques and distinctive housewares on that side of town.

It's sort of an odd pairing, but it works. The Lowbrow's sangria is smooth and pleasantly wine-y without the headache-inducing sugar blitz, which of course you can make up for by dousing your better-than-Mom's bacon pancakes in pure maple syrup.

The Kansas-brewed Velvet Rooster is light, crisp and clean, but drinker beware: It packs a hefty 8.5 percent ABV (like many of its Belgian-style trippel brethren). A classic grilled cheese stuffed with goodies makes a great mate, and don't forget to save room for fries.

Haute Dish's Reuben Benedict is a delicious mess of corned beef, pumpernickel and charred cabbage. Hit it with the slightly bitter Hemingway -- a refreshing rum-based juice cocktail that blows greyhounds and screwdrivers out of the water. The Hemingway's grapefruit plays well with cabbage, and a splash of Luxardo perfectly cuts the dish's decadent 1000 Island Hollandaise.

The Tatonka is a surprising blend of bison grass-infused vodka and apple juice served in a chilled copper mug. Don't sweat it if apple juice makes you feel like you're 5 -- just one sip confirms it's a very grown-up program. The drink's crisp, herbal character is an ideal match for the Ropa Vieja, a southwestern mix of sweet potato hash, poached eggs and avocado, all doused with "hell fire sauce."

Alternate drink option: The Frozen Screwdriver. Remember your mall rat days with Orange Julius? Well, this is it, only spiked. How else are you going to cope with hell fire sauce?