Semilla Kitchen & Bar
57 Cll DelcasseOne more full day in San Juan. We still had a lot we wanted to do on this vacation but we also wanted to start with brunch
Our hotel had a weekend in brunch with Bottomless Mimosas but it was $50/person. I’m sure it would have been worth it but that really felt like a lot. J wanted Mimosas though so I started looking around the area to see who did the Sunday Brunch thing.
I found a couple of restaurants nearby so that wasn’t going to be an issue. The issue was actually picking which one.
I ended up picking Semilla Kitchen & Bar. It was a couple block walk from the San Juan Marriot Resort & Stellaris Casino where we were staying but it was an easy walk.
The restaurant is really kind of hidden on Cll Delcasse about a block off Ashford Avenue in Condado. The restaurant is around several buildings that are still under construction or being rebuilt from the Hurricane a couple of years ago. Semilla was already under construction when the Hurricane hit so they were in a pretty good place to get back to work and ended up becoming one of the first restaurants to open in the area once the rebuilding got underway. A hip restaurant almost looks out of place on this street but the outdoor patio and accents around the door make it stand out
The bar dominates to space as you walk in. It’s a large wooden bar with racks of alcohol on shelves behind it. Like so many other places, string lights make up the majority of the lighting leaving the natural light coming in from the front windows to do most of the work. There are a couple of hanging bulbs over the bar but I would bet at night the restaurant is very dimly lit.
The waiter saw us walk in and pointed to a table in a small front dining space near teh bar. We felt pretty fortunate that there was a table open so we took. The other option would have been to wait for a pub table against the wall opposite the bar. The back dining area seemed to be bigger parties but even all of those were full when we stopped by
It wasn’t bottomless but J was able to get her Mimosa. We realized later in the day Bottomless Mimosas would have been bad. We did the Casa Bacardi Rum Tasting Tour after this meal and there was a lot of alcohol served. One Mimosa was enough considering that.
I didn’t get a Mimosa but I did get a BeerMosa. I had never had one of these before but decided why they hell not. The drink used Ocean Lab Brewing’s Blood Orange Blonde. Added to that was a little orange juice and a little champagne. It was pretty tasty and a good use of the Blood Orange Blonde but don’t expect me to start craving these.
I chose Semilla for brunch because when I was searching for a place, I found a listing somewhere that called it Condado’s best hidden gem. Of course, I can’t find that link now but it was there and it’s what drew me to Semilla…then I found the menu.
My pick off this delicious looking menu was the sandwich called To Die For. This large sandwich started with Brioche Bread that was filled with turkey, rosemary ham, and Gouda, then topped with maple bacon and a sunnyside up egg. Once again, the bread blew me away. It was so soft and so full of flavor. The turkey and ham brought a lot to the sandwich but the bread actually made it. I ended up moving the bacon inside the sandwich and just eating the egg although I did consider putting everything between the bread.
J ordered a take on French Toast called Sin. Her plate was brioche bread topped with their “Famous House Butter,” almond berries, hazelnut, strawberries, bananas, and kiwi. Semilla gets a lot of use out of their brioche and this was a good use. The menu just said “seasonal fruit” so she had no idea what to expect but was happy with what came out.
The bill for brunch was $43 before tip.
Semilla Kitchen & Bar really is a hidden gem if it’s truly hidden. It’s a little ways off the beaten path but really close to a lot of hotels and the main business district in Condado. We really enjoyed brunch and I think we were both really glad I found this place.
SW Michigan Dining 