It was not so long ago that brunching hours were constrained to a narrow window, but with millennials and bottomless mimosas this window has expanded into a timeless void where weekend sobriety and productivity fall victim. So when Plano restaurant Mexican Sugar announced they would begin brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays, it came as little surprise that their hours would span 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Yes, that is correct: you now have a six hour time-cave in which to consume pancakes.
And consume you shall. Served with citrus-chipotle butter, mango raisin chutney and ancho-honey maple syrup, the vanilla cinnamon cakes are the lone sweet item on an otherwise savory brunch menu. From enchiladas to migas to chilaquiles, Mexican Sugar has taken some of the most well known dishes in traditional Mexican cuisine, blindfolded them, tied them up, and beat them senseless with the merciless truncheon of gentrification. Nearly every dish on the menu comes adorned with a sunny side egg, sides include borracho "heirloom" beans and the migas is made exclusively with egg whites.
I wanted to unleash a train of sanctimonious hatred on Mexican Sugar. It looks like a Crate & Barrel exploded inside a hacienda. There's a DIY mimosa bar. It's the type of place those two women from the Kessler would go for "margs" and "guac" after yelling at a bystander. And yet, what Mexican Sugar lacks in gas station taco joint street cred it makes up for with fresh, flavorful ingredients, conscientious preparation and ... you know ... a complimentary valet.
Two highlights from the menu are the chilaquiles and the benedictos rancheros. The chilaquiles con pollo y huevo are a thing of glory. If you have never had this dish before, Mexican Sugar's rendition will gently -- yet assertively -- take your chilaquiles virginity. Here, the corn chips are coated in smoky, whisper-sweet tomato salsa until just softened, with some of the chips still retaining their satisfying crunch. The dish is then topped with roasted, shredded chicken, queso fresco, avocado, cilantro and an (obligatory) egg. At $10 a plate, the price may seem high for a dish that was born out of grinding desperation and stale tortillas, but here the chilaquiles are elevated beyond their humble origins, like the Jay-Z of the Mexican food world.
The benedictos rancheros feature Latin-American cuisine's latest ingénue, arepas. The tender corn cakes are griddled to perfection before being topped with black bean puree, pork carnitas, avacado crema, pico de gallo, (obligatory) eggs and salsa. If that sounds like a lot of delicious ingredients working harmoniously to create a happy, blended dish-family in your mouth, then you're right. The rich pork carnitas, kissed with autumnal spices, marry beautifully with the verdant green and smoky, sweet salsas. When pierced, the yolk bathes the arepas in creamy, sunshiny goodness. Paired with a side of cilantro potato hash, the benedictos rancheros would make an excellent start -- or end -- to anyone's day.
So go, diners, go. Valet your car. Order a marg or twelve. But most of all, have a good brunch.
Mexican Sugar 7501 Lone Star Drive B150 Plano, Texas 75024
