Bellyful of Sunshine

There's no shortage of places for brunch around town in Decatur and Avondale Estates. Yet Sun in My Belly, a full-service catering and event design company, has attracted residents from both areas with its fresh, inspired offerings.

The story behind the name is that when Picasso was asked what it was that compelled him to create, his response was the "Sun in my Belly."

Housed in a renovated hardware store which retained much of its red brick exterior and signage, Sun in My Belly is easy to miss on your drive down College Ave. in Kirkwood.  

I visited for brunch with a few friends and we decided to sit on SiMB's back porch to enjoy our meal.  Both of my companions were in a breakfast-y mood and ordered the Challah French toast (stuffed with honeyed ricotta, served with brown sugar glazed berries and maple syrup), but I was in the mood for a sandwich and decided on the Rose Pistolla with a side of mac & cheese. 

My sandwich--ham with pepper jack, chipotle mayo, roasted red peppers, and Dijon--was hot, crunchy, and generous with the cheese and flavorful mayo.  I was pretty envious of the French toast my friends ordered and managed to beg a bite off one before they both cleaned their plates.  Wow.  This dish was really fantastic; the bread was somehow light and dense at the same time and the honeyed ricotta filling was creamy and flavorful. 

We had a great time during our leisurly brunch at Sun in my Belly.  Because it was a Friday, there was no wait for a table and the servers didn't seem rushed; however, like most places around the area, a Saturday or Sunday brunch wait can take ages.

Sun in my Belly takes simple dishes and elevates them to something gourmet, like their Kirkwood breakfast, which includes scrambled eggs with herbed Boursin cheese.  If you're in the mood for an extra-special meal, the restaurant hosts a jazz brunch on the first Sunday of every month.