Of course, what brunch would be complete without the epitome of all brunch drinks, the Bloody Mary? At the popular evening spot East Coast Grill (1271 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, 617.491.6568), the legendary build-your-own Bloody Mary bar is the stuff of champions, offering a choice of vodkas, tomato juices, and more than a dozen herbs, spices, and vegetables, including horseradish, cucumber spears, and roasted peppers. (Easy on the horseradish, though: if you set your mouth on fire you risk numbing your taste buds. I made that mistake at dinner one night, ignoring the waiter’s warning that the Inner Beauty hot sauce would “make the walls melt” and ordering the Wings of Mass destruction, crispy smoked chicken wings that nearly destroyed me. My lips are still tingling.)
The best thing about pulsing nightspots that double as brunch destinations, though, is that if you pass out in a booth after too many martinis, you’ll wake up to the best damned breakfast in bed imaginable. (I’m kidding, of course. Waking up crunched under a table to a fuming restaurant manager would likely be as awkward as waking up, cringing, next to your Saturdaynight fling.) Thanks to these delectable brunch options (and rejuvenating cocktails), the party doesn’t have to stop on Saturday night; it can stretch right on in to a lazy Sunday morning. Suddenly brunch seems just as indulgent as a night on the town. Complete with pancakes. @