Desert Guided - La Copine Brunch Cafe

Desert Guided - La Copine Brunch Cafe and Supper Club

Every day is a High Desert Holiday at La Copine Kitchen

Nobody does brunch like New Yorkers do brunch...reservations are made weeks in advance, penciled in planners, and stacked one on top of each other in calendar boxes with an exact count of attendees. Every month there is a new list of the best brunch in NYC and so many clamor for the chance to taste the next best version of Eggs Benny (which is what everyone orders anyway despite how many options are on the menu). Yes, brunch in New York is an art and an exercise to keep up with an ever changing restaurant industry. But, it is also the Holy Grail of gathering and the perfect excuse for everyone to break free from the monotony of regulars...regular pizza joint, regular sushi spot, regular Thai, Chinese, and ramen house, the list goes on and on. It is the one place where an average Joe/Joanne can freely loiter at a table for longer than 5 minutes after their meal is complete without consequence, and where everyone can shamelessly consume exorbitant amounts of sangria and mimosas before noon. Indeed, the New York City brunch experience is an art, and it cannot be compared, duplicated, or matched....until now.

Just north of Joshua Tree, La Copine is tucked away in the High Desert area of Flamingo Heights, a quiet town with scenic views and open land. Dirt roads are plenty as are blue skies, and its rustic nature could be a bit offbeat for the average city slicker, but don't let the small town feel fool you. This tiny enclave houses one of Yucca Valley's more urbane restaurants that can easily rival casual dining in New York, Los Angeles, or any other major city.

Although the menu contains many of the typical brunch options, La Copine offers New American food with a twist with the addition of a few less typical options like Beignets, Lavash, and Rice Pudding. Beyond tea and coffee, they offer Golden Tumeric Milk and Black Currant-Lavender Spritzers which are a pleasant surprise for those who tire of coffee, tea, and sparkling water.

We are notoriously late risers, so we stuck with the hot coffee as a pick me up, and snacked on what have to be the most delicious Beignets in America outside of New Orleans. They came out hot, covered in coffee sugar, and are exactly what dreams are made of. We originally ordered the Royal Crumpet (their version of Eggs Benedict), but they were sold out because seriously, does anybody order anything else at brunch?? So if you have your heart set on something in particular, get there early as La Copine is a farm to table restaurant where everything is locally sourced and handmade. Once the ingredients run out, they maybe be gone for the day. We arrived quite late so some options were no long available, but we landed on the Franz Toast and the Smoke & Hash. Both were incredibly delicious with a combination of sweet and savory elements.

But beyond how appetizing the food was, the atmosphere easily converted these two New York Brunchers to a whole new style of eating. The ambiance was calm, friendly, and communal without any of the typical stress that comes with the quest for relaxation. One of the restaurant's picture windows looked out upon rolling hills and mountains while another gazed upon open fields with a full on rainbow. The restaurant sits in an unlikely location along a dusty stretch of highway, and if you drive too fast, you may just miss it, but it would definitely be a loss. Whether a day trip, short weekend, or a permanent stay, enjoy a High Desert Holiday at La Copine. It is an absolute must on any Desert Guide List.