Dine and Dish: The Willcox
AIKEN — When you’re in the mood for a fancy brunch, it makes sense to try one of the best. Happily, it’s only a short drive away in Aiken.
The Willcox has been named one of the best hotels, not only in the South (Southern Living, 2019) but also in the world (Travel + Leisure, 2021). And what’s a fancy hotel stay without a great brunch?
Fancy can also mean expensive, but it doesn’t have to. Sure, The Willcox’s Sunday brunch menu serves up a jumbo shrimp cocktail, with eight shrimp, for $24, or an 8-ounce hangar steak and eggs for $28. But there’s also its classic breakfast featuring two eggs any way, bacon and choice of grits or potatoes for $15; a country ham eggs Benedict for $19; or its caramelized brioche French toast with a mixed berry compote for $18. Or if you’re in the mood for lunch-ier items, you could choose a shrimp and grits for $19 or the Willcox CAB burger for $15.
My daughter and I made the reservations that morning online and had a couple of requests to make our visit even more special: Could we dine in The Willcox’s lobby area, instead of the dining room? And, since we saw a photo of a puzzle in some of The Willcox’s marketing, we also asked: Were there any games or special items available that would hold the interest of a 6-year-old while we were waiting for our food?
And The Willcox delivered—big time. This was our first impression: As we parked in a space just outside the hotel’s columned exterior, a trio of horses were enjoying fresh water in silver bowls while their riders sat in rocking chairs and chatted. We shyly asked: Could we say hello to your horses? The riders enthusiastically said yes, and even invited my daughter to sit on Blue—a pale gold and white Paint horse with stunning blue eyes—for a photograph.
After thanking them, we stepped inside the lobby—spacious and dotted with seating areas and small tables where diners were already gathered. The hostess ushered us to a table on the right side of the room, where an elegant, oversized loveseat in pale gray, brown and cream and two leather chairs flanked a delicate antique table. We sank in gratefully, as the pianist delicately began playing a new song.
Then, as our waiter arrived to take our orders, the hostess came by again, with a children’s menu featuring games and a pack of Crayola crayons. “They’re new crayons,” my daughter said in delight, immediately grabbing one to start connecting the dots on what would be a horse, then coloring it like one of the Paint horses we’d seen outside.
If we were going fancy, we decided—with a bit of a gulp—to order a favorite of my daughter’s, which happens to be shrimp cocktail. My choice was the avocado toast, with smoked salmon and my request of a scrambled instead of a fried egg; it’s something I don’t often see available on menus but always makes me feel fancy. My husband, Sean, chose the croque madame, a sandwich but one that you must eat with a fork and knife, with French ham, gruyere and a sunny-side-up egg.
It was lovely sitting there with the piano music rippling in the air around us, playing tic-tac-toe with my daughter, in what felt like our own semi-private seating area, but which still offered a great vantage to people watch. Honeymooning couples, a huge party of baby shower guests, and our new rider friends were just a few of those walking in and out that morning.
Then our dishes arrived. The cocktail was presented on a dish of ice, each shrimp nestled in, with plenty of cocktail sauce and lemon on the side. The shrimp were indeed jumbo, with great flavor especially when lavished with the cocktail sauce. But it was an interesting presentation, as the ice clung to the shrimp, and we found ourselves crunching ice at times as we ate.
That texture was enough to put off my daughter, so we shrugged and ordered her two sliders with fries off the kids’ menu—which is perhaps what we should have done in the first place? She dined happily once it arrived, especially on the crisp, perfectly cooked fries.
My husband’s “sandwich” was grand and gooey—all buttery, toasted bread; thick melted cheese just turning brown on the edges; and salty ham. It also came with a curly purple and dark green salad, dressed with a mustard-based vinaigrette, a lovely palate cleanser.
And while avocado toast may sound simple, this was anything but: With each bite, I enjoyed my crisp, buttery toast with the salty smoked salmon and mild and sweet avocado and eggs. I couldn’t help but think what an inspired combination.
By the meal’s end, we’d all curled up on that massive loveseat, lazily finishing up the fries. “I want to stay here,” my daughter announced. And we had to agree. On a beautiful Sunday, sometimes fancy is just what you need.
Make Your Reservation
The Willcox
100 Coleton Ave., SW, Aiken
thewillcox.com
Brunch cost: $15 to $28
Danielle Wong Moores is a local freelance writer who’ll never turn down a shrimp cocktail, sushi or cheese dip. Her greatest food influences are her mom and writers MFK Fisher and Amanda Hesser. Her Dine and Dish column runs the second and fourth Fridays in The Augusta Press.
