Today, for the first time ever, Chaise Lounge, on 1840 North avenue, hosted brunch.  I, had the first ever reservation, for said first ever brunch.  It was delicious.

Walked into the restaurant with little background.  No official menu posted online.  A few twitter hints and a gallery of select photos-- nothing else.  Chaise has a proven dinner menu, so I wasn't nervous.  Definitely wasn't nervous after hitting up the Bloody Mary cart-- which travels around the tables with tomato juice, the house blend, and extensive accoutrements, including chorizo stuffed green olives.  After being given a glass half filled with ice and choice of vodka, and raiding the cart, the morning was officially beginning, at 2pm.

Best shrimp and grits north of the Mason-Dixon.Decided to order the crepes, shrimp and grits, cuban croque madame, huevos en infierno, fried chicken and waffles, and the buttermilk biscuits and gravy.  Decent start, especially since I grabbed extra olives to munch on the side.

The huevos en infierno arrived first with the shrimp and grits.  Shrimp and grits are the best I've had north of the Mason-Dixon, and ended up being the single best item of the bunch.  The grits were hearty-- not runny at all.  I'd argue this grits to be an excellent gateway dish for northerners.  Shrimp weren't overcooked and the peppers were mucho flavorful.  Kudos to the kitchen on this one.

The baked eggs ended up being a larger dish than expected.  Also works as a great dip, but for brunch.  Can't ask for more than the runny yolks that were given.

Fried chicken and waffles didn't disappoint either.  Would have liked a larger waffle to chicken ratio, but the chicken was surprisingly moist, and skin crispy.  Honey butter was a notable contributor to the dish as well.  Another wonderful embodiment of the south-- buttermilk biscuits and gravy (with tasso ham).  Can't ask for better up in these parts.

My only other hitch of the meal was the cuban croque madame.  Cool concept, good flavors, albiet the serrano ham tended to carry the messy dish.  Counterpoint-- I've never had a [croque] madame that wasn't a mess to handle.

Ended on the crepes filled with nondescript fruit.  Luckily for eaters everywhere, the crepes have a wonderful pear filling and are topped with fresh figs.  Excellent combination and utilization of seasonal goods.

I saw the monstrous French toast to my left, along with the breakfast burger (fried egg, smoked bacon, and aged cheddar).  Going to have to try it next time along with the crab cakes benedict.  I'm not worried though, because after a meal like this one, I know I'll be back for more.