[revisit] brunch at kitchen 4140

Kitchen 4140 is in a pretty little slightly hidden spot on Morena Blvd., just down the street from the Costco and the Harley Davidson dealership. I’ve been here a couple of times already and documented Kitchen 4140 at least once before (I’ve been back for that insanely good chocolate bacon brownie dessert… drooooool). When I got invited to come in and try brunch I did a little happy dance since I hadn’t been in awhile and it was the perfect excuse to finally go and check out brunch. Hooray!

Each time we go to Kitchen 4140 we sit outside. It’s always so nice out! I peek into the interior and it seems so dark in there. I’d rather sit in the pretty garden.

They added some new Edison style bulbs to the patio which look totally charming. I also think this overhang structure is newer as I don’t quite remember it from past visits. 

We sat near the dog house and saw a cute little Scottish Terrier hanging out. The scottie was barking a lot though and really wanted to see Maya but Maya was uninterested. Luckily one of the staff came out and took the dog somewhere since the dog was starting to bark incessantly. Poor thing. I think it was just lonely. 

The other reason we wanted to sit outside was so Maya could come along! They brought out a dish of water for her which I thought was nice of them. Here she is entangling herself in the umbrella pole. 

[chocolate milk / $4]

S ordered a chocolate milk and we were all surprised to see this sucker – complete with whipped cream and a strip of bacon! This is fancy chocolate milk right here. S told us he thought it tasted like coffee. Jake and I both had a sip and said, “No, that’s just real chocolate milk, not that over sweetened squeezy bottle stuff.” It was quite delicious. S also liked the bacon addition a lot.

[almond joy mocha / $5]

I got the almond joy mocha for a little sweetness with my coffee. The drink was just the right temperature so I could drink it right away. It had the same flavors as a liquid version of a almond joy candy bar but without the “my teeth hurt now” level of sweetness, which I appreciated.

I loved this huge, oversized mug! I made this joke since I couldn’t help myself:

I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve seen this movie. Let’s just say it is a lot.

[savory herb french toast with rosemary maple syrup and lamb bacon / $11 ]

I told our very nice waitress that I wanted to share this savory herb french toast so it was brought out first, like an appetizer! The french toast is made with brioche and herbs to give it a more savory note, which I really enjoyed. The maple syrup was infused with rosemary to also give that savory sweet take on the whole dish. It was unique and quite delightful. The lamb bacon tasted a bit more gamey to us this time around, though, but it is still a nice accompaniment. 

[red velvet waffles with applewood smoked bacon / $13]

S ordered the red velvet waffles which we all “oohed” and “ahhed” over. Just look at the color of these gorgeous waffles! It’s topped off with berries, chocolate chips, and dollops of cream cheese frosting with a side of savory applewood smoked bacon. The edges were nice and crispy while the inside was fluffy and light. It had a slight chocolate flavor from the batter. Very yummy!

[rib eye & eggs / $21]

Jake ordered the Rib Eye and substituted the home fry potatoes for french fries since he doesn’t like home fry style. The steak was topped with a wild mushroom sage truffle beurre blanc and he let me eat all of the mushrooms (hooray). The rib eye was so tender! It was cooked to a perfect medium rare and was very juicy and flavorful. 

[country fried steak with wild mushroom sage truffle beurre blanc / $16]

I ordered the country fried steak because I wanted to see what their version was like. The waitress got a little excited when I ordered this and told me she nicknamed it the Fred Flintstone because it is GINORMOUS.  This country fried steak is the same width as the plate! 

When I took my first bite of this steak, I immediately knew it was NOT cube steak, the traditional cut that is used for country fried steak. Jake later found out from a staff member that it is made with a filleted tenderloin steak – which explains why it was so incredibly tender. The outer coating was very crunchy and sadly I forgot to ask exactly what was in the crust. I know there were herbs and possibly tiny cube bread crumbs which made for a very delicious coating that adhered well to the steak. The “gravy” was another highlight with it’s smooth, rich flavor – I just wish there was more of it all over the steak! 

Hiding underneath the steak were two rosemary biscuits that I mistook for English muffins at first glance. There’s a light amount of rosemary in these – more like a hint – and they were grilled on the edges. I didn’t eat much of the biscuits since it was too dry to have steak + biscuit. If there were more of the sauce to go around I think that would help or if the biscuits were on the side with their own pool of sauce. Basically: not enough sauce! 

The home fry potatoes were not something I cared for, but I usually don’t like home fry style. 

Jake and I both agreed that the country fried steak was our favorite dish. Jake said, “It’s weird when the Rib Eye isn’t my favorite dish!”

S’s favorite dish were his waffles though, which I can’t blame him for. Those things were totally scrumptious. 

I managed to get a peek at their private dining room as well, and I also saw something being roasted in an oven with salt blocks. Exciting! I wondered what that was for.

Here’s a peek at the menu if you want to see the other offerings at Kitchen 4140:

Brunch Menu.

Drink and Sides Menu.

Jake, S, Maya, and I all had a lovely time at Kitchen 4140. The atmosphere was just as nice as we had remembered in and the brunch was stellar! Jake and I have already agreed to come back and just get the country fried steak again to share – it’s big enough for sharing, that’s for sure!  

Kitchen 4140
4140 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117
858-483-4140

Disclaimer: As noted, I was invited to come in on behalf of the restaurant. Our meal and drinks were complimentary. I was not further compensated for this post and all opinions stated here are my own.