My family knows that I'm not big on breakfast. Eggs, bacon, toast... ho-hum. There are exceptions, of course, I've written about many of them here in RI Roads. So when my #2 son said "let's go get breakfast", I wasn't particularly excited. Breakfast, however, wasn't "breakfast", it was "brunch". And this "brunch" was nothing like the brunches I typically seek out on Easter or Mother's Day.

He took us to a restaurant on Broadway that seemed to have been misplaced from Thayer Street or Wickendon. Some of the patrons sat outside at cafe tables under canvas awnings and the windows were filled with fliers announcing poetry readings, alternative art shows, and apartments for rent. The patrons tended to be young -- college students and young professionals for the most part.

Just inside the door is a bar, one that sees a lot of activity in the evenings with romantic couples and groups of partying friends, but that morning, it was filled with hungry diners. The chalk board with the specials sits to the left and the open kitchen is beyond the bar.

Like many of the trendy coffee shops and restaurants around Providence, the walls hold non-representational art. Or, in this case, art of very unusual three-eyed hermaphrodidic alien creatures... I think. It's hard to be sure. The tables held old print type and CD covers under thick layers of clear acrylic.

Of course, if the only reason to go there was the decor, then I wouldn't be telling you about the brunch.

Their normal menu includes what may look like standard omelets and eggs, though even those are done with an unusual set of ingredients and with an artistic flair. But forget the menu, look at the specials board. "Hashes" are more than simply fried potatoes. Try thinking about a "hash" of white beans, red onions, and parmesean cheese. Or maybe bleu cheese and spinach. Or sweet potatoes, broccolii, and swiss cheese.

Not just pancakes. Try pear and cinnimon stuffed pancakes. Or blueberry pancakes rolled around a strawberry cream cheese filing.

One chef, Mike, has been with Julian's from the beginning, starting when he was barely old enough to legaly work in a restaurant. His creations along with those of the rest of Julian's staff are rotated into the menu after proving themselves popular on the specials board -- a process that keeps the menu updated and fresh.

You might need to spend a little time waiting for breakfast during the busiest hours. It took us 25 minutes to get a table on Sunday morning. But the food -- wow.

I'm happy to recommend Julian's brunch for people willing to wait for a while in order to experiment with a creative brunch in an artsy atmosphere.

Brunch at Julian's starts at 9AM each day, continuing until 5PM on weekdays, 3PM on Saturdays and Sundays. Find them at 318 Broadway in Providence. Their phone is 401/861-1770 and webiste is www.juliansprovidence.com

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