★★★☆☆
$$$$

Mediterranean restaurant Urbana possessed a welcoming yet robust atmosphere that immediately set the tone for the upcoming meal. Although it was moderately populated when I arrived for Sunday brunch, my party of two was seated promptly.

The menu was a nice mixture of rudimentary brunch dishes with nothing too difficult to decipher. I appreciated the simplicity of the dishes, since it made the ordering process a lot easier. The selections were nicely divided into their respective culinary categories: appetizers, sweets, egg dishes, salads and sandwiches, stone oven pizzas and sides. With that said, there is definitely a dish to accommodate every basic preference. Our waiter was very accommodating and was open to answering any questions about the menu.

There were some colorful drinks on the menu, including freshly squeezed juices and an interesting do-it-yourself Bellini. The Bellini is comprised of a bottomless sparkling wine with an assortment of three seasonal purees. The purees come in three different uniquely shaped glasses, which I imagine would make the experience fun and visually appealing. After a good perusal of the brunch menu, we decided to order the bomboloni ($9), caramelized onion-potato hash ($4) and the parfait ($9) to satisfy both our sweet and salty cravings.

The dishes arrived at our table almost immediately, approximately five minutes after the waiter jotted down our orders. The bombolini, which are essentially Italian donut holes, came with a small side of fresh blueberry compote. The doughnuts were delicious, generously clothed with cinnamon sugar and fried to a satisfying crispiness. To my surprise, they weren’t greasy or oily at all, but rather tasted fresh and light without being too doughy. The blueberry compote, a beautiful purple syrup with preserved blueberries, brought out the slight sweetness of the bread and did not clash with the sugariness of the bombolini’s cinnamon component. This appetizer was definitely my favorite dish of the meal.

The caramelized onion-potato hash tasted average, nothing more and nothing less, which is reflected in its low price on the menu. I almost wish the chef utilized more creativity in its seasoning (there is so much one can do with potato hash). No particular flavor surprised me, other than the expected cooked potato taste. I added some pepper in an attempt to bring out more of the potato’s flavor and remedy the blandness. This side, unfortunately, is probably something one can find on the second floor of Leo’s.

My expectations were particularly high for the parfait, since you really can’t dislike the combination of house made granola, Greek yogurt and fresh berries. I thoroughly enjoyed the display of the parfait — the various components of the dish were easily visible and separated layer by layer in a large glass. Unfortunately, the Greek yogurt was too thick and cheesy for my taste. Though original Greek yogurt is known for its slightly cheesy and sour flavor, I still expected to taste at least some sweetness from the yogurt. Its pasty and thick consistency made it hard for me to consume it alone. I found myself scouring for fruits and granola to add some kind of flavor to the yogurt. The parfait would have been more enjoyable if the yogurt had a slight vanilla flavor. However, I imagine that a health-conscious guest would respect the parfait’s straightforwardness and healthy qualities.

The restaurant seemed to host mostly young professionals. The high noise level did not interrupt my culinary experience but rather added to the social atmosphere. Given that the restaurant is actually underground, lighting comes from an assortment of electrically lit displays placed around the room. Personally, I enjoyed its secluded nature and trendy interior. For those who possess an appreciation of long walks past beautiful architecture and nature, ditch the bus and walk along P Street until you arrive at Urbana for a nice brunch with friends.