Restaurant Review: Scary Good Brunch at Goat Head 

• Alex Springer
• Goat Head’s Corrido de Cortez

Every restaurant enthusiast has their own brand of culinary catnip. It's abstract and hard to define, but it never fails to get your ass out the door as soon as it pops up on your Instagram feed. For example, any time I see a bar or restaurant that has adopted a horror or occult theme, I have to go check it out, regardless of what else I had scheduled.

It's rare to find that kindred spirit who likes good food as much as they like evil vibes, but that's exactly how I'd describe Goat Head. This Central City breakfast-and-lunch spot set up shop on the corner of 300 East and 700 South last year, and its unholy mission is to become the type of neighborhood café–dare I say "diner?"–where locals can converge around hot coffee, loaded breakfast and savory sandwiches. One bummer about Goat Head's current location is that there is a lot of construction happening on that particular corner of the city; perhaps the restaurant's dark powers have obliterated its neighboring buildings?

Based on the friendly vibes and welcoming space, that's unlikely. It's hard to think that owners Sarah and Michael Boone-Witham have anything but positive intentions for their restaurant and its customers. Sure, there's a low-key Satanic cult aesthetic that informs its menu with plenty of tongue-in-cheek nods to horror culture, but that's just part of the restaurant's charm. The culinary background of the menu is deeply rooted in Tex-Mex—or Hex-Mex, if we're being authentic to the menu—cuisine along with some classic diner fare. Did I mention my other dining weaknesses are Tex-Mex and diner food?

I went in for a little spot of devilish brunch with a kick, so I ordered the Corrido de Cortez ($11). It's the restaurant's take on huevos rancheros, and it comes with a foundation of fried corn tortillas, refried black beans and two eggs topped with some fresh and spicy ranchero salsa. Some diced jalapeño, cilantro and queso fresco add a bit of color contrast to that crimson salsa, and it's definitely got a punch. Immediately I noticed how fresh everything tasted; this ranchero salsa leans into the refreshing flavors of its tomatoes that really brighten up the more savory notes.

The eggs, black beans and tortillas do most of the heavy lifting as far as those savory notes go. I liked picking up one tortilla by the edge and piling as much as I could on top, making it into a mini breakfast tostada. Refried black beans are a great addition here as a way to add some salty flavor and textural heft to the dish, and a few over-easy eggs provide some creamy egg yolk, which is always a plus.

While I was there, I thought I would check out one of the restaurant's sandwiches, so I went with the Kevin Bacon ($14.50), a BLT that can be made with either plant-based bakon or pork bacon, depending on your dietary preferences. Goat Head has a great menu for plant-based dining, as most of the menu is either vegan to begin with or can be made vegan quite easily. I wanted to try out Goat Head's plant-based game, so I got my Kevin Bacon vegan style.

Goat Head's sandwiches come with a selection of sides, and I appreciated the variety. I got the jalapeño slaw, which is a purple cabbage tossed with a bit of black sesame seeds and diced jalapeño pepper. It was a great complement to the Kevin Bacon, which is exactly what you want from a BLT: thick slices of toasted white bread, plenty of mayo, crisp iceberg lettuce, freshly sliced tomato and lots of bacon. I really liked the plant-based bakon, which had a nice texture and just enough smoky flavor to bring the whole sandwich together.

There are plenty of great savory options on the menu, but there's nothing wrong with dabbling in the sweet side. If that lines up with your particular brand of vice, then the Experiment Six 2 Six ($12.50) with its croissant French toast, Nutella and strawberries will definitely satisfy. There's a lovely, buttery texture to that French toast, and who can deny the power of a strawberry-and-Nutella duo? Of course, the Squirrel's Nest ($13.50) might just have an edge on this, with its sweet ricotta cheese and maple syrup. Either way, your sweet tooth will not be neglected at Goat Head.

As much as I love Goat Head's vibe, I am also happy to say that its food is tasty enough to impress those who have not fully embraced the dark arts. It's a hip neighborhood spot touting a menu of seriously stacked breakfast and lunch options. Its unapologetic self-image is merely the icing on a wickedly good piece of cake.