Best Mother's Day Brunch Spots

When it comes to culinary clichés, the Mother's Day brunch may top them all.

You know the drill: Take mom to a fancy-schmancy hotel, where there's the usual spread of carving and make-your-own omelet stations and steam-table fare.

But there are a number of eateries that go beyond the cliché -- sometimes by virtue of the food (call it Buffet 2.0), sometimes by virtue of the setting. We've scouted restaurants from coast to coast to find such examples.

Remember, reservations are usually essential at these or most other establishments, since Mother's Day is one of the busiest dining days of the year.

For the Hungry Mom

By most measures, Bally's Las Vegas not only serves the most lavish Sunday brunch in this buffet-crazed town, but also one of the most lavish in the world.

Mother's Day is no exception.

Just about everything you could imagine is featured at what the resort and casino calls its "Sterling Brunch": meats, cheeses, breakfast items, a sushi bar, seafood on ice, desserts (including cherries jubilee) and even caviar and broiled lobster, all accompanied by endless champagne.

Cost: $75.
Bally's Las Vegas Sterling Brunch
3645 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nev.
[phone]

For the Mom Who Can't Make Up Her Mind

New York's renowned Waldorf-Astoria gives mothers a choice of two dining experiences.

For those who prefer the a la carte route, there's brunch at Oscar's Brasserie, the hotel's contemporary American eatery, featuring such menu items as crab cakes with tarragon vinaigrette and orange-pecan waffles.

For those who prefer an all-you-can-eat spread, there's a buffet at Peacock Alley with 16 specialized stations and 150 menu items, including five types of oysters.

Cost: $18 to $25 per entrée at Oscar's Brasserie; $120 for adults and $45 for children for the buffet at Peacock Alley.
Waldorf-Astoria
301 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y.
[phone]

For the All-American Mom

The American Village is Alabama's answer to Williamsburg, an "education campus," located south of Birmingham, that provides a living lesson in our country's past and that includes such attractions as a barn, colonial chapel and replica of the Liberty Bell.

On Mother's Day, it's offering what it bills as a "colonial groaning board" -- that is, a feast to end all feasts. The buffet menu, replete with carving and fruit and salad stations, sounds fairly typical -- save maybe for the roast pork loin with Dijon chardonnay sauce -- but the patriotic spirit of the setting can't be denied.

Cost: $32.50 for adults, $13.50 for children (ages 7-12).
American Village
3727 Highway 119, Montevallo, Ala.
[phone] ext. 55

For the Mom Who Can Never Have Too Many Dumplings

Dim sum is the Chinese answer to brunch -- a spread of dumplings and other small bites, typically served in bamboo baskets.

At Gigi's Asian Bistro in Houston, they're bringing a mom's day twist to the concept, with what they call "Dim Sum for Mum." Loose translation: lots and lots of dumplings -- garlic chive and shrimp, chicken and ginger, sweet rice and Shanghai pork are among the many varieties being offered.