Lincoln Road on South Beach is lined with restaurants and outdoor cafes, but Balans offers an outdoor eating experience like no other.
Relaxed indoor and outdoor spaces may be the initial draw, but the food is the true showcase. Awarded “Best Eclectic Tops” by Zagat, the atmosphere at Balans is picturesque as floods of people walk up and down Lincoln Road for another day in paradise.
Balans is most known for its breakfast menu. Items included on the menu are eggs (croque madame $8.95, breakfast burrito $9.25), benedicts (ham $8.95, smoked salmon $9.95) and pancakes or French toast with toppings such as strawberries and bananas or bananas and dulce de leche ($7.50-$8.50). They also offer cereal and fruit smoothies. I ordered the breakfast burrito. The burrito had so many flavors from the vegetables that they tasted as if they were picked fresh from a garden out back.
When it comes to their day menu, Balans offers appetizers (grilled eggplant $6.25, clams soffrito $8.50), salads (Florida crab salad $15.50, Baja shrimp or chicken salad $13.95), pastas (lobster spaghetti $15.95, crab linguine $15.50), sandwiches (crab cake BLT $12.95, ruben $11.50) and main courses (Chilean sea-bass $22.95).
Although there are not many, the menu has some options for vegetarians. There are salads, pasta dishes (Indonesian noodle $12.95, wild mushroom linguine $11.95) and a main course entrée (double baked cheese soufflé $12.95).
Balans can be a great place to dine casually. However, if you are seated outside, be warned that there will be people passing by (especially with their pets), making things less private.
Balans is open for breakfast daily from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., brunch and lunch daily from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and dinner Sunday-Thursday 3:30 p.m. to 12 a.m., as well as Friday-Saturday 3:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. They are located at 1022 Lincoln Rd., and have other locations in Brickell and Biscayne.
