Place: Bluebird Sky
Neighborhood: Chinatown, Little Italy, 121 Baxter St. (between Canal St. & Hester St.)
Mimosa Rating:
The scoop: Visiting the Chinatown/Little Italy area and you want to chow on something other than Dim Sum or Italian food? Look no further and visit Bluebird Sky. Surprisingly, this quiet and cozy cafe is only a block away from the hustle and bustle of Canal Street. Being somewhat familiar with the Chinatown area, I was quite surprised when I came across this restaurant.
Inside Bluebird Sky
When I walked into the restaurant, the room was small and narrow. Exposed brick covers the entire left side and pictures hang on the wall to the right, adding life to this long, narrow hallway. Although the restaurant has a cozy vibe, we were a little uncomfortable at our table because it was very tiny.
Since the restaurant is small, I wouldn’t recommend coming with a large group. It is best to come with only one other person, but they can manage a table of four if necessary. There was only one waitress working and she was on her toes the entire time.
I was bummed out when the waitress told me that they ran out of French toast and hamburgers. I came into the restaurant with the idea of ordering French toast, so it put a slight damper on my experience. Also, the menu is pretty limited so two missing items does make a difference.
Bottoms up:
“Lil” Chitaly $9 / Soju, bloody Mary
“Lil” Chitaly and beer sangria
Considering the location of Bluebird Sky, I thought the name of this drink was cleverly cute. The bloody Mary was perfectly made and delicious. It was thick, flavorful, and contained jalapenos which contributed to the spicy taste.
Beer Sangria $8 / Ommegang Witte beer, lemon juice, citrus syrup
I initially inquired about the fruit sangria, but the waitress suggested that I try the beer sangria. Ommegang Witte is probably one of my choice beers to order, so I figured why not go with her suggestion. Served with ice, this drink was very refreshing. The lemon juice added a slight lemony twist and the syrup gave it a simple sweet taste, all balanced well together. If you are ever craving beer, but want something a little sweet, this beer sangria will satisfy your craving.
Chew on this:
Flank steak farmers plate $13 / Served with two eggs and toast. Choice of grits, potatoes or pommes darphin
Flank steak farmers plate
Matt enjoyed his steak. The steak was served in pieces, which were very rare. I thought it was too salty and chewy for my liking, but Matt had no complaints and thought it was tasty. He ordered a pommes darphine which is similar to a hash brown. The pommes darphine was thick and crispy on the outside. Matt enjoys egg yolk for dipping bread so he asked for his eggs sunny side up, and they were perfect for dipping the delicious multigrain bread.
Market omelet $11 / Green market vegetable, served with side salad and choice of toast
Market omelet
Since they didn’t have French toast, I decided to go with an egg dish and chose the omelet. The waitress informed me that it was a mushroom and tomato omelet. The omelet looked good, and the eggs were perfect. I liked that there wasn’t too much cheese, and the omelet was filled with an ample amount of mushrooms. My only complaint about this dish was that there was absolutely no tomato. I tore the omelet apart to make sure I wasn’t missing it, but there wasn’t a trace to be found. Normally, I would return the dish, but it didn’t taste bad and I already ate about a quarter of it. Also, since the menu was limited, I wouldn’t be surprised if they ran out of tomato. The salad was basic greens that had a slight bitter taste. The omelet came with four delicious slices of multigrain bread. I know you are probably thinking bread? What’s the big deal? Trust me, this bread was so fresh and tasty. I normally don’t eat much bread during brunch, but I managed to eat all four slices.
Outside
The final bite: Located in Chinatown, this little cafe is perfect for a solo brunch. Don’t expect to be overwhelmed by the menu, but Bluebird Sky does serve quality food. It shouldn’t be a problem finding a yummy dish to enjoy.
Reviewed by: Victoria
