Place: Philip Marie
Neighborhood: West Village, 569 Hudson St. (corner of W. 11th St.)
Mimosa Rating:
The scoop: After a morning of wedding-dress shopping for my sister, we went to brunch at Philip Marie in the West Village. I walk by Philip Marie often and have heard positive reviews about their brunch, so I was looking forward to finally trying it.
Drapes separating bar from dining area
We had a reservation for 1:15 p.m., but we arrived 20 minutes early, and I was worried we would have to wait to be seated. Thankfully, we didn’t. They sat us regardless of our reservation time. We were seated at a table in the larger dining area toward the back of the restaurant. We had a good amount of space around our table, but the tables of two next to us seemed cramped. Philip Marie has a smaller front dining area near the bar as well. That area and the bar are separated by drapes. The place was hopping during brunch, with brunchers at filled tables chatting away and music playing in the background. Philip Marie also has outdoor tables by the entrance of the restaurant.
The decor at Philip Marie is pretty and simple. Large mirrors in black frames hang on the walls. There are inspirational quotes painted on the walls.
Wall decor
The service was OK. After we said we needed a couple more minutes to decide what we wanted to eat, the server seemed annoyed that we wanted to order drinks. He obliged, but at Philip Marie they are a little strict about only serving the unlimited drinks during your meal. The server seemed to loosen up after that, and even refilled our glasses after our empty plates were taken away. (Keep in mind that they say reservations at Philip Marie are limited to 75 minutes due to space limitations.)
Toward the end of our meal, the manager stopped at each table to see if the patrons were doing well. He gave each of us a frequent visitor card for brunch. Once you visit Philip Marie for brunch a certain number of times, you get a free one! I have never seen a card like that given out for brunch. Usually, those are reserved for nail salons and frozen-yogurt shops. I think it’s a great idea for brunch, though.
Bottoms up: Philip Marie offers a great brunch deal — $24.95 for an entrée and unlimited mimosas and bloody Marys during your meal.
Mimosa
Mimosa
The first mimosa was good. My sister isn’t a big drinker and enjoyed it, but the mimosas continued to get stronger with every batch. You definitely get your money’s worth with the mimosas. As I looked around the restaurant, I noticed some mimosas were served in flutes; others in wine glasses. The servers came around, refilling glasses with pitchers, so we were never waiting long for another drink.
Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary
I didn’t have a bloody Mary, but my mom and friend Danielle both did. They felt that something was missing from it. They said it was pretty spicy, and the spices overpowered the tomato juice. Neither was crazy about the drink, and after not even one bloody, they switched to mimosas.
Chew on this:
Marie’s Wrap / Scrambled eggs, bacon, grilled ham, onions and mushrooms with cheddar & pepper Jack cheese. Served with skillet potatoes and tomato salsa
Marie’s Wrap
I enjoyed this wrap very much. I got the wrap as stated on the menu, except I asked for no ham. I thought the contents of the wrap would be like a scramble, but they held together more like an omelette. The wrap was packed with everything, especially bacon pieces. I put some salsa on bites of the wrap. The side of potatoes were good and had a slight kick. They also had parmesan cheese sprinkled on top — a nice addition. The fresh fruit on the side was a pleasant surprise. I didn’t feel overly full after eating, but I felt satisfied. I knew the wrap would keep be full for hours.
Crabcake Benedict / Two crabcakes topped with poached eggs and hollandaise. Served with skillet potatoes
Crabcake Benedict
For two people who don’t eat eggs Benedict often, my mom and sister were both excited to try the crabcake Benedict. They weren’t disappointed. They both described the dish as hearty, with plenty of food, particularly the crabcakes themselves. Kelly liked that the crabcake didn’t have a strong fishy taste. My mom found that one of her eggs was yolkier than the other. Luckily, they asked for the hollandaise sauce on the side, because it turned out to be very buttery. They both enjoyed the dish and would order it again.
Veggie Lover’s Frittata
Veggie Lover’s Frittata / Zucchini, eggplant, squash, asparagus and carrots, topped with cheddar cheese. Served with black bean salad and skillet potatoes
Any veggie lover would be pleased with the Veggie Lover’s Frittata. The frittata was oozing with vegetables. Danielle thought the eggs were a little dry but were better after she added ketchup. I tried some of the bean salad, and it was really good. I thought the bean salad was the best side. Overall, she was pleased with this dish. She said it was good but not great.
Outdoor tables at Philip Marie
The final bite: Brunch at Philip Marie was a solid experience. We enjoyed the food and drinks and would go back for brunch No. 2.
Reviewed by: Stephanie
