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Chelsea Pub

16 Apr

chelsea_pub_mapPlace: Chelsea Pub

Neighborhood: Chelsea, 362 W. 23rd St. (between 8th and 9th Avenues)

Mimosa Rating:

3 mimosas

The scoop: Chelsea Pub is a new bar/restaurant located in my parents’ neighborhood in Chelsea. My sister, mother and I had seen a sign in their window advertising their $5 brunch drink special and were looking forward to stopping in for brunch one weekend.

Inside Chelsea Pub

A quiet Chelsea Pub during brunch

We ventured into Chelsea Pub on a Saturday afternoon around 12:30, and to our surprise the restaurant was empty, with the exception of two small parties and two people at the bar. The inside of Chelsea Pub isn’t what I expected. Having the same owners as Westside Tavern, which is next door, Stitch and Houndstooth Pub near the Garden, all three of us thought the interior would be dark with dim lighting and dark-wood tables. We couldn’t have been more wrong. Chelsea Pub’s walls are covered in red wallpaper, and the low and high-top tables are made of a light wood. The space is very roomy and can fit small and large parties alike. While I’d consider Chelsea Pub’s sister restaurants sports bars, Chelsea Pub only has two TVs, so I wouldn’t consider it a sports bar, but it’s definitely a chill, comfortable bar. It wasn’t loud either, which we liked.

There was only one server during brunch, but he did a great job. He was enthusiastic, willing to give suggestions and friendly. He checked up on us numerous times and was excited to learn about the blog when I slipped him our business card after our meals.

Bottoms up: Chelsea Pub offers $5 mimosas, bloody Marys and screwdrivers during brunch.

Brunch drinks

Brunch drinks

Mimosa $5

Kelly and I both had a mimosa. Kelly said she isn’t a big drinker and wouldn’t know the perfect mimosa, but she thought this one was very good. I agree with her. The drink had the right mixture of both ingredients. We could taste the orange juice, but it wasn’t overpowering. 

Bloody Mary $5

My mom enjoyed her Bloody Mary. It was spicy in a good way. The drink had just the right kick to it. This bloody Mary was one of the best she’s ever had.

Chew on this: Chelsea Pub’s brunch menu has good mix of breakfast and lunch items.

Breakfast Sandwich $12 / Two eggs, bacon or sausage with a choice of cheese on brioche roll

Breakfast Sandwich

Breakfast Sandwich

The breakfast sandwich caught my eye when I was looking at Chelsea Pub’s brunch menu. I was surprised by how big the sandwich was when it was brought out. The soft roll was huge and was stuffed with fluffy eggs, melted American cheese and crispy bacon. I added pepper and and ketchup to the sandwich. The brioche roll added a slight sweetness to the sandwich. The cubed home fries were just OK. They reminded me of home fries that were served in the dining halls in college. Overall, I enjoyed this dish and would order it again. 

Breakfast Burrito $12 / Scrambled eggs, chorizo sausage, hash browns, baked beans and sautéed onions and peppers

Breakfast Burrito

Breakfast Burrito

Kelly was debating between eggs Benedict and this burrito, but she always gets the Benedict , so she decided to take the plunge at the recommendation of the waiter and get the burrito. While the burrito tasted very good, it wasn’t for her. She isn’t a fan of spicy food at all and the sausage had a kick to it. Also, she wasn’t anticipating the burrito to be so greasy and include baked beans. Usually, burritos have Mexican style beans, like refried or black. She thinks people who like things with some heat will really like it. Kelly ate half of it and gave the other half to our mom. Again, it wasn’t for Kelly, but our mom, who likes spicy food, loved it. She recommends this burrito, but not to those who don’t like greasy or spicy food. Kelly really liked the potato pancake. It wasn’t too greasy and had good flavor to it. She’d order one of those again.

Eggs Benedict $12 / Poached eggs and Bearnaise sauce

Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict

My mom ordered Eggs Benedict, which is what she usually gets at brunch. She asked for the sauce on the side. When the server brought over her dish, the sauce was on the side, however, it wasn’t a traditional Benedict sauce. She hadn’t noticed that the menu stated the sauce would be Bearnaise. While Benedict and Bearnaise sauces are very similar, this Bearnaise sauce wasn’t as smooth and creamy as it usually is. The sauce looked like melted butter. My mom didn’t ask the waiter to bring her Benedict sauce instead, but when he noticed she didn’t like Bearnaise, he brought out Benedict sauce, which was nice of him. The eggs were cooked perfectly, and when my mom poked one of the eggs, yolk poured out. She received a generous piece of ham on the English muffin, and she thought the English muffin was bigger than your average.

Outside Chelsea Pub

Outside Chelsea Pub

The final bite: Chelsea Pub is a good spot for a casual, no-nonsense brunch. The service was good, and we were pleased with the majority of our dishes. I want to check out their dinner, too.

Reviewed by: Stephanie

La Carbonara

27 Feb

la_carbonara_mapPlace: La Carbonara

Location: West Village, 202 W. 14th St. (between 7th Ave. and 8th Ave.)

Mimosa Rating: 

zero_mimosas

Arriving at La Carbonara

The scoop: It was a lovely Saturday afternoon, and a group of us had just finished bridesmaids dress shopping. We chose to brunch at La Carbonara based on the location, which was in close proximity to where we were shopping, the unlimited drink special and their availability to seat a large group.

The decor of the restaurant felt very homey, and the tables are made from wood. The space is quite large, and our big group felt like we had a good amount of space to ourselves.

Now onto the bad. The waitress did not serve us well. Not only did it take her forever to provide us with drinks and take our order, but she was constantly serving (or shall we say overserving) a group of girls at the large table next to us. Mind you, right after we walked into the restaurant we could tell the group was drunk and pretty much done with their meals. For some reason, the waitstaff was still filling their enormous wine glasses to the brim with mimosas. Never in our lives have we seen a restaurant get so out of control during brunch. Honestly, this behavior would even be bad at a bar! The girls were getting sick in both bathrooms — two had their heads down on a table and one ran outside to throw up. When these girls weren’t passed out at the table, they were walking around the restaurant, talking loudly and flirting with guys at a table near the bathroom. The girl who got sick outside wobbled back into the restaurant and it took forever for the wait staff to acknowledge her, so we told a busboy that she needed water. Talk about breaking the brunch commandments!

Know your limits!

Know your limits!

After eating our food, and having to deal with the debacle and stench in the restaurant, we asked to speak to the manager. Twenty percent gratuity was automatically added onto our bill, which is understandable since we were a large group, but unacceptable when we didn’t get adequate service, were in an uncomfortable brunch environment and couldn’t even use the bathrooms! The manager was extremely rude and accused us of trying to skip out on the bill, which was a complete joke. Let it be known that we weren’t the only patrons complaining. A party of two that looked disgusted by the utter disarray walked in, sat down at a table and then left the restaurant. We complained that service was not good, and it wasn’t right to overserve alcohol. There was no justification for the service, so he removed a brunch item from our bill.

Bottoms up: For an additional $15.95, you can get unlimited mimosas, champagne, screwdrivers or bloody Marys.

Mimosa

Mimosa

Mimosa

The mimosas were pretty strong and they were made with Tropicana orange juice. If you are looking for a boozy brunch, this place may be right up your alley, but we are hoping that management gets their act together because brunch should not get so out of control as we experienced.

Chew on this: 

Omelette

Omelette

Omelette $10 / With ham, mozzarella, tomatoes and arugula

The omelette was nothing to write home about. The mozzarella did not stand out and it wasn’t even melted or mixed well with the omelette. It was just pretty much thrown inside of the egg. Also, there was hardly any tomato in the omelette. The ham was the best part and it was served as a whole piece. 

Frittata

Frittata

Frittata $10 / With bacon, leeks and Swiss cheese

I felt the same way Victoria did about her meal. There wasn’t anything great about the frittata. I was hesitant about the leeks at first, but I enjoyed them, and I thought they added a little something extra to the frittata. If I had the option for type of cheese, Swiss wouldn’t have been my first choice. I liked that the dish included a small salad. The potatoes were nothing special. I also want to note that my mom ordered the Eggs Benedict and had to send her dish back because her eggs were practically hard boiled and not runny at all. The second dish was better, but the eggs still weren’t as runny as they should have been.

Brunchers beware!

Brunchers beware!

The final bite: While La Carbonara offers a good variety of brunch dishes, this can in no way make up for the fact that we were treated poorly and the atmosphere was like a frat party. This is your warning: Brunch at La Carbonara at your own risk!

Almond

13 Dec

almond_mapPlace: Almond

Neighborhood: Flatiron, 12 E. 22nd St. (between Park Ave. & Broadway)

Mimosa Rating:

4 mimosas

The scoop: Prior to some Black Friday shopping, we checked out brunch at Almond. It worked out perfectly since Almond is located in the Flatiron District, just blocks away from a bunch of stores on Fifth Avenue.

Happy brunchers munching

Happy brunchers munching

To our surprise, Almond is a pretty large restaurant. The two of us sat comfortably at a table near the window, and from our view, the back of the restaurant seemed far away. Throughout the restaurant there were large tables that would be perfect for big group brunches. At the back of the restaurant, there was a candle display on the wall and a wine room. Although the restaurant was spacious, it was very homey and cozy. The wooden decor gave off a rustic feel and would probably fit perfectly in the Hamptons area where Almond Bridgehampton is located.

It's brunch, baby!

It’s brunch, baby!

Our waiter was knowledgeable about the menu, and when we asked him questions about several dishes, he gave his opinions and recommendations. Victoria dislikes when she’s at brunch and a server doesn’t know what a dish consists of, so she was glad he was on point. When we checked in on Foursquare, we received a discount for $5 off our bill.

Bottoms up: On this day, Almond was offering a special boozy brunch for Black Friday. For an additional $12, brunchers could enjoy unlimited mimosas and bloody Marys. Usually, they only offer pay per drink, with a mimosa for about $10.

Mimosa

Mimosa

Mimosa

We both had three mimosas, and each glass was stronger and was evident by the lighter color of the orange juice. Every time we asked for another mimosa, the waiter brought out fresh glasses.

Chew on this: 

Biscuits

Biscuits

Biscuits / Complimentary

We received a basket of three biscuits after we were seated. The biscuits were yummy — flaky on the outside and soft on the inside — but they could have been a little warmer. They were served with a side of butter. 

Buttermilk Waffles $14 / House-made nutella, whipped marscapone

Buttermilk waffle

Buttermilk waffle

I haven’t had a good waffle in a long time. I recently tried the strawberry coconut waffles at Penelope, and I was extremely disappointed. I was hoping Almond could break me from my waffle rut. The house-made nutella was appealing enough in itself and impressive that it’s made in house. I was pleasantly surprised when I was served the waffle and both the nutella and marscapone were served on the side. That doesn’t happen frequently. I could have done without the sweet cheese. In fact, I only tried a taste. I didn’t spread it on my waffle. The nutella, however, was a different story. It was creamy and delicious. I dipped pieces of my buttermilk waffle into the hazelnut spread. The waffle was good, too. It was soft and light, but it wasn’t as fluffy as I had hoped. I enjoyed the few pieces of fresh pineapple on the side. Whereas pancakes can sometimes leave you feeling very full, waffles satisfy me but not to the point of feeling overly stuffed.

Huevos Rancheros $14 / Red and green chili, black bean refritos

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros

I was in the Mexican mood, so I figured Huevos Rancheros was my best bet for a dish. The waiter told me I had the option of having a sunny side or poached egg so I went with poached. This dish was very filling, satisfying and flavorful. My only minor complaint was that it was very messy, but that’s what happens when you have so much going on in one plate. At the bottom of the dish there were hard tortillas which gave the perfect crunch with the black beans, egg, and salsa. The second I pricked the eggs, the yolk added to the mess, but everything was perfect. Also, the potatoes that were served on the side of the dish were very flavorful and probably the best side potatoes that I have had in a while.

Outside Almond

Outside Almond

The final bite: We really enjoyed the atmosphere at Almond. Their brunch menu has great food options and the mimosas were tasty. We picked a great day to go because of the bottomless offer. Pay per drink is pretty pricey.

Reviewed by: Stephanie and Victoria

Opal

20 Nov

Place: Opal Bar & Restaurant

Neighborhood: Midtown East, 251 E. 52nd St. (at 2nd Ave.)

Mimosa Rating:

2 mimosas

The scoop: Opal is known for its happy hours and busy weekend nights. We even visited this bar a couple of times when we were in our early 20s. Brunch Gang was invited to try Opal’s brunch (thanks Anna!), so we checked out the scene on a Sunday afternoon.

Outside Opal

We walked in around 12 p.m., and the place was empty. The waitress told us we could sit anywhere. We parked ourselves at a perfect spot in a semi-circle booth near the window and had access to all TVs on the walls. There was no music playing, and every TV showed a football game. It was cool that they had on every game and the Giants game was played on a projector screen toward the back of the front area of the restaurant. As time passed, the place filled with a decent amount of people who obviously came to watch football. Opal’s brunch special is perfect for football viewing with friends because you can enjoy the game, eat a meal and consume unlimited drinks for two hours. For $20, Opal offers a brunch entrée and unlimited mimosas. Add an extra $5 and you can drink unlimited mimosas, sangria, bloody Marys and draft beer. It looked like a lot of locals frequent Opal because many of the patrons seemed to know the staff.

Service wasn’t great. Our food took a long time to be served, and when our dishes were finally brought out, the food was cold.

Bottoms up:

Mimosa

Mimosa

The bartender did not skimp on the champagne, and we saw him pour a decent amount into the plastic flutes. The mimosas tasted OK at first, but our second round of mimosas had a funky taste that reminded us of cleaning supplies. Not good!

Sangria

Sangria

OK, I know it was my mistake for ordering sangria at a bar, but it sounded good. It wasn’t. It just tasted like watered down wine with some random fruit. The bartender does fill up the small glass to the brim, which was nice. 

Chew on this: We noticed that there were less dishes on the actual menu than there were on the menu online, and we were surprised there was no burger on the brunch menu.

Breakfast Burrito $13 / Scrambled eggs, jack & cheddar, guacamole with choice of bacon or sausage in a warm flour tortilla

Breakfast burrito

The tortilla was not warm — in fact, everything on my dish was cold. There were a couple of small pieces of bacon served with a decent amount of scrambled eggs and guacamole mixed in the wrap with cheddar cheese. The cheese was a little dry, and the wrap would have tasted better if the cheese was warm and oozing. I added Tabasco sauce to the wrap to give it a little kick. The breakfast burrito comes with your choice of home fries or salad. I asked for a salad but was accidentally given home fries. Instead of taking my dish back, the server gave me a side salad. Not only were the home fries cold, but they lacked flavor. The salad had a light dressing and tasted OK.

French Toast $12 / Served with seasonal berries

French toast

I go to brunch so I can enjoy something I can’t make at home. This French toast was something that anyone could easily throw together. The bread was nothing special — I think it was white toast or maybe Texas toast. Either way, it wasn’t savory at all. I thought the seasonal berries (which weren’t actually in season) were good, but they seemed more like a simple garnish. The syrup, served in a plastic shot glass, was just your average store-brand. My food also arrived lukewarm. Overall, I was disappointed with my dish.  

Steak and Eggs $15 / Two eggs any style served with our signature flank steak, home fries and mixed greens

Steak and eggs

I was in the mood for something on the hearty side. I was deciding between the burrito and steak and eggs. I don’t know which would have been better. I went with the steak and eggs and I wasn’t very impressed. I asked for my eggs scrambled, which they were, but they were ice cold. Like Victoria said, the potatoes were also cold and lacked any sort of flavor. I thought they skimped on the steak, but at least it was cooked the way I requested. It didn’t taste bad, yet it wasn’t good either. My dad’s flank steak is better. The salad was probably the best part of the meal. I wish I got more salad instead of the potatoes.

The final bite: Opal is an OK place to brunch if you want to have unlimited drinks while watching a game, but do not expect a good meal. The brunch menu could be improved if more sandwiches and a burger were added to the menu. The only sandwich offered is a tuna melt, and we can’t think of anyone who wants to have a tuna sandwich while consuming unlimited drinks.

Reviewed by: Brunch Gang

Cookshop

13 Nov

Place: Cookshop

Neighborhood: Chelsea, 156 10th Ave. (between 19th St. & 20th St.)

Mimosa Rating:

5 mimosas

A festive Cookshop

The scoop: The past couple of brunches that I’ve been to were disappointing and the food was average at best. It was my mom’s birthday, and I wanted to brunch where I knew I would have a good time. I know lots of people who rave about Cookshop. I figured it was perfect for a birthday brunch. Brunch Gang has visited Cookshop’s sister restaurant Five Points. We enjoyed that experience, so I was pretty sure Cookshop wouldn’t disappoint.

Cookshop has a busy outdoor area that everyone swarms to on a comfortable day. Reservations are a must because it gets extremely crowded. Our reservation was for 1:45 p.m., and we were seated pretty much right away. Although the place was packed, my mother and I were comfortably seated along the wall.

Open kitchen

The inside of the restaurant was cutely decorated with lots of pumpkins for fall. The windows are huge, so the restaurant got lots of sunshine. When I walked toward the back of the restaurant, I noticed the open kitchen area. I like when kitchen areas are exposed because it gives me the sense that a restaurant isn’t trying to hide anything.

The wait staff was very attentive. Whenever I had questions about a dish, I was provided detailed answers. One thing to note about the drink and food menus is that some items are seasonal and are made with seasonal ingredients.  The food was served in a reasonable amount of time and I never had to ask for a refill of water.

Bottoms up:

Nutty Cider $12 / Brooklyn Republic vodka, apple cider, orgeat syrup, lemon, orange bitters (contains nuts)

Nutty cider and Chelsea Mary

Cookshop has numerous drinks and detailed descriptions on the drink menu. Being in the fall spirit I decided to order the Nutty Cider. This drink was subtly sweet, and I recommend it to anyone who wants something other than your typical brunch drink that would pair well with a brunch dish.

Chelsea Mary $12 / Vodka, tomato juice, lemon, worcestershire, fresh horseradish & Tabasco

My mom is a bloody Mary fan and she was overwhelmed by the six different types offered on the brunch menu. After receiving the waitress’ opinion, my mom decided to go with the Chelsea Mary. The bloody Mary was deliciously fresh and homemade. They weren’t cheap with the vodka and all the ingredients were evident in the glass. My mom also liked that it was served with a fresh celery stalk and two olives.

Coffee

Brooklyn Roasting Co. Coffee $3

After our meals, my mom wanted a cup of coffee. The coffee is served with a cute little glass of milk on the side. A positive thing to note is that the milk is served warm.

Chew on this:

Cookshop Scramble $16 / Caramelized onions, creme fraiche, chives & buttermilk biscuit with smoked trout or applewood bacon

Cookshop scramble

I was debating between three egg dishes, but I was leaning toward this dish because of the buttermilk biscuit. Hely told me that the Cookshop Scramble is one of the most popular dishes, so I decided to give the smoke trout option a try since I wanted something a little different. The eggs were served in between a yummy, warm homemade biscuit. Everything meshed well together with the fluffy eggs, and the combination of trout and onions made every bite extremely flavorful and enjoyable.  Also, an ample salad was served with the dish. I was extremely impressed with the dish and everything was delicious.

Buttermilk-Sour Cream Pancakes $12 / Quince jelly, maple syrup

Buttermilk-sour cream pancakes

The pancakes were very flavorful and had a very light taste to them. Quince jelly is a good autumn spread and it went well with the pancakes. The taste and texture of the jelly reminded me of apple sauce. With the jelly, the pancakes didn’t need any syrup. On the other hand, my mom enjoyed the quince jelly, but she thought the pancakes were excellent with syrup alone.

Chocolate Deliciousness $11 / Fudge cake, malted milk chocolate mousse, chocolate crunch and gianduja ganache

Chocolate Deliciousness

As we were talking to the friendly waitress, we mentioned that we were brunching to celebrate my mom’s birthday. To our surprise, the waitress brought us over a piece of cake when my mom ordered coffee. Chocolate Deliciousness is an apropos name for this dessert, and this dessert is a must order for anyone that loves chocolate. Each layer of chocolate was so good, and the cake was fresh. I liked that the chocolate crunch pieces were spread on the side of the dish as well as inside the cake to give it a little crunch.

Outdoor seating area

The final bite: Cookshop is an awesome place to brunch and offers many food and drink options to satisfy the brunch lover. Since this a popular brunch spot, a reservation is highly recommended.

Reviewed by: Victoria

Tello Ristorante

6 Nov

Restaurant: Tello Ristorante

Neighborhood: Chelsea, 198 Eighth Ave. (at 20th St.)

Mimosa Rating:

3 mimosas

The scoop: I grew up in Chelsea and cannot tell you how many times I’ve walked by Tello Ristorante. Their prix-fixe brunch always stuck out to me because it seemed like a great deal. One Saturday morning, my mom and I were looking for a brunch spot we knew wouldn’t have a long wait and that was conveniently located for us. Tello was the perfect option.

Inside Tello during brunch

When we stepped into Tello, we couldn’t believe how big the restaurant was. We were both under the impression that the inside was going to be small, but we were wrong. Tello is a fairly large space with various size tables, good for parties both large and small. The tables were covered with red-and-white checkered tablecloths, the kind that reminded us of a picnic. There is a small bar that could seat 8-10 people at the front of the restaurant. The walls are adorned with vintage Italian posters and signs and photos of old-time Hollywood actors. They even had an old-school Coca-Cola machine and jukebox, which we thought was cool. Music from the 1950s and ’60s played in the background as we brunched. We loved that — we found ourselves singing along quietly. We really enjoyed the vibe of Tello. We thought it was like a ’50s Italian mom-and-pop restaurant. It was a little cold inside the restaurant. We weren’t sitting near the door, but we felt a draft every time the door was opened.

Vintage Coke machine

The servers were all Italian. They were speaking to each other in Italian. The service was good. We had to flag down the waitress to get our check, but we chucked that up to the European dining style. It’s nice not to be rushed out of a restaurant. You don’t get that in NYC too often.

Bottoms up: Tello offers a prix-fixe brunch for $14. 95 that includes a biscuit, entrée, cocktail (bloody Mary, bellini, mimosa, screwdriver or glass of wine) and coffee/tea.

Bellini and bloody Mary

Bellini

Since we were at an Italian restaurant, I figured I couldn’t go wrong with a bellini. I was hoping to get fresh peaches, but the drink was made with some kind of peach juice. I wasn’t a fan of this bellini. It had a funny taste to it. I didn’t even bother finishing it.

Bloody Mary

My mom ordered a bloody Mary. She thought it was too bland. She said it didn’t have any sort of spice and kick, and the drink didn’t include a stalk of celery. We both thought the bloody Mary looked watered down. She felt like she was drinking straight-up tomato juice. She didn’t finish her drink. My mom also ordered a coffee, which she thought was nice and strong.

Chew on this:

Biscuit / Complimentary

Savory biscuit

A biscuit comes with the prix-fixe brunch deal. The first thing we noticed about the biscuit was its glossy exterior. The biscuit had a nice shine to it. It must have been baked with an egg wash brushed on the outside. The inside of the biscuit was soft. The biscuit was savory and not sweet. We could actually see the herbs on the inside. We wish it was served warmer.

Classic Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie

Tello offers 18 dishes during brunch. Normally, it would take me a very long time to decide what to order with so many options, but the chicken pot pie caught my eye right away. I thought it was an interesting offering for a brunch menu. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to order it. I really like the way the puff pastry was shaped and placed on top of the filling rather than covering all of it, which is how most chicken pot pies are served. The shape of the puff pastry reminded me of a pretzel. It was light and flaky. The filling was warm and not overly creamy. It contained chunks of chicken, pieces of mushrooms, carrots and broccoli, and peas. I don’t like peas very much so I pushed them off to the side of the dish. I loved the mushrooms and broccoli and thought they were a great addition to a dish that usually just contains peas, carrots and celery. They also made the dish even heartier. I felt all warm inside eating the pot pie. While Tello’s version doesn’t top the pot pie from The Mean Fiddler in Hell’s Kitchen, which I think is one of the best in the city, it hit the spot on a crisp fall day. 

Crab Cake Benedict

Crab cake Benedict

Since my mom enjoyed the crab cake Benedict at Philip Marie recently, she wanted to try the same dish at Tello. She asked for the hollandaise sauce on the side since she likes to dip and is always worried the dish will be drenched in hollandaise. She was disappointed that the dish didn’t include any kind of bread. Normally, a Benedict will come with an English muffin, but she didn’t get anything. She understood that we were served biscuits before our entrées, but we both still found it a little odd. The eggs, which were poached properly, sat on top of the two crab cakes. She thought the crab cakes weren’t bad. The side of potatoes had decent flavor but were cold unfortunately.

Outside Tello

The final bite: While we weren’t impressed with the drinks, we liked the atmosphere and thought the food wasn’t bad. I’d come back to try their pasta during dinner.

Reviewed by: Stephanie

Penelope

16 Oct

Place: Penelope

Neighborhood: Midtown East, 159 Lexington Ave. (at 30th St.)

Mimosa Rating: 

2 mimosas

The scoop: From the prices to the quality food, I have heard many good things about Penelope’s brunch. Since Penelope doesn’t take reservations, I was waiting for a day where I had nothing planned so I wouldn’t have to rush through brunch.

Patrons enjoy coffee while waiting for a table

When planning on brunching at Penelope, I believe it’s best to either beat the rush and arrive early in the morning (they start serving at 8 a.m.) or wait and arrive when the prime-time brunch rush has passed. Never ones for waking up super early, my mom, sister and I chose to go later, arriving at Penelope around 1:50 p.m. As we expected, there was a 45-minute wait. They serve free coffee at the front of the restaurant for those parties waiting for a table. Since it was pretty crowded inside, we decided to wait outside the restaurant. We were able to track our progress on the BuzzFood app.

Inside Penelope during brunch

Our table was ready 50 minutes after we arrived. The three of us sat at a table for four, which gave us some space, thankfully. We noticed some tables were pretty close together and seemed cramped. It’s not a good place for large groups. Penelope has a country kitchen/early Americana feel. Old baking pans hang from a wall behind bakery area, where they serve muffins, cupcakes and cake. Half the walls are colored white, with the bottom half painted in light blue. The AC felt like it was on low, but there were ceiling fans turned on as well. Penelope has a full bar with about 8-10 stools, where brunchers were also enjoying their afternoon meal.

Service was good. Even though Penelope was packed when we ordered, our food came out in a reasonable amount of time and our server checked on us throughout our meal.

Bottoms up: Penelope offers a great brunch deal: $15 prix-fixe includes an entrée with a seasonal mimosa, seasonal bellini or coffee/tea and juice.

Summer rosé mimosa

Summer Rosé Mimosa

My mom thought the summer rosé mimosa was strong. She said it tasted sweeter than a regular mimosa and she could tell the orange juice was fresh because her drink contained pulp. While she could taste the pulp, the orange juice taste wasn’t overwhelming. It was a nice change to have a mimosa with rosé champagne rather than regular.

White peach bellini

White Peach Bellini

The white peach bellini was refreshing and strong. It was super strong on the first sip and tasted less strong as I sipped the cocktail gradually. I could really taste the champagne. I’m not sure what they used for the white peach flavor. I do wish I could have tasted it more. My dish dampened my mood, and as a result, I didn’t end up finishing the drink.

Orange juice

Orange Juice

We got a free orange juice for checking in on the BuzzFood app. The orange juice tasted fresh, and Kelly said it was probably the best part of her meal.

Chew on this:

One-Night Stand Waffles / Toasted coconut and luscious strawberry waffles, served with fresh fruit. These are not the marrying kind.

Strawberry waffles

Everything on Penelope’s menu looked so good that my mom and I had a tough time deciding what to order. We were both enticed by the strawberry waffles. We were expecting warm, fluffy waffles. We got cold, hard waffles. I was baffled by the waffle’s texture. I didn’t understand why the waffles were so hard. The strawberries were fresh and I was happy to see that they were baked into the batter, but I would have liked more. There was a piece here and there in the waffle. Even with toasted coconut and syrup on top, the waffles were pretty bland. It was difficult to enjoy the flavors of the strawberry and coconut because I think my taste buds were in shock. I wasn’t crazy about the side of papaya. I would have preferred more strawberries. I licked the plate clean because I was starving, not because I loved the waffle. A regrettable meal that left a bad taste in my mouth, this dish is aptly named.

Nutella French Toast / Three slices of brioche French toast filled with warm chocolate hazelnut filling, served with caramelized bananas

Nutella French toast

Kelly thought there would be more Nutella on the bread. She puts more peanut butter on her peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. There was too much bread for the light spread of Nutella, which wasn’t warm. And to make matters worse, the bread wasn’t even that good. Brioche bread is perfect for French toast, but something was awry here. Even with syrup, the bread was still dry. Where were the caramelized bananas? Kelly didn’t get any on her plate. It’s a shame because bananas and Nutella go well together. She received a side of strawberries, blueberries and a piece of honeydew instead. Kelly was so disappointed in this dish. She left Penelope feeling full from eating something she didn’t like, yet still feeling hungry because she was so dissatisfied.

The final bite: It saddens me to say that from my experience at Penelope, I think their brunch is overrated. I had high expectations, and while service was good and the drinks weren’t bad, we weren’t impressed with our dishes. That being said, their sandwiches looked good, and I’d be willing to give their lunch a try.

Reviewed by: Stephanie

Lillie’s Union Square

12 Jun

Place: Lillie’s Union Square

Neighborhood: Union Square, 3 E. 17th St. (between 5th Ave. & Broadway)

Mimosa Rating:

3 1/2 mimosas

Stained-glass windows

The scoop: If I didn’t know Lillie’s Union Square was a restaurant, I would walk past it thinking it is a furniture shop. The antique feeling at Lillie’s is interesting and different yet comfortable. Judging by the atmosphere, you may think it is too fancy and feel out of place, but trust me, you can enjoy a casual brunch here. The atmosphere is very exquisite, from the chandeliers to the stained-glass windows and paintings. High ceilings and red velvet seats add to the comfortable vibe. There is also a long bar where people can relax, chat or watch TV while enjoying a drink.

Bar

Many of the antique furnishings originated from a Victorian mansion in Belfast, Ireland. You may wonder who the lady is in the painting that stands out at the back of the restaurant. Her name is Lillie Langtry and she was a well-known British actress and socialite from the late 1800s.

Our waitress provided us with decent service. She remembered all three of our orders (and substitutions) without writing them down, and she checked on us frequently to see if we needed anything. Also, we didn’t have to wait long for our drinks or food.

Bottoms up: Each brunch dish comes with a complimentary bloody Mary, mimosa or draft beer. Also, with your first FourSquare check-in, you can get a free pint of beer or glass of wine. Marissa and I both checked-in, and they allowed us to have two freebies.

Lillie’s Seasonal

Lillie’s seasonal draft, mimosa & bloody Mary

I was glad that a draft beer was included as part of their brunch special. When I heard that the seasonal beer at Lillie’s was a wheat beer, I knew I had to try it. This drink was light, refreshing and delicious. I absolutely loved it, and if you like wheat beers, you will love it as well.

Mimosa

Marissa enjoyed the taste of her mimosa, and she noticed that it was on the pulpy side. 

Bloody Mary

Matt had better-and-worse-tasting bloody Marys. It lacked the fresh tomato taste, and it had too much ice, making it watery.

Grilled ham & cheese

Grilled Ham & Cheese $15 / Country ham & choice of swiss or cheddar. Add fried egg for $1

The ham and cheddar sandwich was tasty, but Marissa thought it was too greasy and was turned off by the grease that dripped from it. She thought the sandwich was perfectly toasted providing a good amount of crispiness. This dish comes with fries, but she asked to substitute the fries for a salad. The salad was good and had the perfect amount of dressing. The sandwich would be a good hangover food, but it’s not something you would want to eat if you are looking for something fresh. 

Steak & eggs

Steak & Eggs $17 / Eggs served any style

I was very pleased with my order. Not only was there an abundance of food, everything tasted great. There were an ample amount of nice and fluffy scrambled eggs that went well with my steak. I asked for my steak cooked medium and it was perfectly prepared with a little bit of a pink inside. It was juicy, tasty and wasn’t lacking anything. The dish comes with potatoes, but I asked for salad instead. I was glad I went with the salad because the steak was heavy, and it provided the balance that I needed. There was also a piece of tasty and fresh raisin bread on the dish.

Eggs Norwegian

Eggs Norwegian $15 / Two poached eggs on an English muffin with smoked salmon topped with hollandaise sauce

Matt enjoyed his eggs Norwegian, but he didn’t think it was satisfying. The eggs yolks oozed on to the english muffin and the salmon was good. It just wasn’t enough. The potatoes were perfectly seasoned, but he left wanting more.

Outside Lillie’s

The final bite: Although I can’t say how this place gets during happy hour or dinner time, I can say it is definitely a comfortable atmosphere for brunch. A classy ambiance and decent food makes this place worth visiting. If you like steak and eggs, I highly recommend this dish.

Reviewed by: Victoria

Eolo

7 Jun

Place: Eolo

Neighborhood: Chelsea, 190 7th Avenue (between 21st and 22nd St.)

Mimosa Rating:

3 1/2 mimosas

The scoop: I was in the neighborhood for a private sale at Metropolitan Pavilion, but was greeted by a two-three hour wait just to get into the sale. I had come straight from a two-hour spinning event at my gym and couldn’t imagine getting on that line without eating something first. I wandered around in search of a quick and casual brunch. Since it wasn’t even 11 a.m. on a Saturday, many places I walked by were not open for brunch yet.  I finally came across Eolo. Their brunch menu looked good, and they had tons of outdoor seating, so I decided to take advantage of their brunch on a gorgeous spring day. I was surprised to see that they also offer their full brunch menu on weekdays as well.

Inside of Eolo

Eolo was virtually empty. With plenty of seating to choose from, I opted to sit outside to enjoy the weather and people watch. The outdoor seating had a nice awning over it, and it was a great way to take advantage of dining al fresco without getting totally roasted. I took a peek inside, and the decor was simple and featured a full bar.

The server was very attentive, and my food was out quickly.

Iced coffee

Bottoms up: Eolo features a specialty cocktail list, but I saw a woman drinking a huge iced coffee. After seeing it, I knew I had to have it!

Iced Coffee $5.50

Isn’t that the coolest looking iced coffee you’ve ever seen? I’m an iced coffee fanatic and was in desperate need of a big cup of coffee. This was just what I needed! The big glass made it a little awkward to drink, but I didn’t mind. This coffee also lasted me throughout my whole brunch.

Chew on this:

Bread / Complimentary

Bread

I wasn’t expecting bread, but given I was in an Italian restaurant, it makes sense that I was served this complimentary bread plate shortly after I was seated. I wasn’t really in the mood for any, but I took a few bites and it was pretty good. It was served slightly warm with a side of olive oil, which I always prefer over butter. There were some herbs in the olive oil that added a nice flavor with each dip. 

Omelette $9 / Omelette served with a mixed salad & potatoes. Add $3 for egg white substitution. $2 each additional: broccoli rabe, swiss chard, tomatoes, arugula, fried potatoes, caramelized onions, parmigiano, mushrooms, cauliflower. $3 each additional: roasted peppers, artichokes, fontina, mozzarella, pecorino pepato, house-made ricotta, pancetta, speck, house-made pork sausage.

Omelette with caramelized onions and ricotta

Although a few other dishes on the menu caught my eye, I decided to go with a trusty omelette. I got it with caramelized onions, house-made ricotta and egg whites. The omelette was a little on the small side, but the onions and ricotta went so well together. I LOVED the ricotta! I adore cheese, and it’s hard to find something other than goat cheese or fresh mozzarella that will satisfy that craving, but well-made ricotta will always do the trick. It was so delicious, and it tasted like it had hints of lemon in it. The potatoes were more like the potatoes that you would get on the side of a chicken dish at an Italian restaurant, and not like the typical home fries that you would usually get with an omelette. The potatoes were crispy and not greasy or soggy. The side salad was the perfect portion, although the dressing seemed to have a little bit of a bitter aftertaste. 

Outside of Eolo

The final bite: Even though I thought my omelette was a little pricey, especially if you decide to add a few items to it, I found the food to be tasty. It was a leisurely and relaxing brunch that I would definitely recommend. Stop by on the weekend or take advantage of their weekday brunch if you get a chance.

Reviewed by: Jen

The Caulfield

29 May

Place: The Caulfield

Neighborhood: Flatiron, 117 E. 27th St. (between Park and Lexington Ave.)

Mimosa Rating:

3 mimosas

The scoop: The Caulfield recently reopened in November and started serving brunch in April. They are the sister restaurant to the popular PS 450, located a couple of blocks away. We were invited in to check out The Caulfield’s new brunch menu, which they started serving as another option for hungry brunchers waiting at PS 450. Since Jen enjoyed her brunch at PS 450 last year, we were excited to give The Caulfield a try.

Inside The Caulfield

We made reservations for a Sunday. Since it was the day after Cinco de Mayo, not many people were out brunching. There are several booths set up for brunch, as well as a few hightop tables near the front area of the restaurant for bigger groups. There is also a back room that can accommodate private parties.

The music was fun and upbeat, and the staff couldn’t have been friendlier or more helpful. They were very attentive and helped us with some questions we had about the menu, which included everything from tacos to grilled cheese — a bit random. Our food was served quickly, and we were never rushed out and were able to relax and enjoy each other’s company.

Drinks

Bottoms up: For $25 each, we got unlimited cocktails and our entrées. Drinks included mimosas and bellinis. One of the great things about The Caulfield’s brunch is that they give you a bottle of champagne and carafes of juice, so you can make your own drinks. You can even just have champagne if you prefer.

We made the drinks to our liking. The juice was good, but we weren’t impressed with the champagne. We don’t expect to get served Dom Perignon at brunch, but we shouldn’t have a headache after having only two glasses.

Chew on this:

The Defector / Roasted pork shoulder, pickles, manchego, mustard

The Defector

Since The Caufield has four different grilled cheese sandwiches to choose from, I figured it was their speciality. I was in the mood for pork, so I went with the Defector. Everything in the sandwich meshed well, the cheese wasn’t overwhelming, and I was able to taste the flavors of each ingredient. The pork tasted good, but I wish there was a little more. Based on the description of the sandwich, you may think it’s on the heavy side, but I didn’t feel stuffed since they were very light on the ingredients. The menu states that grilled cheese sandwiches come with salad or chips, but the dish came with a decent amount of both. I enjoyed the salad and the kettle-cooked chips were tasty and enough to share with the table.  

Caulfield Chicken Salad / Mixed greens, grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, avocado, crispy tortillas, scallions, chipotle dressing

Caulfield Chicken Salad

I was in the mood for a salad, and since this dish combined two of my favorite things — grilled chicken and avocado — I decided to give it a shot. I asked for it without tomatoes, and since I’m not a fan of creamy dressings, I got the herb vinaigrette instead on the side. This salad hit the spot! The first thing I noticed when it came out was how much avocado was served on the side. Most places skimp on avocado, so I was really happy to see so many bright green, fresh slices. The grilled chicken was so juicy and flavorful that I actually didn’t even really need any dressing. I just flicked a few forkfuls onto the salad every now and then. The tortillas were a nice surprise, and I ate a few pieces with the avocado. I was very happy with the salad, although I would have liked more lettuce. 

Breakfast Burrito / Scrambled egg, red peppers, black beans, tomatoes, cheddar-jack, scallion, side salad

Breakfast Burrito

I was pleasantly surprised by The Caulfield’s breakfast burrito. I wasn’t blown away by this dish by any means, but it was decent for bar-type food. All of the ingredients blended well together. There weren’t many red peppers in the burrito. In fact, I’m not sure if there were any. The burrito left me full, but not overly stuffed. The side salad was the best part of this dish. More often than not restaurants give you a few measly pieces of lettuce and a couple of tomatoes for a side salad. Not at The Caulfield. They gave me a half plate of leafy greens. Victoria and I probably got more lettuce in our side salads than Jen got in her entrée! It was topped with a simple light vinaigrette. 

Outside The Caulfield

The final bite: While you’re not going to have the best meal ever at The Caulfield, it’s good for what it is — decent food at decent prices. The make-your-own-drinks option would work well for large groups.

Reviewed by: Jen, Stephanie and Victoria

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