Schiller’s Liquor Bar

131 Rivington St (b/w Norfolk St & Suffolk St)

Weekend brunch is a highly coveted activity for many New Yorkers. Thus, it is not uncommon to walk down any street in Manhattan on Saturday or Sunday afternoon with every Brunch spot packed to the brim. It is uncommon, however, to wait several hours for a table at the brunch spot of your choice—in my case it was Clinton Street Baking Company. I finally convinced InterSportsWriter to come down to the Lower East Side and meet me for a taste of their infamous pancakes only to learn the wait time was over 2 hours.

With his passport in hand (being from the Upper West Side), we walked 2 blocks south to Schiller’s Liquor Bar, owned by the same people as Pastis and Balthazar. The restaurant was nearing capacity when we arrived, but we had no trouble obtaining a table.

For our meals, we ordered the gorgonzola omelet w/ home potatoes and a sour cream & hazelnut waffle topped w/mixed berries.

The omelet was amazing (as many things with blue cheese usually are); the waffle, however, left me confused. There was no sour cream to speak of, and it was not until InterSportsWriter dissected it that the hazelnuts clumped together in the middle made themselves known. The maple syrup is made with bourbon, adding a nice change of pace to an otherwise standard waffle.

Overall, I was pleased. It’s hard to go wrong with an omelet featuring gorgonzola cheese as the main attraction or a waffle with alcoholic syrup for that matter.

One last thing worth nothing about Schiller’s Liquor Bar is the bathroom. It features a large communal wash basin reminiscent of a 50’s diner, which is probably what the owners intended.

Of the three, I still prefer Meatpacking’s Pastis, but Schiller’s is not a bad second.

DAMAGE ~ $30
VERDICT: Go

Sarabeth's

423 Amsterdam Ave (b/w 80th St & 81st St)

I would bet the average New Yorker dines out significantly more often than most people in the rest of the country. Being no exception, if I were to blog every last place visited, I would have little time to do much else.

Whether or not I review a restaurant depends largely on the food and the service. Sometimes I write to warn others; sometimes I write to urge others. The Lemon Ricotta Pancakes at Sarabeth’s on the Upper West Side fall into the urge category.

InterSportsWriter and I made plans for Brunch one Sunday morning and nearly abandoned our idea at the sight of the large crowd waiting for a table to open up inside. I insisted we check the wait time anyway, and as fate would have it, they had a table for 2 available. Seconds later, we were seated ordering beverages.

My Brunch companion had been to Sarabeth’s many times and, knowing my appreciation for foods of a lemony sort, urged me to try the Lemon and Ricotta Pancakes w/ Fresh Berries. ISW also said the Spinach & Goat Cheese Omelet was worth trying, so we ordered that as well.

Looking back, my taste buds shake in anticipation at the thought of those pancakes. I'm not a pancake person, yet Sarabeth’s has caused me to reevaluate my feelings about flat cakes. They were the best I ever had in my life and easily fall into the top 5 things I have eaten this year. The omelet was the perfect fluffy balance of goat cheese to egg and spinach.

I was highly impressed with the meal and the service. There are several other Sarabeth's around the city, including one on the Upper East Side and one in Chelsea Market. There is no doubt I will be back, the question is how soon.


DAMAGE ~$50
VERDICT: GO NOW!

Bread Tribeca

301 Church St (b/w Walker St & White St)

A 24-hr visit to New York City is not complete without the staple Sunday Brunch. For this reason, I insisted CanseoTaris and I feast at the prime Brunch hour of 1pm, several hours before she had to catch a flight back to Texas.

We ended up at Bread Tribeca, not to be confused with Bread off Spring Street. Despite not having reservations on Mother’s Day, we were seated immediately. I ordered a latte; my companion asked for a chocolate potion of deliciousness…more on this later.

For the meals, CanseoTaris ordered a salmon dish, while I had their specialty for the day, the virgin frittata w/ goat cheese, arugula, and tomato. It was one of the only items on the menu I could order.

The frittata was good but not spectacular—is there such a thing when it comes to frittatas? CanseoTaris really enjoyed her dish. The side salad that came with the frittata was a nice touch to finish off the meal.

Looking back, I should have brought a tape recorder to remember exactly what CanseoTaris ordered to drink. Her request was vague, “I’d like something cold with chocolate.” The server completely understood and returned with something light, cold, and chocolaty. It was the perfect drink on a gorgeous Spring day.

The space was open and airy, reminding me of Montreal cafes. Service was on the slow side. I can’t say whether I’ll be back due to the limited Brunch menu, but I will never forget that amazing chocolate drink.


DAMAGE ~$54
VERDICT: Pass

Mesa Grill

102 5th AvenueMeet Chef Bobby Flay’s New York installation, formerly known as Mesa Grill and located in Flatiron.

InterSportsWriter and I were browsing the area on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, somewhat on the hunt for cupcakes (although neither of us had officially declared that our purpose), when I realized we had just enough time for a late Brunch. I suggested Mesa Grill because I had my eye on the Southwest eatery since first walking past its multi-colored sign many months ago.

We were seated immediately. I skipped my standard coffee and brunch cocktail and went straight for the main course. We ordered the following:

“Scrambled Eggs ChilaQuiles,” roasted tomatillo sauce, white cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

“Ranch Style Eggs Tostada,” w/ crispy flour tortilla, ancho chile tomato sauce, white cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

Ancho chile tomato sauce is basically a chili sauce sans meat. Everything was great. Looking back, I might have preferred the food a bit spicier (or perhaps I should have asked for some Tabasco), but overall, the food was very good.

The restaurant itself was 2 stories and very spacious. Because I’m so used to overcrowded, cramped Village eateries, I truly appreciate a decent sized restaurant on the rare occasions I eat at one. The size and interior of Mesa Grill were absolutely perfect.

If you are craving Southwestern grub, this place is a must, at least for brunch. Be sure to try the grits; they are fantastic. I’m told this place is not so vegetarian friendly come nightfall, but I shall save that visit for another occasion.

DAMAGE ~ 30
VERDICT: Go

Prune

54 E 1st St

When I dream of Brunch, I long for overcrowded, loud places with extreme waits and overpriced food. Why? It builds character and leaves you with a lasting impression. As a result, you generally expect more from the food and service.

Should the restaurant deliver, you brag about it to your friends and experience long lines on repeat visits. Should it fail, you caution others through flyers, posters, billboards, whatever means necessary to prevent them from making the same mistake.

Prune, located off Allen and Houston in the Lower East Side, is exactly this type of place. I’ve had my eye on its door for many months. One Sunday afternoon craving eggs, Bloody Mary’s, and coffee, I went. An hour 30 minutes later, my Brunch companion and I were seated.

I ordered Huevos Rancheros, baked eggs in tomato and chili sauce with black beans and avocado. My companion (with slight coaxing from myself and the waitress) ordered Spicy Stewed Chickpeas, butter-crumbed eggs with chickpeas served over flatbread.

What exactly is butter crumbed eggs you ask? Pure deliciousness. The more technical description is poached eggs covered in Prune’s own breadcrumb-like concoction.

Everything was really great. At the end of our meal, I ordered a Southwest Bloody Mary from Prune’s eclectic Bloody Mary menu. I asked the waitress to substitute tequila for another liquor I can tolerate (tequila makes me nauseous). It was very good.

Although I was disappointed that most of their other Bloody Mary options contained some form of meat or clam juice, I could not help being impressed at the large selection, each priced at $9. The unusually long wait was a small sacrifice to my above average dining experience at Prune.

The place is pricey, but I left with my stomach full, taste buds satisfied, and bank broke. Mission accomplished.


DAMAGE ~52
VERDICT: Go

Freemans

Freeman Alley (off Rivington b/w Bowery & Christie)

Dear New York,

Please keep surprising me with your hidden little gems.

Love,

NYCFOODIE17

Nestled at the end of Freeman Alley off Rivington is a cute American eatery called Freemans. The place is virtually hidden from public view. I discovered the restaurant while walking around the Lower East Side one morning and made it my primary objective to eat there immediately.

Saturday afternoon, my dream was realized as I arrived at Freemans 30 minutes before 4pm, the cutoff time for Brunch. The place was packed but I scored a table within 5 minutes.

I started off with a latte and an artichoke dip for an appetizer.

For my entrée, I ordered their version of Eggs Florentine, featuring eggs and spinach in a skillet topped with gruyere cheese, served with buttered sourdough bread. I ordered a side of cheesy grits and gave my sausage links (came with meal) to my dining companion; he ordered chip steak served with eggs on a baguette.

Everything from the latte, to the artichoke dip, to the butterscotch bananas foster with salted caramel ice cream for dessert (I couldn’t resist), was delish. My cup of sugar with splashes of expresso and steamed milk, I mean latte, was literally one of the best I have had in the city; so good, I nearly got one to go the following morning.

The gruyere cheese served with my main dish was a first for me. It had a pungent odor but meshed well with eggs and sourdough bread. However, I doubt I would order it again simply because the smell was a little much.

There is an intriguing cocktail menu worth checking out, possibly on a repeat visit when I need to impress out-of-towners with my knowledge of hidden eateries.

The restaurant specializes in “Rustic American Cuisine” and definitely has the same vibe; think part hunting lodge, part Connecticut home. There is taxidermy on the walls, slightly disturbing but not overwhelming as several other places in the city.

It is on the pricey side, but so are most places in Manhattan.


DAMAGE ~60
VERDICT: Go

Smörgås Chef

283 W 12th St

Painted in yellow on a cute corner in West Village is a cute spot known as Smorgas Chef. Sir Fancy Pants chose the Scandinavian venue as it featured a reasonable pre-fixe Brunch menu.

We were seated immediately at a table for two near a brick wall separator. I got started with a café au lait and SFP, a Bloody Mary. For our meals, I ordered the Eggs Florentine with salad, and SFP had baked eggs with their version of hash browns.

Because I was not in the best of spirits when we visited, I barely touched my coffee and ate half of my meal. The entrée came with a mimosa, which I took a couple sips of before passing it over to SFP. Luckily, my stomach came around later in the afternoon and was pleased with the leftovers. SFP enjoyed his baked eggs, and his potatoes were very good from what I tried.

Despite the delicious food and the cute décor featuring funky light fixtures made of glass bottles, I cannot recommend Smorgas Chef. The brick wall separator to the left of me had literally an inch of caked on dust. As any true restaurateur can vouch, the little things matter just as much, if not more, than the big. The glass bottles scattered as artwork around the room looked as if they had not been cleaned in years. It frightens me to think of what the kitchen looked like.

The eatery has four locations around Manhattan, so no doubt you might stumble upon one someday. Enter at your own risk…


DAMAGE ~32
VERDICT: PASS

Diablo Royale

189 W 10th St
Picture this: me walking through West Village craving a Bloody Mary and Sir Fancy Pants, a Mimosa. Add a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, a Mexican eatery called Diablo Royale, no line, and you have my brunch experience last weekend.

Given that Mexican is my favorite cuisine ever, I could not resist stopping in for a quick bite and dragged SFP with me. We sat at the bar, ordered drinks, and decided to share one brunch entrée of my choosing.

I ordered the Huevos Rancheros—scrambled eggs with ranchero sauce, black beans, and sliced avocado over a crispy tortilla. I also asked for a side of chips and salsa and SFP ordered a side of bacon. Everything was good, but not spectacular.

It’s hard to go wrong with such a staple dish as huevos rancheros. What did stand out about the meal was the drinks. You know you’ve had a good Bloody Mary when your lips are on fire and your throat burns, yet still you continue to drink the spicy beverage because it is that good.

This was not the case at Diablo Royale. The Bloody Mary was good but nothing worth going back for. However, the Mexican hot chocolate I had at the end of the meal was noteworthy, something definitely worth having again. It was thick and had a slight kick to it. The tortilla chips were also very good but on the salty side.

The spot is cute and relaxed, but there is better Mexican to be had in the area.


DAMAGE ~36
VERDICT: PASS

Extra Virgin

259 W 4th St

Saturday for brunch, Sir Fancy Pants, 60sBumbleBee, and I sat down in a West Village eatery called Extra Virgin. I picked the restaurant based on the location and several reviews I read on yelp.com claiming Extra Virgin as the best Brunch ever.

To get started, SFP and I ordered a Mimosa and a Bloody Mary respectively; 60sBumbleBee stuck with tea. For our main courses, SFP ordered baked eggs with a side of bacon; 60sBumbleBee ordered the omelet of the day, and I ordered the Virgin Frittata with goat cheese, tomato, arugula, and basil pesto.

The Virgin Frittata can best be described as a Greek style omelet. It was twice the size of a regular omelet and the texture reminded me of a quiche. I also ordered a side of Fries with Gorgonzola Fondue for the table.

I recently developed an addiction to blue cheese, and the fries with the gorgonzola dip were nothing short of amazing. Besides the Gorgonzola Fondue, nothing blew me away about Extra Virgin. My Bloody Mary was watery and weak; my Virgin Frittata was somewhat dry (I nearly asked for a side of Hollandaise sauce); and my café au lait was too watered down to be considered coffee. I was more excited about eating my meal for lunch the following day with my own olive oil and vinegar than I was while at Extra Virgin.

On the other hand, SFP and 60sBumbleBee loved their dishes. SFP was thrilled at the many strips of bacon that came on the side for only $5.00. Each plate ranged in price from $9-13, relatively cheap by West Village standards, and the portion sizes were quite big, almost to the point of overwhelming.

Although I was impressed by the Mediterranean influenced varied selection of Brunch dishes, the hype surrounding Extra Virgin combined with my unsatisfactory drinks and meal ruined it for me. I would go back for that blue cheese fondue…

As we were leaving around noon, I noticed there was a wait to get a table. I suppose the place is more popular than I originally thought.


DAMAGE ~84
VERDICT: PASS

Public

210 Elizabeth St

CanuckDJ, Sir Fancy Pants, and I visited Public, a Nolita hot spot, for Brunch Saturday afternoon. A thirty minute wait was lightened by the offer to sit at the bar until a table opened up.

To get started, I ordered the Public Mary, Public’s version of the Bloody Mary. It is not listed on the drink menu of their website, and I can’t say I blame them. It was the best Bloody Mary I ever had. It was a refreshing take on the classic cocktail. Sir Fancy Pants ordered a Fig and Vanilla Bellini, which was light and crisp. Drinks for my meal included my staple Café au Lait and the Passionfruit and Orange Bellini, also very nice. CanuckDJ stuck with coffee and later on pineapple juice.

We were seated at a table near a brick wall towards the front of the restaurant. All three of us ordered some version of Eggs Benedict. I ordered 2 fried eggs on English Toast, which came with spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes. I also ordered a side of hollandaise sauce because I heard good things.

When the food arrived, I was disappointed. I quickly realized I had ordered the wrong dish. I could have easily executed the meal myself and I make much better fried eggs. The hollandaise sauce was good, but I was so disappointed with the rest of my meal that I barely noticed. Sir Fancy Pants and CanuckDJ had no complaints.

After our meal, we split a blood orange muffin from the table in the center of the dining room. It was good but nothing special.

Public is owned by a concept and design firm called AvroKO. In addition, they own recently opened Double Crown in SoHo, and do a number of other projects around the city. Judging by the scene and presentation at Public, the masterminds behind AvroKO know exactly what they are doing, but the chefs have a thing or two to learn.

The space was bright with high ceilings and mirrors along one wall, giving the appearance you were dining in a space much larger than it was. If you were to walk past the bar, you would come to the Monday Room, a small space with lounge seating, meant to enjoy cocktails or perhaps a muffin.

The bathroom had free bars of soap for the taking featuring the Public logo. In the center of the restaurant was a small table with different types of bread and muffins. If you wanted one, you simply paid for it with your meal.

There were 2 larger spaces enclosed in wine bottles that were shut off by a sheer curtain. My guess is those areas are reserved for larger parties over 10 or for a fee.

Despite my meal leaving something to be desired, I would be open to going back for dinner or perhaps Brunch, if nothing else but to have the Public Mary grace my lips again. If I do go for Brunch, I guarantee I will not order the same dish.

DAMAGE ~ $120 (Brunch for 3 w/ drinks)
VERDICT: Go

Balthazar

80 Spring St.

Balthazar, Balthazar, Balthazar…
How I longed to whisper sweet nothings in your ear.
Instead, you have left me bitter…
No. Stop. I don’t want to hear.
I really thought we could be happy,
but you lied and abused me for your own personal gain.
You hurt my pride in more ways than one;
Don’t call me. You’ve caused enough pain.

As the aforementioned poem states, my visit to Balthazar did not go quite as expected. After struggling for weeks to get Brunch reservations at the trendy French bistro in SoHo, owned by the same folks that own Pastis, I finally managed to nab Sunday Brunch reservations at 11:00a.m. A dream come true…or so I thought…

We were seated immediately upon arrival, three minutes after 11. The place was packed and there was a line out the door of people waiting to see if anyone failed to show up for their reservation. I ordered my standard Café au Lait to start. The server asked if I would like it in a bowl or cup; I said bowl. My cup of coffee arrived in a huge bowl as shown below. Little did I know, this was only 1 of 2 things worth noting about the popular restaurant.

I then asked for a mimosa and was kindly informed they do not serve alcohol until after 12 in accordance with New York State Law. Given that I had worked so hard to get into the place, I let this slide. I ordered the Eggs Florentine, 2 eggs served with spinach and artichoke. Sir Fancy Pants ordered the Eggs Meurette, 2 poached eggs served in wine sauce topped with bacon and mushrooms. The server informed me the Eggs Florentine does not come with English Muffins. Incredulous as to how they could serve Eggs Florentine without muffins, I asked for them on the side, which I was charged an extra $3.00 for in addition to the $18.50 pricetag of the meal.

After he put our order in, another server brought us a bread basket containing 4 decent size pieces of white and wheat bread. Then it was time for our meal. The Eggs Florentine was topped with Béchamel sauce instead of the traditional Hollandaise sauce. The sauce turned out to be dry and bland; it consists of only milk, flour, and possibly butter. I heard no complaints from Sir Fancy Pants.

The second thing worth noting was the Apple Tart dessert we shared following the meal. It was very nice and cooked to perfection topped with Vanilla Bean ice cream. I also ordered a Hot Chocolate. After two sips, I asked the server to take it off the bill. It looked like hot chocolate, but tasted like brown liquid and steamed milk.

The atmosphere was nice and open with high ceilings, and the bathroom in the basement had its own attendant. The service was also very good. Unfortunately, a good Café au Lait, a delicious Apple Tart, and attentive servers does not justify going back for Balthazar's pricetag.

I’ve done Brunch at Pastis; I left feeling delighted, satisfied, and open to going back. I don’t know what the owners were thinking with Balthazar. I really do not get all the hype surrounding the place. At nearly $20 a portion, it is not worth it.

Perhaps the only good to come out of this much anticipated visit to Balthazar was it broke (i.e. scarred) me of ordering my staple Brunch entrée of Eggs Florentine.


DAMAGE ~ $55 (before tip)
VERDICT: PASS

The Irish Rogue

356 W 44th St

After attempting to buy Broadway tickets near Times Square two hours before the box office opened, I decided the day was not to be lost yet. What better way to spend a Sunday morning waiting to get tickets than at Brunch? Although I was outside my comfort zone of the Village, Sir Fancy Pants and I made a go at Brunch anyway.

The first place we checked out was Mercury Bar. We were in and out in three minutes. Although the place was empty, we were informed by the waitress they do not serve mimosas until noon. Something about being on a residential block. It was 11am. I hold mimosas in rank with my coffee for Brunch; I cannot have one without the other. No way were we going to stay at a place advertising $15 Brunch specials, including three complimentary drinks, without the ability to order the three drinks for another hour.

So we walked across the street to Marseille. Same story, different tune. This was unfortunate because I was looking forward to eating there; I will make an effort to come back one day after noon.

Finally, we went around the block to The Irish Rogue. With Brunch specials starting at $11.95 plus two complimentary drinks, I decided it would be our best option. The place was empty save a couple guys at the bar. We were seated immediately and both sat on the same side of the booth to watch the numerous flat screen television screens littered around the room. There was a European soccer game showing, which impressed Sir Fancy Pants because he had just come from viewing an earlier game of Liverpool v. Newcastle. He was more than happy to keep watching the sport.

I ordered a mimosa, a café au lait, Eggs Florentine, and a Hot Chocolate with Butterscotch (a specialty drink they serve during winter). The Eggs Florentine was not on the menu, but Eggs Benedict was, so I got them to substitute the bacon for spinach; the expresso machine was broken, so they brought me a regular coffee instead; and they were out of marshmallows, which should have come with the Butterscotch Hot Chocolate. Sir Fancy Pants had three mimosas (he got my extra that came with the meal) and steak and eggs. He said his steak was not as rare as he would have liked but cleaned his plate nonetheless. Our meals were served with potatoes shaped as chips, of which I only managed to get through about 1/3 of mine.

That being said, I enjoyed our meal. The Eggs Florentine were delish, and the Butterscotch Hot Chocolate was a delight to my taste buds and stomach, which normally cannot handle anything that sweet mixed with alcohol. Although I do not see myself coming back because I am rarely in that area before noon, I appreciated their prices and them serving alcohol when the next block refused.


DAMAGE~$38 before tip (2 meals + 1 coffee + 1 butterscotch hot chocolate)
VERDICT: Go if in the area before noon and want liquor

Great Jones Café

54 Great Jones Street (b/w Bowery and Lafayette)

Sunday Brunch was had at Great Jones Café located in NoHo. Sir Fancy Pants requested someplace reasonably cheap, so I set to work and found a tiny café with supposedly the top Bloody Mary’s in the city. Given that many restaurants in New York claim they have the “best” of something (pizza, mimosas, hot chocolate), I decided it was worth investigating.

We were seated a couple minutes after we arrived. The small café was a couple people short of capacity in a space that seats maybe 20. This may have been due to the sub zero, frigid weather outside. I ordered the Huevos Rancheros [scrambled eggs on corn tortilla with ranchero sauce, sour cream, and cheese] with a Mimosa and a Café au Lait. The waitress looked at me like I was crazy, so I settled for the house coffee, which was included with my meal. Every meal on the colorful one page menu came with choice of cornbread or biscuit and homefries or grits. I got the biscuit and homefries.

Sir Fancy Pants ordered the Farmer’s Market breakfast, basically an omelet, along with the biscuit and homefries. He also ordered the Cajun Mary, recommended to us by the waitress over the Bloody Mary. The Cajun Mary was delicious. I highly recommend it to anyone who goes here; much like a Bloody Mary but with a spicier, more flavorful kick. The gravy had sausage in it, which was a bummer because I am a sucker for good white or brown gravy, a rarity in New York. Otherwise, I would have liked to try it…

The atmosphere was cozy and the crowd looked to be mostly out of towners visiting their New Yorker son/ daughter/ friend. I felt safe and comfortable inside the cozy space, but the place was pricier than expected, as the menu has no pricing.

Cajun Marys are the stuff that great Brunches dream about. The rest of the meal can be had or lost. My Mimosa was good, but not great. I enjoyed my Huevos Rancheros, not surprising given that Mexican Food is my favorite food genre. The home fried potatoes were good but nothing I could not whip up on my own; the biscuits were rock hard. I peeled away the salvageable insides. Mr. Fancy Pants enjoyed his meal as well, but once again, there was nothing special to it. The only reason to go back would be for the Cajun Marys.

DAMAGE ~$55
VERDICT: PASS