Pulling off Shabby-Chic and French-Mexican Fusion is Easy For Jolie Cantina

Jolie Cantina - Cobble Hill
241 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231


What is French-Mexican fusion? I'm still not quite sure, but Jolie Cantina pulls it off with ease. And where else would rustic potted plants sit comfortably next to metal lawn chairs and junk-yard shab-fab?

It doesn't matter if this place has a confused décor. I happily drank my tea out of the charming ceramic mug that reminded me of Winnie The Pooh's honey jar.

Ms. Dahlia's Is Home

Ms. Dahlia's Cafe - Bedford-Stuyvesant
449 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn, NY

A small cafe with green chair pillows and pink ceilings provides a welcome bit of charm and flavor to the Bed-Stuy neighborhood. Ms. Dahlia's is more homey than hipster, more old-school than new-school, and more flavor than charm (though it is quite charming).

One word of caution, though. Ms. Dahlia specializes in biscuits and breakfast; desserts are not the forté. After two disappointing experiences with red velvet cupcake in a jar and Nutella pound cake, I don't think I will wait for a third strike on dessert. Nevertheless, this welcoming food parlor is worth a visit. I put my full backing behind the biscuits. Turkey bacon, heavy biscuits with flakey outsides and warm insides, and eggs any style. Throw on some gravy if you'd like--you'll die of a heart attack with a smile affixed to your face. 

Maison Kayser's French Breakfast Stands Above Hell's Kitchen Competition

Maison Kayser - Columbus Circle
1800 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
And other locations

Despite locations across the globe in metropolitan areas such as Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Moscow, and New York, this French chain feels like a special local find. I've dined at the Columbus Circle cafe a couple of times, relaxing my own rule of thumb to taste as many of New York's culinary offerings as possible.

On a previous occasion, I sat in the cafe, decorated simply with odes to France, and ordered the Epinards & Chèvre Cocottes. A mini cast-iron pot arrived with a side of peasant bread. The breakfast consisted of egg and spinach drowned in boiling cheese, equaling a rich breakfast of indulgence in one small pot.

Saumon Fumé Tartine

Most recently, I sat outside in the roped-off sidewalk terrace to dine in the summer sun. My breakfast (above) looked just as full of sunshine.

Oeufs Bénédicte

Not a coffee drinker myself, I gravitate toward teas and particularly enjoy a chai latte as a special indulgence. Cafes and coffee shops too often concoct a lazy-man's version from powdered formula that bastardizes the tea and leaves me with a sickly sweet taste in my mouth. Is it too much to ask for steamed fresh milk infused with deep-brewed chai tea? Not at Maison Kayser. This was the perfect cup, garnished with a few shakes of cinnamon:

Chai Latte

Maison Kayser's prices are affordable but not a bargain. For the same $15-20 you could easily stuff yourself with heaps of pancakes or waffles in the depths of Hell's Kitchen and still have some wiggle room for a breakfast cocktail. But personally I don't mind substituting that big plate of waffle carbs for a charming and high-quality French breakfast.

And if you're on the go, Maison Kayser stocks a full boulangerie in the front so patrons can grab a beverage and pastry before heading up to Central Park...or wherever!

Want to Gorge on Brunch That You Won't Regret? Try Miriam.

Miriam Restaurant - Park Slope
79 5th Ave., Brooklyn, NY

I've been valiantly tested in the all-you-can-eat brunch challenge, only to fail with a post-prandial stomach ache. I've laughed my way through all-you-can drink brunches only to be knocked out the rest of the day. In New York, the brunch options are too delectable to pass up, but four eggs and a basket of fries later I often question whether it was worth it.

Miriam takes away the grease and the guilt.

We managed to squeeze into the buzzing restaurant without too much of a wait. On the exposed brick of the Israeli restaurant hung bright Moroccan ceramic plates. The large windows let in all the daylight. It was busy but calm and very pleasant.

The best part about Miriams is there were no regrets. Healthy but a bit decadent--as anything is with a dollop of creme fraiche--and fair price for the freshness, Miriam hit the spot in every way. I was able to pop my poached eggs, soak up the yolk with warm flatbread, and wash everything down with a healthy heap of Israeli salad. Even the one breakfast cocktail I ordered was a success, having taken the waitress' recommendation for a fresh summer beverage. (I find that too often breakfast drinks are either too expensive or too boozy, with the aim to get the drinker so sloshed he forgets how awful the concoction tastes.)

I left full (not overstuffed) and happy. And I plan to do it again. 

Bubby's Isn't Great Grandma's But It Still Tastes Homemade

Bubby's - TriBeCa
120 Hudson Street, New York, NY

When I imagine Bubby's I picture a tiny Jewish woman no taller than 4' 10" with wisps of grey and white curls and wrinkles that etched the 90 years of life deep into her smiling face. That's because I was lucky enough to have a Bubby--a great, great grandma, who gave me teddy bears and my first memories of Florida.

Bubby's in TriBeCa, on the other hand, is no where near as sweet, old, or even Jewish as my Bubby. Though my Bubby never cooked for me (that I can remember), I can't imagine that home cooked Huevos Rancheros ever came out of her kitchen.

Huevos Rancheros

Make no mistake. Bubby's isn't my image of Bubby, but it sure was great. The restaurant gives a warm feeling, starting with homemade pies that catch your gaze before being seated, then with the sunlit dining area, table tap water, and a menu that took its own time to digest.  

Warm pancakes quickly melted the dark chocolate chips sitting atop. I cut the sweetness by dipping into the side of poached eggs and bacon. What's better with breakfast than freshly squeezed juice? Bubby's has an exhaustingly enticing selection of juices and sodas. I was so overwhelmed I just opted for an old-school grapefruit juice.

Good company and good food made for a great morning. That day I ended up walking from the Financial District all the way up to the mid-50s; those pancakes made for great fuel. 

Stroll Over To The Park For A Glass of Wine Under Illuminated Trees

The Park - Chelsea

118 10th Ave., New York, NY 10011

Firefly lights illuminate the indoor trees at The Park, a multi-purposed bar in Chelsea. My friends and I sat in relative quite under the twinkling lights while a steady bass pulsed from a nearby room (from which we could see drunken people stumble out from the crowd). The space is composed of not only The Garden, where we were sitting, but also the Main Room, the Atrium, the Red Room, and the Penthouse. 

For my friends and I, this was a quiet last stop to a laid-back evening of cocktails and banter; so we were in no mood to join the fray of boozy club goers. It was also too late for dinner--or even dessert. However, the calm of nature brought under the warmth of the indoors, friendly waitresses, and reasonably priced drinks (for Manhattan) indicated this would lend itself to a very pleasant mid-day repast.

As they also serve brunch, lunch, and dinner, I intend to go back to The Park  to experience it under a different light. It's particularly tempting when the cold and rain-drenched city is begging for a spring that just isn't quite ready to blossom yet.

DBGB Kitchen & Bar Served An Enjoyable Birthday Brunch

DBGB Kitchen & Bar - East Village
299 Bowery (Between Houston and 1st St.), New York, NY 10003 

We elected DBGB Kitchen and Bar as my birthday brunch destination. With a reservation we secured a side table--a cozy booth on three sides inlaid from the restaurant. The menu, which consisted of a la carte brunch, lunch, and dessert as well as a prix fix option for restaurant week, had enough diversity on a single two-sided page for everyone.

Starting with appetizers of oysters and a grapefruit chopped salad and ending with sweet notes of pomegranate and chocolate, from start to finish it was a lovely brunch.

My roommate boldly took on the recommended cod sandwich, swearing upon the first bite of lightly fried fish it was indeed a surprisingly delicious choice. The sweet brunch was just as well done as the savory, as experienced with a bite of my dad's fruit and whipped cream topped Belgian waffle. The warm waffle melted in my mouth without any crisp exterior to break through, yet it was firm enough to hold the berries and (real) whipped cream without becoming soggy.

The one obvious flaw lay in the poached eggs. Presented in a white square bowl as part of my dish of bacon, sausage, and greens, one poke with a fork showed a hard yoke of muted yellow. However, after I politely asked the chef to try again the waiter returned with runny eggs, an apology, and a confirmation that hard poached eggs should not have been released from the kitchen.

And after a chocolate praline dessert topped with ice cream reminiscent of creamed mousse, the egg episode was long forgotten. I would certainly go back.

Smorgas Chef Masters Hollandaise Sauce

Smorgas Chef - Financial District
53 Stone St., New York, NY 10004

There is a large birch tree in the middle of this restaurant. Even with a tree sticking up from the floor, the most memorable thing from this restaurant was the eggs Benedict trio. Three eggs, each perfectly prepared, each with a different garnish.

This dish often calls to me, but too often I am disappointed. The Hollandaise sauce is congealed; the English muffin isn't fresh or warm; grocery store meat sits under my egg. My standards for eggs Benedict are high, but when all the ingredients are fresh and fine and the eggs and sauce are artfully prepared, it is worth the treasure hunt. Next time I must try the crepes--they looked good even from my food coma.

Five Points Has Better Churros Than Spain

Five Points - NoHo

31 Great Jones Street, New York, NY 10012

A lovely brunch spot with a modern garden feel from the potted plants lining the walls and a carved log as a garden trough running through the restaurant. We started with churros dipped in hot chocolate. The chocolate was not as thick and dense as the warmed cocoa my family and I had in Madrid, so it did not serve dipping purposes, though the taste and consistency were perfect for regular American hot-choclate. The churros, however, were better than those we had in Spain, which were harder and more oily. By contrast, the Five Points churros resembled hot, fresh doughnuts rolled in cinnamon and sugar.

The main meals were well plated and tasteful. The stuffed french toast stood tall as the favorite dish. A pitcher of mimosas and helpful waiters made for a pleasant brunch. All was delicious, and we plan to return for the Monday evening $24 lobster special!