The Crooked Tree

The Crooked Tree is a creperie a few blocks from our new apartment on St. Marks Place between First Ave and Ave A. Since we've moved, we've been looking for a place to replace one of our Astoria favorites, Euro Delights, where we regularly went for crepes.

We each ordered a crepe, me the sopressatta and mozzarella, with red onions, and V the mushroom and goat cheese. Both were (in our opinion) more authentically French - thin and modestly filled. The flavors were unique, I liked the mushroom crepe better, but the salami in mine was good and the cheese was fresh. Were were also served a little salad on the side which was nice.

The restaurant is small (like pretty much everything in the East Village) with a casual and comfortable decor. There are bottles of wine decorating one wall, and random things from a Spider-Man figurine to a giant jar of Nutella decorating the other. You can see the kitchen in back and an angled mirror on the wall enables you to see each crepe being prepared. Really the best thing about the atmosphere is the smell: butter. I don't think The crooked Tree quite matched Euro delights, but it certainly deserves a place on my culinary radar.

The Smith

In the heart of the East Village, The Smith serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner every day in a casual upbeat environment.

I really liked this place. I'd compare it to Schiller's Liquor Bar, just on a bigger scale. It even has a funky bathroom and old-school glass bottles for tap water a lá Schiller's. The Smith is a few blocks uptown from our place, on Third Avenue. The restaurant has a lot of street frontage and in warm weather the windows all open up to the street. We took some friends visiting from D.C. there for brunch.

I found the food to be quite good, for what it is. The hit of the meal was the croaker with smoked ham, gruyere cheese, over sourdough rye, with fried eggs drooping over the whole mess. It was a huge portion served in a skillet. I'd say it could easily be shared. Plus, it tasted good - the egg yolk dripping through all the other ingredients made for a good sauce. I had the steak and eggs which came with home fries. It was good, though I felt the meat was a little tough.

As I mentioned before there are a few funky touches at the restaurant. The bathroom is one large room with a bunch of individual stalls, rather than a men's room and a ladies room. Then, oddly, there is a photo booth in the bathroom too. We'll have to go try that out. We were served both flat and sparkling water at no charge, in clear and green glass bottles, respectively.

Unfortunately, I felt the service could have been a little better and more attentive. We were waiting for a while to get some ketchup and to get a replacement fork after one dropped on the floor. But I suppose that's a consequence of their success - the place was busy! And every time I walk by, weekday, weekend, lunch, dinner, it is crowded. I'd definitely go back. Plus I hear they have free food on Wednesdays!

Spring Street Natural

Spring Street Natural Restaurant was founded in 1973 in the heart of SoHo. The Restaurant quickly became a neighborhood fixture, serving up fresh, healthy cuisine at affordable prices to local denizens.

We went to Spring Street Natural because we couldn't get in at nearby Balthazar. It was a cool space, very open and light and also very crowded. Unfortunately we weren't that impressed with the food. I ordered a shrimp and mushroom risotto which seemed more watery than creamy. V had the Mayan eggs which included two eggs on a yellow corn tortilla with black beans, Monterrey Jack cheese, guacamole, lettuce, and ranchero sauce. She was disappointed because it wasn't as salad-like as she expected. I guess that doesn't mean it was bad, it just didn't meet her expectations.

Overall it is a really cool restaurant, with pretty reasonable prices and a neat atmosphere. Maybe we'll try a something else next time, because there's a lot of good looking stuff on the menu.

Bar Americain

An American brasserie, Bar Americain celebrates the foods of America with a healthy dose of the bold flavors Bobby Flay is most known for. ...Bobby combines his American menu with the energetic fast pace of the time-honored European brasserie.

This is my second brunch at Bar Americain, the first having been almost a year ago before I moved to the city. Both times though I was impressed with the creativity on the menu along with the impeccable service and expansive, elegantly designed dining room.

The restaurant is one huge room with 20-foot ceilings and kind of a 20's-style-meets-futuristic decor. Behind the bar is a massive mirror (of multiple panels) that dominates the wall, but balances with a few columns and other pieces that serve to divide the space and the cool five-foot diameter lights that hang over circular banquettes. Off to one side, you can see the kitchen and the raw bar, both things I appreciate. The whole space managed to maintain a sense of intimacy, in that I wasn't distracted by what was happening around me, yet keep an open and spacious feeling. I have yet to visit the mezzanine, which "provides an ideal vantage point for people watching with a slight respite from the bustle of the main floor below."

On to the food. From what I remember, the brunch menu hasn't changed too much in the last year, and that's fine with me: stick with what works. The menu is arranged more like a dinner menu, with appetizers, sides, the raw bar, and entrees listed, along with an selection of cocktails — with everything themed more around breakfast and lunch, than dinner, of course. There were so many dishes that were appealing, it was tough to settle on just one. Luckily I was able to taste a few others.

As I was craving Hollandaise, I ordered the Crawfish & Crab Cakes, with poached eggs and a tarragon Hollandaise. The dish was delicious, though the tarragon was a bit strong in the sauce. I almost wanted to order the Cajun Hollandaise from another dish (which looked amazing) but I didn't want to veer from the chef's choice for the dish. Another favorite at our table was the Blue Corn Fried Eggs. The menu doesn't do the dish justice: we had all passed it over until our server explained how it comes together with eggs over easy atop a large blue-corn 'chip' with chilies, black beans and crumbled cheese. I was jealous of V, who was enjoying every bite. Like this dish, others on the menu were typical of Flay's southwestern style, and they were all very original and well executed.

The Smoked Chicken Pot Pie comes in a ceramic crock with a sweet potato biscuit crust and was very fitting for the season, as it has begun to cool down. The Biscuits and Cream Gravy was tempting with artisanal ham (I wonder exactly what that means?), sausage and scrambled eggs. The previously mentioned Cajun Hollandaise comes atop poached eggs, Tasso ham, and a griddled tomato that looked amazing and also fitting for Flay's style. And the list of things I want to try goes on: an open-face omelet with peppers, mushrooms and goat cheese; Bananas Foster Crepes; and a Grilled Pizza, with smoked bacon, caramelized onions, and toasted garlic. Flay has really put together a great menu.

Finally, to top off the atmosphere and the food, the service too is top notch. Our server was friendly and attentive, he knew the dishes and drinks so well that he was able to convince several of us to change our orders. Still he knew too just the right amount of attention to give and stayed back during most of the meal, allowing us to enjoy the company and conversation at the table. Really, everything came together at Bar American for a great meal. I'm grateful to V's family for inviting me along to this and so many other great meals!

Tastee Corner

Tastee Corner is a little diner a block or so from V's place. We checked it our for Sunday brunch and had a good diner experience. I wouldn't expect much more. The staff is really friendly and prices are good, as is the food. I've gone back a few times for a quick bite to eat before work and the service is quick. The atmosphere is typical diner, but very friendly and community-centered. For a quick, cheap breakfast, I'll go back.

Le Pain Quotedien

The focal point of Le Pain Quotidien has always been the communal table. It has immediate appeal as it embraces customers - whether total strangers or close friends. It welcomes everybody, allowing everyone to relax and enjoy the unique atmosphere.

I like the philosophy and the atmosphere of Le Pain Quotidien. We stopped in after a stroll through Central Park, looking for brunch. I was really impressed with the food and the manner in which it was served - cool plates and just an overall rustic atmosphere.

I ordered a Cobb salad which was pretty good, with large portions of the typical Cobb salad toppings, and a slightly spicy dressing. Being that it is a bakery, bread was served on the side, and it was crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside, just the way it should be.

My only complaint is that it seemed a bit pricey. The communal, casual, atmosphere reminds me a lot of restaurants like Panera which are quite affordable. The prices at "Le Pain" were probably double Panera's. For four of us, brunch, with coffee, was something like $80. I guess it is a bit of a step up, and it is in new York City, but still, that's expensive! This location is only a block or so from my office, so perhaps I'll check it out again and see if I can find some better deals, on their great food.

Morandi

I've read a lot about Morandi, and a few weeks back while exploring the Village (in search of a random artist on the street - long story), I walked past it (it is very near Central Kitchen), which inspired me to give it a try.

Morandi is a rustic Italian trattoria from restaurateur Keith McNally. Executive Chef Jody Williams creates regional dishes from Italy such as Pici al limone and Pizzoccheri al forno. In warmer months, Morandi welcomes guests at its sidewalk café.

V and I made reservations for dinner, but then I got sick and we bumped our plans back a few days to a Sunday brunch. We made our way downtown after church and as we walked to the restaurant we realized that the Gay Pride parade was about to begin. It definitely would have been an interesting meal with a parade marching by, but it turned out that the restaurant was a few blocks from the parade route.

Morandi goes a long way toward creating an authentic atmosphere for their restaurant, from the phone message with a nice Italian accent, to "WC" on the bathroom doors, shelves lined with wine jugs in the dining room, exposed beams along the ceiling, and artisan breads stacked near the kitchen, it all evokes the "rustic Italian trattoria" they're going for. Eating outside with views of New York city and lots of parade participants and spectators decked out in various attire walking by during our meal took away from the atmosphere a bit, but it was still quite nice. It definitely made for good people watching. Where else but New York city can you see drag queens and get authentic Italian at the same time?

The brunch menu had some interesting choices. We started with Cestino di pane, a selection of sweet breads including ricotta fritters, sugar donuts, Italian croissants, anise donuts, grape focaccia and sweet bread. We got little pieces of each of the breads and it was nice to try them all, though my favorite was the ricotta fritters. Our server told us they'd be served warm, but they came out room temperature.

I tried the Fagottini con prosciutto, a baked crepe with ham and fontina. It was very good with great ham and cheese tastes complimented by a soft crepe that was nicely crispy and buttery around the edges. I was very satisfied. V had Trofiette al pesto, a pasta with pesto, potatoes and green beans. I thought it would be odd to have potato in a pasta dish, and I wondered how it would be served. It was much different than we expected, the beans and the potato were mixed into the pasta itself, with he potato julienned into thin strips that fit well with the texture of the pasta. The pesto sauce was very good and gave the dish a nice green color.

After our meal, I was definitely satisfied, though I wanted more - not because I wasn't full, but because I felt like I didn't get the whole Morandi experience. Next time, I'll go for dinner, and I'll sit inside to really soak it all in. Overall it's pretty reasonably priced, with good service and a great atmosphere.

Jerry's Restaurant

Jerry Joseph took a run down cafeteria and turned it into Jerry's--an upscale diner complete with booths, original stainless-steel fixtures and a counter that is not simply a bar, but a place to eat good food.

V's love of mushrooms and our recent experience with Manchego cheese while traveling in the Caribbean combined in one item I found on Jerry's brunch menu so we headed downtown to try it out. It was very good, but I read an inaccurate online menu and was a little surprised by the higher prices.

The decor was comfortable with cool cow-print (or cow skin) booths and bar stools. I didn't get too far into the narrow-but-long restaurant, but it looked more spacious in the back, where the bar is located. The service was a little pretentious, though I suspect that is normal for the neighborhood.

We both tried omelets, V choosing the Mushroom and Manchego while I tried the Chorizo, Onion and Red Pepper omelet. Our server wasn't terribly friendly, I think he could sense we weren't from SoHo, but came all the way from Queens...such tourists. So when I asked if my omelet was served with cheese, he just pointed at the menu, which said nothing about cheese. I added havarti.

Both omelets were tasty, I think we each preferred our own. I felt like V's was too mushroomy, but to her that is what made it good. For me most anything with onions in any form is good. My dish had a good combination of flavors including the onion, though the oil from the chorizo was a little unattractive on my plate. The home fries served on the side weren't anything special. I did enjoy the light salad of fresh greens served on the side, with a nice slightly creamy dressing that was not too overwhelming, but nicely coated the entire salad.

Overall it was a good meal, though the service could be a bit more friendly and the prices a little easier on the wallet.

Pascalou

Sunday brunch at Pascalou on the upper east side was unique, tasty and reasonably priced. I think my favorite part of our experience was where we sat in the tiny restaurant. In the main floor dining area (there's additional seating upstairs), there is a booth that is a few steps above all the others, with seats acing the front of the restaurant so you can see the other diners and have a nice view out the window over everyone's head. We had reservations (recommended, particularly for brunch) but I don't know if we lucked out with this table or it was specifically requested.

The prix fixe brunch menu ($14.95) includes an entree, drink and dessert. It offers a good variety of standards like Eggs Benedict and omelets, as well as some more 'fusion' style offerings like the crab dumplings I ordered.

The dumplings were Thai-style and served with a peanut sauce (which is why I ordered them in the first place). I was even provided chopsticks. The one-inch diameter dumplings were served in a bowl with plenty of the sauce (enough for me to spoon out extra sauce to enjoy on its own). The salad on the side (which came with each of our meals) was nice with mixed greens but was nothing special. Oddly they served what appeared to be Pringles chips as a garnish for the salad.

Our dessert options were orange sorbet served in an orange peel and chocolate cake. I tried a bite of the cake, which seemed dry, but rich. The sorbet was definitely prepared well in advance, portioned into the orange peel and frozen, which made it hard to handle on the plate. I ended up eating it using a fork to hold the orange in place while I attempted spooning out the sorbet. Tasty, but a bit of a challenge to eat.

Overall this was a great place to dine for a casual Sunday brunch. The service was friendly, the price was right, and the food was unique.

Max Brenner, Chocolate by the Bald Man

Max Brenner, the bald man, is creating a new chocolate culture.

There is a wide variety of good looking food on the menu at Max Brenner, Chocolate by the Bald Man and the restaurant is very unique, but there were some things that made me think it is some kind of chain. There's Max Brenner wallpaper and Max Brenner floor tiles, and the "hug mug" (which I'm surprised didn't have a tiny ^TM on the side). As it turns out, yes, there are numerous Max Brenner locations: two in New York City, 11 in Australia, and more in the Philippines, Singapore, and Israel — of course! I knew I'd seen it before.

The real surprise for me at Max Brenner was the diversity and uniqueness of the cuisine. You'd expect a chocolate restaurant to have some really good chocolate dishes and everything else to be secondary. What I found while dining here was a delicious brunch that really made me think about breakfast food differently.

Who's ever had mustard on a waffle? And mustard from a beaker no less! I tried the Croque Madame Waffles, served with two eggs sunny side up with melted cheddar cheese and smoked ham, as well as the Bavarian Waffles which come with smoked kielbasa sausage cooked with onions and melted cheddar, both served over waffles with a mustard sauce on the side. Both were very good but I preferred the croque madame. The egg yolk and cheese made a nice sauce and were very flavorful, and the mustard sauce added a nice little spice that wasn't overwhelming.

I suppose I should also comment on the chocolate. One Max Brenner specialty is the hot chocolate, of which I had the dark, in the "hug mug." Quite good, very rich and chocolatey. I tried a sip of the white hot chocolate which I found to be too sweet for my tastes, but if you like white chocolate, I'd say it was great. They also serve an Italian hot chocolate which is much thicker than the standard but tastes the same. There are a million other chocolate treats too, of which I had none, but they look very tempting, I'll be back some day I'm sure. Especially next time I'm in Singapore.

Euro Delights

Euro Delights is a great little creperie on Broadway in Astoria. I like both the sweet and savory crepes, try #57 or 58. The service is friendly but I've always found it odd that they don't bring you your check (or even ask). Perhaps this is a European style where they'll just let you sit there as long as you like. Every time I've been there we end up getting up and walking up to the register to pay the bill. I need to take better advantage of that prime sitting time, it is a great place to sit and watch people walk by on the street outside, and see the old bartender from Gibney's Pub across the street smoking his pipe.