Upstairs At The Kimberly

145 E. 50th St.
212.888.1220

In anticipation of the summer, Brunch Chick decided it was time to try a new brunch roof deck spot.  So me and my posse headed over to Upstairs at The Kimberly.  Usually, I am not much of an "uptown girl" but for the sake of brunchers everywhere I endured the thirty minute ride uptown on the 6 train.




The exterior of the hotel is nothing impressive, if anything a bit worn and stodgy.  Upstairs the  atmosphere is "boutique hotel - chic"; reminiscent of Hotel Rivington,  Mondrian Hotel and The Andaz.

Most of the clientele are young,  glossy hipster types with a few hotel guests sprinkled into the mix.

For a Sunday afternoon the restaurant was quite empty.  With only a handful of tables and an open bar, we were promptly seated and given MENUS.

We opted for the $15 per person unlimited mimosa, beer and Bloody Mary's.  We proceeded to wait around 20 minutes for our first round of mimosas, an instant brunch buzz kill.  With the restaurant half empty, several servers working and no one at the bar, the waiting time between rounds was quite perplexing.  (I think we had a total of three rounds of mimosas).  The mimosa quality was pretty weak, consisting of mostly orange juice with a dash of champagne. (Buzz kill #2)

Scottish Smoked Salmon Egg Benedict

I ordered the Scottish Smoked Salmon Egg Benedict.  Disappointment, does not begin to describe this dish.  The sauce was way too heavy, and the texture was grainy.  The eggs were undercooked and runny.  The final kicker was the whole dish was served cold.  The only redeeming element of the entree was the side of fries (Which rode up with us on the elevator in a service cart in their frozen form... classy).  At $21.00 this was the most I've ever paid for a bad plate of eggs.

Truffled Duck Egg Toast

Justine ordered the Truffled Duck Egg Toast with duck prosciutto and gruyere cheese and was pleased with the taste and size of the dish.  And although she actually got a hot plate, she agreed the product was not worth the price at $24.00. 

Ham and Cheese Croissant

Connie had the best order with the Ham and Cheese Croissant with a sunny side up egg.  The dish was simple and well executed; a classic French entree done well.

Connie and Brunch Chick

Justine

I was extremely disappointed by Upstairs At The Kimberly.   The server acted like we were invisible, the food was mediocre at best, and the "unlimited" drink special pointless.  The trendy space and roof top views are the calling card for this Upper East Side roof top restaurant.   But Brunch Chick doesn't care how trendy you are, a cold plate of undercooked, overpriced food, coupled with abysmal service is a deal breaker.   If the price you are demanding is as high as your roof deck altitude you need to deliver a quality product.  Now I know why the restaurant was half empty.  Don't waste your money, have a drink at the bar, soak in the view and then head to Upper East Side's Sarabeth's for some great food.  

Bruncher Beware:  The glass enclosure added in winter months has a green house effect on the space.  Leave your cashmere at home and opt for a tank top.

$$$$/$$$$$

*/*****

Edward's

136 W. Broadway
212. 233. 6436
www.edwardsnyc.com

Brunch Chick loves nothing more than a great brunch date.  There's something magical about a date that lasts well into the next day.  And what better way to spend a lazy Sunday then with a handsome guy that you are kinda crazy about (OK, a lot crazy about) than to brunch?    Last Sunday I headed over to a cozy, Tribeca restaurant known as Edward's with my squeeze.

The restaurant is small, with about a dozen tables.  Edward's interior has a comfortable, French art deco vibe with sunlight streaming in from the large, front windows. The crowd consists of typical "Tribecanites"; a mix of young  professionals, and fledgling families.  One wouldn't want drink too many mimosas for fear of drunkenly tripping over one of the many strollers crowding the entrance.  (This is not a rager brunch).

Omelette (3 items)

Menu options range from salads, to quesadillas, to pastas, to burgers to omelettes.  I can see why the families frequent, apart from the kids menu, there is literally something for everyone.  Brunch purist that I am, I ordered the Omelette (3 items) with spinach, mushrooms and a dash of swiss cheese.   The omelette was well cooked, and I was happy they agreed to sub out the fries for salad.

Huevos Rancheros

My squeeze, who was in the middle of a carbo-load (don't ask, he's a crazy fitness nut) ordered the Huevos Rancheros with eggs, cheddar cheese, tostada, and black beans & pico de gallo.  All in all, a very tasty dish, perfect for carbo loading (terrible for brunch chick's attempt at forming a semblance of toned obliques)

Brunch Chick

My date didn't want a mimosa, but for the good of brunchers everywhere I had to order a mimosa.  There is no unlimited brunch drink special (which is probably a good thing, considering the obstacle course of strollers by the entrance, and for the sake of presenting a non-alcoholic image to my date), but they do offer a $5.00 mimosa or Bloody Mary with a brunch entree.



I enjoyed the laid back atmosphere, and the solid brunch fare at Edward's.  If I was in the neighborhood, I would definitely come back to to this local Tribeca haunt, but I wouldn't probably pick a different venue for a boozy brunch with the girls.

Bruncher Beware:  Edwards is perfect for a leisurely, intimate brunch for two.  The space is not suited for large parties.

$$$/$$$$$

***/*****

Noho Star

330 Lafayette St.
212.925.0070
http://www.nohostar.com/

Brunch Chick loves nothing more than a boozy brunch.  I relish a great unlimited mimosa and Bloody Mary deal like any other New Yorker.  However, there comes a time when one must brunch sober due to obligations later in the day.  I believe the perfect place to do this is Noho Star.

Noho Star is located in a the recently gentrified, artsy, trendy neighborhood, located just north of Houston St. known as (you guessed it)... Noho.  And who better to brunch with than my artsy, film friend Connie Pierce-Winters.  Connie and I worked together in the trenches at Law and Order: Criminal Intent and although we've moved onto other things still stay close friends with a mutual passion for art, film, travel and night life.  When Connie recommended Noho Star, I was eager to give it a try.

I was pleased to walk into a large, light filled, comfortable space.  Noho Star has the look and feel of an unpretentious European bistro.  We arrived later in the day, around 3pm, and the restaurant was not crowded and we had our pick of tables.

Brunch Chick and Connie Pierce-Winters

The MENU is quite impressive with a wide range of options, incorporating cuisines from all around the world with dishes such as Eggs Chiapas (crisp tortilla, sunnyside eggs, guacamole, cheddar, bacon and refried beans), Eggs Hollywood (scrambled eggs with soft-cooked broccoli and stilton on toast).

Eggs Hauge

After much deliberation.  I decided on the Eggs Hauge, poached eggs, smoked salmon, basil pesto, all on a homemade biscuit.  The dish was flawless with perfectly poached eggs, high quality salmon and fresh vegetable.  The basil pesto put it over the top.  I could eat this for breakfast every morning (I have used this as inspiration for a pesto egg-white omelette I make at home, but that's a post for another day).

Eggs'n Apple Benedict with Maple Syrup on French Toast
With Edwards Bacon

Connie ordered the house specialty, the Eggs'n Apple Benedict with Maple Syrup on French Toast with Edwards Bacon.  The sweet and savory combination of flavors was absolutely to die for!  Although we stuck to the "Noho Breakfast Dishes" section of the menu, the entree choices run the gamut from soup to salad to sandwiches to burgers.

And then the moment of truth arrived.  Could Brunch Chick make it through a brunch without a mimosa?  I decided what could ONE mimosa hurt.   So, I gave into brunch temptation, ordering my $10.00 single mimosa.  Worth. Every. Penny.  With fresh squeezed orange juice,  a generous amount of tasty champagne, and an artfully placed orange peel, it was one of the best mimosas I have other had.  This was no Tropicana orange juice and buck chuck "champagne" mimosa, this was the REAL thing.

At Noho Star, the brunch is not about the unlimited booze, the social scene, or massive amounts portions, it's about great food.  On our way out our waiter casually told us Rachael Ray is a huge fan of the Brushette (soft scrambled eggs, goat cheese and sundried tomatoes); somehow I'm not surprised.

Bruncher Beware:  There is no unlimited drink special. If you're looking for a boozy brunch, this will get pricey fast.

$$$/$$$$$

****/*****

Brunch Chick at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

So embarrassing!  I sound like Minnie Mouse... but kinda cute.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Tracy Reese - Fall 2011

Philip Marie

569 Hudson St
212. 242. 6200
http://www.philipmarie.com/
MENU

Brunch Chick was in the mood for a quaint West Village brunch so she headed to Phillip Marie. The space was smaller than I anticipated, but very warm and inviting; I would call it French country chic.  The crowd was quite eclectic, some groups of girlfriends, some couples, and a few families. I visited during what I like to call "Brunch Prime Time"(Sunday afternoon around 2pm) and the place was packed, so I had to wait around 10 minutes.  The staff was very accommodating and the bartender offered me a glass of water while I waited.  I was very excited for the brunch deal $16.95 for an entree and all you can drink Bloody Marys.  (Sunday is all you can drink Bloody Marys and Saturday is all you can drink mimosas).  As everyone knows, I am a mimosa girl, but I figured I would give the Bloody Mary's a shot.  I have to tell you, they were DELICIOUS; just the right amount of spice, overall a very smooth drink.

The brunch menu is quite extensive; I had a hard time selecting an entree.  In the end, I chose the crab cake benedict.  The crab cake was of an excellent quality, very fresh and a great smooth texture.  The potatoes were out of this world.  The dish was definitely a little heartier than I was used to, so I didn't make it through the whole thing (and I was on the treadmill Monday morning).

My fellow bruncher, and former boss, now good friend, Maribeth ordered the veggie lovers omelet.  The omelet was huge and chock full of zucchini, eggplant, squash, and asparagus & carrots topped with goat cheese.  (The dish comes with cheddar cheese but the server was kind enough to substitute for no additional charge.)

Now, anyone that knows me knows I am technologically challenged, but for the good of the brunch world, I have recently signed up for foursquare (Brunch Chick on foursquare).  Now the best part about foursquare is when you "check-in" places sometimes you get an electronic coupon that you can use immediately.  When I checked in at Philip Marie, I received a coupon for a FREE mimosa! How cool is that?!  The server was awesome and gave us not one, but about four complimentary mimosas.  The mimosas were pretty good; strong but no fresh squeezed orange juice.

The atmospher was cute, the portions were ample, the food was tasty, the drinks were strong, and the service was great.  The one buzz kill is the noise level at Philip Marie.  Maribeth and I had to literally shout to hear one another over the small table.  And as everyone knows, good conversation is the most important ingredient in an outstanding brunch.  Some solid sound proofing and Philip Marie could make my Top 5.

Bruncher Beware:  Philip Marie is changing their price fixed menu to $24.95 for all you can drink Bloody Mary's, mimosa, coffee and an entree.

$$/$$$$$

****/*****

Patois

177 Mulberry St.
(212) 925-8157
Menu

Brunch Chick always has a hard time finding budget friendly brunches in Soho.   Carting more shopping bags than Paris Hilton on a spending binge, I was forced to find a brunch place within 2 block radius of Spring and Broadway.  We all love oh-so-chic Cafe Bari and Balthazar but these hot spots don't have drink specials, and we all know my crew enjoys an adult beverage or two... or three.  Patois, located on Mulberry and Broome, boasts a $12.95 brunch special including an entree, a pitcher of mimosas or Bloody Mary's, and coffee.

My favorite city gals, Justine and Cait, joined me around 3pm for some Sunday fun.  I was a little surprised that the restaurant wasn't more happening; there were only two other tables, both parties of young women.  the atmosphere was typical french bistro fare with a dash of Mulberry St. flavor.

The server promptly brought over our coffee and a pitcher of mimosas.  I was pretty impressed by the concept of putting the pitcher on the table, eliminating the need to wait for your mimosas.  I swear I'm not an alcoholic, just a tad impatient.  The mimosas were pretty standard, a decent level of alcohol, but nothing to write home about.

 Cait had the order of the day; The Potato Pancake with chive scrambled eggs and smoked salmon.  The salmon was super fresh, I am obsessed with capers, and who doesn't love a potato pancake?

Justine and I attempted to order different entrees but both wanted  the Wild Mushroom & Herb Goat Cheese Omelet; pretty standard fare an omelet with salad and potatoes.  It was a good concept but should have been executed better as the potatoes were cold and the salad did not have dressing.

The server recommended the house speciality, the Duck Confit Hash with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.  I would definitely try that next time.

Patois is a solid value brunch in a pricey neighborhood.  If I'm in the neighborhood I may pop in for a bite to eat and some drinks.  However,  I certainly wouldn't consider Patois a destination spot due to the mediocre food and empty dining room.

Bruncher Beware:  Many websites list the mimosas and Bloody Marys as unlimited, however they have changed their policy to one pitcher per table.

$/$$$$$

**/*****

Macondo

157 East Houston St.

(212) 473 - 9900

www.macondonyc.com

MENU

Brunch Chick had a bad case of the winter blues after spending a week in her apartment recovering from a sinus infection.  I'd love to hop a plane for St. Barths for the weekend, but with my tenuous relationship with American Express, I decided that a Latin themed brunch was the best (aka cheapest) way to warm up.  And hey, what better way to celebrate your last day of antibiotics than a boozy brunch? (Sorry, Mom)

So PIC, lifestyle expert, Justine Santaniello and I headed to a little LES haunt called Macondo.  The brunch special was enticing enough for both palate and wallet; $7 unlimited mimosa.  Oh and the best part?  The mimosas come in THREE different flavors: orange-vanilla, guanabana-elder flower, and blackberry-mint. Word to the wise, avoid the blackberry-mint at all cost unless you have the sweet tooth of a five year old.

 I was trying my damnest to pretend I was on a proper holiday, so I embraced the Latin theme and ordered the huevos ranchos.  The description on the menu read, tortilla, tomato sauce, black beans, two baked eggs, chorizo and manchengo cheese.  So, I was expecting a dish that packed the flavor and texture.  Not going to lie, I was pretty disappointed with my entree.  It was mostly black beans, the tortilla was soft, no crunch AND no side dish.  

Justine ordered the macondo lamb burger, and although hard to eat, was delicious.  The meat was extremely tender, and there was a lot of great Latin spicy flavor happening.  I mean I wouldn't pair it with mimosas, but an awesome burger.

  

There are some benefits to being Brunch Chick, such as free food.  The manager brought out the torrijas, french test on brioche bread with a vanilla-lemon cream filling and agave nector syrup.  This entree was definitely the winner.  The brioche bread was incredible, and the cream filling to die for.

The atmosphere is very cute in the front, with tons of natural light, and tall tables.  However, we were seated in the back, where it quieter, and kind of dark.  (I wanted to feel like I was on vacation not in a cellar!)  The server was very nice but I felt like we were badgering him for mimosa refills, at times waiting up to twenty minutes.  All in all, Macondo is a  decent value for your money, but I would make sure to request a table in the front and you must try the brioche french toast!

Bruncher Beware:  The servers are very slow to bring over mimosa refills.  Make sure you get your money's worth!

**/*****

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