Sel de Mer

A few close friends of ours have been singing the praise of this spot for quite some time. I have been a bit reluctant, as the menu is seafood heavy- but decided to try their weekend brunch. The atmosphere is super cute- it reminded me of the cape, with blue walls and pictures of crusty old sailors on the wall. I ordered the blueberry pancakes, which came with fresh whipped cream and syrup, and Ryan had the french toast, which was made from crusty baguette. The coffee was equally wonderful, and we enjoyed everything. I'd love to try some of their other menu items in the future- a vegetable omelet sounded amazing, as did the tofu scramble. Ryan was interested in the lobster mac n' cheese, and of course, we will be back to try the fish and chips. With weather like we've had of late, I think I can see an amazing meal here in our future!

Vegetable Frittata

Thanks to Lori for inspiring this take on a frittata! I wanted an easy, quick meal, that requires little tending, and would use up some past-prime veggies from our CSA batch. Besides, who can say no to an egg pie? Which is basically what a frittata is- I even made it in a pie plate. Similar to quiche, but minus the massive quantities of butter and sans a crust, frittata is the italian cousin! Enjoy!

Serves 4.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6 Eggs, lightly beaten
salt & pepper
sliced zucchini
red onion
green pepper
shredded cheddar cheese and mozzarella
swiss chard or spinach
basil and oregano to top
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 piece of bread

1. Beat the eggs and shred the cheese into the mixture. Add in the veggies and toss to coat.
2. In a pie plate, tear up bread pieces and spread around. Pour egg and veggie mixture into plate.
3. Top with herbs, and if desired, more cheese.
4. Bake for about 35 minutes.

I like to top this with a little hot sauce!! Enjoy!

Egg

Brunch is one of my favorite meals, right up there with 'supper'- and luckily, Brooklyn is all about brunch! This week I went with a friend to check out the hot new brunch spot- Egg- which is famously good and notoriously a long wait. We decided to try it on a friday rather than the weekend, and we only had to hang out for about 20 minutes to snag a table. The restaurant is really cute and simple- and the food is the star.

Egg has its own farm upstate, and works with a local dairy and bakery, so everything is fresh and organic. The coffee comes in french presses- and damn it was good! (Pardon the french!) It was also nice to have a refill waiting for me when i wanted it. I ordered the french toast- which is made using brioche from Amy's Bread, one of the yummy bakeries in the city. I opted to top it with fresh berries- currants, blueberries, and raspberries. A big yes from me. My friend went with the eggs- she had them scrambled, and with a side of five grain toast, hash browns, and a carmelized grapefruit with mint. We really enjoyed it- and I spied my next order on the menu: Eggs Rothko- two sunny side up eggs with grafton cheddar cheese on a brioche roll. I'll be back for that, like, next week!

Brunch @ Beco

This weekend Ry & I checked out Beco for brunch. A tiny restaurant with a small bar and about eight or nine tables, this place serves up Brazilian fare, and right now, World Cup soccer games. We astutely avoided one of the matches, and snuck in Saturday morning when the place was not insane. We both opted for the prix-fixe menu, which come with a brunch item, a coffee, and a cocktail. Let's start with the coffee: some of the best I've had in the burg. We had americanos, and they hit the spot. I had a caju fruit mimosa, which was also really nice, and Ryan tried a mint pineapple caipirinha, which was "OK, nothing great"- and Ry says "The mimosa I had was better".

I tried the herb omelet and Ryan had the steak and eggs. My omelet had a variety of options- I chose the asparagus, white cheese, and sundried tomato, and was really pleased with the results. They did not shy from the herbs, and the basil flavor came through and was amazing. All the ingredients were well seasoned and the cheese was melted to a delicious gooey-ness, as it should be. On the side were some homefries, topped with a squirt of lemon, that were great, and a little mesclun salad. If I had a complaint, it might be that it was a little salty, but otherwise, I was a happy camper.

Ryan's steak was great, and came with white rice, beans, salsa, and topped with two fried eggs- Ry took them sunny side up. The eggs were cooked perfectly, and the steak was flavorful. Again, Ryan complained that the rice was salty, too much for his taste, but otherwise he was quite pleased. We were both bummed that the waitress did not bring us the two sauces we saw at other tables, one looked like a recaito or a chimichurri, and the other some type of red chili... I'm thinking those are good stuff.

Other than the saltiness, my only other complaint is that the service was less than stellar, especially seeing as there were only a few other tables. But I will definitely come back- the eggs benedict also looked great, and for $14.95, the price was right!

Teddy's Bar & Grill

This is probably my favorite neighborhood "joint". We've been coming here for several years for brunch and lunch, and enjoy the food. I don't really see it as a dinner spot, but right through afternoon snacks, this place is great. I love the veggie and chicken paninis, which come with a side salad and are served hot and gooey with cheese. I LOVE the veggie burger here which does NOT come from a box, but which is clearly hand-made and delish. Ryan likes the burgers, and the bar food- nachos and quesadillas- are really good too. On a nice sunny day I love sitting by the open windows and watching people go by. Fun fact, it was featured in the the film "PS I Love You", so if you've seen the movie, you've already spent some time in this bar. The bar is over 100 years old, I believe, and has a great tin ceiling and wooden bar.

The reviews on Yelp are hit or miss, and I have heard this too. But I think I've almost always had hits- the complaints about mixed drinks just make me want to stick to the iced tea, wine, and beer option. I have never really tried some of the more complex food items either, so I suppose my advice is to just stick to the bar basics, and you should be satisfied too!!

Coffee Shop

I recently revisited Coffee Shop with my Mom. I get such a kick out of this place. There is always a bit of a mob- outside on sunny days, with their dogs at the tables, and waiting in line most every day. The waitresses are all aspiring models, dressed to impress, but not so thrilled to serve. Great eye candy, always. The menu is eclectic with some brazilian influence- lots of salads, sandwiches, and the like. I have never had dinner here, and tend to think of it as a lunch/brunch spot. This past visit, I ordered my favorite: a mozzarella, tomato, basil sandwich with an olive tapenade. It is served on fresh french bread, and I always opt for the side salad. I tend to eat this sandwich a lot- and I think one of the best versions I've had is here. The olive tapenade is never overpowering and the sandwich is slightly toasted. I love it! My mom opted for the cheeseburger, which she loved.

To me, the perfect afternoon might involve a walk through the union square's farmer's market, a stop in here for lunch, and then a trip to DSW!

Le Barricou

So I am back in New York visiting the hubz, and we went to one of our favorite local joints last night, Le Barricou. A french bistro, we usually don't do dinner, but prefer either the fabulous weekend brunch, or the late night bar menu. The atmosphere is great and I love the flavors. Ry and I usually order some wine and share the beet salad and hamburger and frites.

The beet salad is one of the best I've found. The beets are shaved thin, and served with fuji apple, a small sprinkling of goat cheese, and a tart vinaigrette over greens. Huge fan of the combo!! The burger is always good, get it medium rare, and served on a brioche bun. The fires are super thin and fried just right!!

As for brunch, wow. I have never had a bad bite! Each table gets a croissant and a pain au chocolat to munch on while you wait. I love the goat cheese croissant with two eggs sunny side up. The french toast is thick and delicious, and the croque madame?? Oh man, heaven. French bread with swiss and ham, and an egg on top.

If you are in the hood, check it out!!