We love a great downtown Manhattan brunch spot, but believe it or not you can get the same trendy, hungover scene uptown, too. We're big fans of Cafe d'Alsace, where the enormous platters of hearty French food more than make up for sometimes spotty service.

One of our fave things is the croque madame: a ham-and-cheese sandwich the size of a dinner plate, topped with a fried egg. The steak and eggs is also tops, while the brioche French toast with raspberry coulis works if you're in the mood for something sweet.

Sitting outside on the terrace is nice if you remembered your sunglasses, but you'll have a better chance of scoring a table inside. And if worse comes to worse, seats at the long, pewter bar will put you close to the bloody marys.

Related Stories:
· Cafe d'Alsace [Official Site]
· Best Brunches in New York coverage [Jaunted]]]> pbb 2007-09-14T13:00:02-05:00 40.779202 -73.951166 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/9/6/165515/9877

When it comes to trendy brunch spots with fancy omelets and inventive cocktails Manhattan's got the market cornered. But after a night on the town and an early morning walk of shame, sometimes you want a place that feels like home. For that, there's Penelope. The Murry Hill country kitchen serves up specials just like mom used to make--only better.

Buttermilk waffles are covered in seasonal fruit, French toast is drenched in hazelnut spread and farm fresh eggs come any way you want. Rustic wooden tables are perfect for tucking into a copy of the Sunday paper, and mismatched mugs for the strong house brew lend a warm touch to a meal that can sometimes be a pretentious scene elsewhere. If you can't eat in your own kitchen, Penelope is the next best thing.

Related Stories:
· Best Brunches in New York [Jaunted]
· Penelope [Official Site]

[Photo: Towering Flat]
]]> jnaw 2007-09-07T11:30:01-05:00 40.743844 -73.981574 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/8/26/202938/499

We love the West Village brunch spot Deborah for a few reasons--not the least of which is its friendly staff. We're used to the typical actors and actresses who pepper Manhattan's morning weekend scene--the ones that rarely crack a smile and too often serve up a hefty portion of attitude instead of that tasty side of crispy bacon. (Maybe it's because they were out until sun-up the night before?)

Deborah's staff is attentive without being overbearing, and the restaurant's laundry list of offerings, from syrupy sweet challah French toast to spicy eggs rancheros, makes it the perfect stop for when you can't decide on an answer to the eternal brunch question: savory or sweet?
 

Related Stories:
· Best Brunches in New York [Jaunted]
· Deborah's [Official Site]

[Photo: About.com]]]> jnaw 2007-08-27T14:50:01-05:00 40.729952 -74.003623 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/8/20/133830/704

So what if the wait at Ninth Street Market can surpass two hours on a Sunday? That just means the food is worth it. Well, that, and the place is small.

This cozy East Village spot has only about a dozen tables to feed the masses who line up early and often stay late. But who can blame them? The name says it all, since offerings are, indeed, market fresh. Brioche French toast is dipped in a batter of vanilla, cinnamon and Greenmarket milk and eggs, then topped with season fruit and real maple syrup. Omelets with wild mushrooms, asparagus or crispy bacon are made with farm fresh eggs and local ingredients. Even the O.J. and grapefruit juice (which come free with brunch) are fresh squeezed.

The staff is laid back but attentive, and their easy attitudes keep the regulars coming back ... even if they have to wait in line just like the rest of us.

Related Stories:
· Best Brunch Places in New York [Jaunted]

[Photo: Project French Toast]]]> jnaw 2007-08-21T11:57:31-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/8/16/175346/914

We're not sure whether to love or loathe La Esquina, a dingy but pretentious restaurant in NoLiTa. On one hand, we crave desayuno tipico, the Latin American brunch of tortilla, plantains, black beans, and eggs. We hear La Esquina's brunch combo deserves its hype.

On the other hand, the place embodies all the reasons why we avoid any restaurant that employs out-of-work models. La Esquina is notorious for treating its customers like crap. According to one New York magazine reader review:

This is a place I would definitely return if it weren't for the terrible attitude shown by all the staff at the place. Starting off with the "dying to be cool" French bouncer, going to the bad attitude bar man and including the "I'm pretty, but inarticulate" waitress. Don't get me wrong, the place is amazingly original, the food is not bad and the experience has great potential, but if I'm going to get this much attitude [I] might as well go to a place that will be worth the wait.

So, is the food worth braving the service? If they can get Nicole Ritchie to eat the grub, it must be.

Related Stories:
· Best Brunch Places in New York [Jaunted]
· La Esquina [Official Site]

[Photo: Front Studio]]]> ced138 2007-08-17T09:48:50-05:00 40.721444 -73.997411 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/8/9/143626/5407

Josie's Restaurant West on Manhattan's Upper West Side takes the proverbial granola out of organic eating (though the dairy-free oatmeal with maple syrup and fresh fruit is delicious).

Executive chef Louis Lanza also owns the place, in addition to three spin-off restaurants dotting the island: Josie's East, Citrus Bar & Grill, and Josephina.

Josie's is one of the few places in the city where everyone in a group of New Yorkers--and all the neurotic eating habits that comes with them--can find something to eat. While vegans fill up on animal-free fare, their carnivore friends can still find gorge. For every scrambled tofu omelet, there is a free-range egg one to match. And for every veggie burger, there is a beef patty made from a steer who supposedly was able to live his life grazing in an open field.

Related Stories:
· Best Brunch Places in New York [Jaunted]
· Josie's Restaurant West [Official Site]

[Photo: US Menu Guide]]]> ced138 2007-08-13T11:00:01-05:00 40.779953 -73.980638 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/8/6/103358/1621

Sure HBO's Flight of the Conchords delivers travel tag lines like "New Zealand: It Is Not Australia", however the show, much of which is filmed on location in New York, features quite a few Williambsburg spots. For example, a tipster informed us last night's show prominently featured Fabiane's Cafe & Pastry on 5th.

While Kiwis Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement "dated" girls from this cafe, and enjoyed day old croissants from the cafe, non-fictional Willamsburg dwellers seem to appreciate Fabiane's food as well. Chocolate Creme Brulee, Tuna with capers, and most of the coffee drinks are favorites.

The service however, is less impressive:

On Saturday afternoons, you must order from the counter, and wait for a table, however long that may take. Meanwhile your dishes and lattes pile up on the counter edge ready to tip over onto your shoes. If you are able to find a table before someone else swipes it from under you, great. If not, too bad, so sad.

I wish I had known this beforehand, as I am not from the neighborhood. The girl bringing out the food from the kitchen rolled her eyes at me and then brushed past me when I asked her about a table. A civilized, mature employee would have just told me about ordering from the front, but this little baby butch punk wannabe did not.

Looks like Bret and Jemaine dodged a bullet by not getting into long term relationships with these waitresses.

Related Stories:
·   Brooklyn Hotels [HotelChatter]
·   Fabianes Cafe Reviews [Yelp]
·   Best Brunch Places in New York [Jaunted] ]]> markj 2007-08-06T10:39:59-05:00 40.716713 -73.958876 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/