Brunch Season in New York – The What and Where of Brunching

Now that the ideal weather has arrived, that glorious time between rattling radiators and wheezing air conditioners, the official Brunch Season has begun. Brunchers swarm the gardens and terraces of New York’s dining establishments like spring bees, and suddenly the whole city seems abuzz in brunch talk.

Overheard in Willy B:

A group of three men with respectable body-mass indices sits down at a table next to us, complaining first that the chairs are too small for their asses.

“What the hell kind of chair is this?”

“One you won’t linger in.”

“It’s not the chair. It’s your fat ass.”

“Back in the day, the chairs were bigger, I’m telling you. They’re all cutting back on materials.”

“Yeah, I bet your pants were bigger, too.”

“Hey, I’m dieting here.”

Chuckling all round. We hear a duck call. One of them has passed gas. Like teenagers they giggle. The server comes and gives them the once over and some menus. They seem pleased that in addition to the brunch fare, they can order a variety of a la carte items, which they don’t do. Later, they complain about the portion size.

“Is this a three egg omelet? It doesn’t look like a three egg omelet.”

“Canary eggs, maybe.”

“Have you ever even seen a canary egg?”

“I had quail eggs the other day.”

“How was that?”

“Not worth the effort.”

“I’d like more egg here. I’m taking Lipitor. It’s like Teflon for the arteries. I can et anything.”

“I don’t want to hear about your bodily functions.”

Chuckling all around. Glances at the nearby tables. An aching need for attention. These are some of the side effects of brunching.When choosing a brunch spot (I stay close to home), one has to remember that a thousand other people are thinking the same thing as you: I want good food, I don't want to wait too long, I want a table big enough to hold my plates and drinks.

Brunch is one of those weird times when nothing is exactly clear.It’s not breakfast, nor is it lunch. It lasts from 10AM to 4PM – no other meal period can claim such an expansive time slot. You can order traditional breakfast foods or something altogether different. You can drink early in the day and not look like an alcoholic. You generally get something for free, or so it seems, like a cup of coffee or a mimosa or a side salad.

My favorite brunch foods are the classics – steak and egg, bloody Mary, steaming bowl café au lait, potatoes and some sliced fruit. My husband prefers smoked salmon and poached eggs, or perhaps an omelet filled with mushrooms and crème fraiche. It’s all good, if it is done properly. Take a look around at what other people are ordering and see how the potatoes look - be wary of those that have have been sitting on the grill since 6AM.

But what I’d like to see in a brunch menu is something challenging. . It’s easy enough in the fog of a Sunday morning to flop into a chair, accept a mimosa and a plate of eggs with some other things on it, maybe an arugala salad, and somehow feel like you have accomplished something for the day.But I’d like to see the something really outrageous, something that will give me pause, something that will make me remember how amazing the city can be.

Grilled sardines served with a salad of chopped tomatoes, peppers and parsley with a side of grilled country bread – all followed by a lemon sorbet. That sounds good to me right now.But not outrageous.
Let's see...

Pickled jellyfish?Grilled pate sandwiches? Chicken fried tofu?

Here are some fun brunch spots in:

WilliamsburgNorthside:

Fada – garden and terrace seating, steamed mussels available.

AcquaSanta – garden seating, homemade rustic pasta, mimosas made with fresh squeezed oranges. o:p>

WilliamsburgCafé – terrace seating, southern-inspired food.

Teddy’s – terrace seating, great Cobb Salad & Bloody Mary.

DuMont – good eatin’

Union – think biscuits