Peels

325 Bowery.  New York, NY (btwn. 2nd St. & Bleecker)
www.peelsnyc.com

Price: $$
Favorite dish: Build-a-Biscuit

Prior to when I started blogging, I ate at Peels for brunch for my dad.  I enjoyed it so much that my family and I went back to Peels again for brunch so that I not only could enjoy it, but also share my experience with my readers.  My second time back was just as good as the first.  The restaurant has a spacious interior in addition to outdoor seating, which made for a perfect sunny Sunday morning brunch atmosphere.

Here's what we got:

Tropical Muesli with pineapple juice and yogurt soaked oats, mango, strawberries, toasted coconut, and seeds 

[muesli]

Spa Eggs: egg white omelet, sautéed spinach, and goat cheese with a side salad

Farmers Breakfast: fried eggs, smoked bacon, hash browns, and toast

Build-a-Biscuit: biscuit sandwich filled with scrambled eggs, avocado, and cheese with a side of gravy

[scrambled egg biscuit] 

Blueberry crumb cake

  This brunch was completely satisfying and a perfectly portioned meal.  Peels' muesli is famous and a very popular dish.  It definitely was an interesting muesli, as it tasted fresh with all of its fruity flavor.  It was different than what I am used to tasting, however it was still really tasty.  The spa eggs were simple and delicious with the goat cheese and spinach.  The Farmer's Breakfast included fried eggs with perfectly runny yolk.  The hash browns that were included were fantastic.  It was crispy, salty, and flavorful, and we were very close to ordering a second order of potatoes for all of us to share.  I ordered the build-a-buscuit, which I absolutely adored.  I think it was a perfect breakfast sandwich, and included great flavors with the avocado, eggs, and cheese. The biscuits were also wonderfully flaky and buttery.  I would definitely order this exact same sandwich again since I loved it so much.  We also decided to try a bakery selection, as Peels as a wide array of bakery items.  The blubbery crumb cake was moist on the inside, and the outside was crumby and sweet.  Every part of the meal was really excellent.

XOXO,
Danielle

The Wren

344 Bowery.  New York, NY

www.thewrennyc.com

Price: $$

Favorite dish: Potato Rosti with smoked trout and poached eggs

This past weekend, Sara, Molly, Frankie, Margot and I decided to kick off our Sunday brunch tradition for this summer. After searching for reasonably priced, yet highly rated, brunch spots, Molly stumbled upon The Wren, which had a small, cute, and cozy vibe located in the East Village.  Having never heard of it before, I was definitely down to try something new.  Despite the rather small size of the brunch menu, almost everything on it looked very unique and tasty, something that definitely got us all excited to eat.

Here's what we ordered:

Potato Rosti topped with smoked trout and two poached eggs, served with hollandaise sauce and frisee

[Potato Rosti]

Smashed Avocado on Toast with soft boiled eggs

Bulgar Wheat Pancakes topped with Ricotta, peaches, bananas, and maple syrup

Just writing up this post and reminiscing about this meal is making me hungry.  Everything that we ordered was absolutely incredible.  Margot, Sara, and I all ordered the Potato Rosti with eggs, and let me tell you it was just as mouthwatering as it sounds.  The Rosti resembled a large tater tot, so it was full of flavor, and was a great complement to the poached eggs.  The smoked trout added an amazing salty bite to the dish, and every part of it worked so well together.  Molly said she loved her avocado toast; anything mixed with avocado really couldn't be that bad. Frankie's pancakes were also extremely tasty (I couldn't leave without trying it…) I loved how they put ricotta cheese on top, which was something I would have never thought to do.  The hearty pancake, cheese, and sweet fruit made for a perfect combination.

I would for sure come back to The Wren in the future. The ambiance was friendly and inviting, and I think it could also be a great spot to visit for dinner.  I highly recommend visiting this restaurant if you are looking for a reasonably priced and delicious meal!

XOXO,

Danielle

Jacob's Pickles

509 Amsterdam Ave.  New York, NY
www.jacobspickles.com

Price: $$
Favorite thing: Biscuits & Spicy Jalapeño pickles

A few weeks back, my family and I met up with some extended family while in the city. We decided to visit a restaurant that my dad had been wanting to take me to for some time: Jacob's Pickles. My entire family is obsessed with pickles. Everyone (except for my mom) adores pickles and we always seem to devour them quickly at Friday night dinners…so trying Jacob's Pickles was a must. This shop on the Upper West Side features homemade pickles in addition to home-brewed beers. They are open for both dinner and brunch, so we chose to stop in for brunch. Their menu is massive…much more than I would expect from a pickle shop.


Here's what we got:

The Lox Eggs Benedict, with cured salmon and poached eggs served atop biscuits, with fresh hollandaise and home fries.

The Biscuits French Toast, served with fresh cut strawberries and powdered sugar. Being that the biscuits were so amazing, this dish was so delicious and moist.

The Veggie Cheese Omelet, with asparagus, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese, served with home fries.

The Fruit Yogurt and Granola, with greek yogurt, local honey, fresh fruit, and granola.

I got the Salmon Platter, which came with house smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, red onion, olives, scallions, lettuce, tomato, and a biscuit. I loved having this salmon platter with a biscuit instead of a bagel or toast. The flavors were 10x better and the dish made for a perfectly light meal.

Fresh beer and homemade pickles

Pickles on pickles on pickles on pickles

The brunch at Jacob's Pickles was such a pleasant surprise. The food was quite delicious and had a nice atmosphere with a wide open entrance so I felt like we could be outside while remaining cool. The decor is really homey and fun with an array of jars and bottles of pickles lining the walls. You could truly tell the pickles were homemade and they were fresh and tangy and delicious!


XOXO,
Danielle

Norma's

119 W. 56th St.  New York, NY
www.parkermeridien.com/eat1.php

Price: $$$--but literally worth every penny
Favorite dish (from this particular meal): Oatmeal brûlée

One of my all time favorite brunch restaurants in New York City has to be Norma's. Every time my family and I have traveled here in the past, it seems as though we always make time to eat at Norma's. It's actually that good. Norma's is a restaurant that is located within the Le Parker Meridien hotel in Midtown West. The restaurant is always full of people, and for good reason. The look is very upscale and trendy, and is definitely a brunch hotspot. (why else would Nate and Serena eat here on an episode of Gossip Girl?) The menu is overflowing with delectable brunch options, almost to the point where there are far too many to choose from. One of my favorite parts about eating at Norma's is that they serve you a free shot of their daily smoothie at the start of your meal, which is always super fruity and delicious.
My mom and I went to Norma's for brunch this past Friday. Being that it was still a workday, I figured we would not have a problem getting in. (We forgot to make a reservation. Whoops). Obviously I was wrong…and we ended up having to wait about 20 minutes to be seated. But seriously I didn't care the food we were about to get would be so worth it.

Here's what we got:

My smoothie shot!!!!! The smoothie of the day was kiwi strawberry banana mango. OOOMMMGGG. It was SO good. I don't know what they do to make their smoothies so good, but as far as I can remember, I have never been disappointed. I drank it down so fast that I forgot to take a picture. A perfect excuse to ask for another one!

My smoothie and my iced coffee go well together, dontcha think?

My mom ordered Normalita's Juevos Rancheros, highlighted as one of Norma's favorites on the menu.  The dish had cheese quesadillas slices, topped with a tortilla with black beans, salsa, guacamole, and a fried egg. Holy guacamole this was so good. The egg was cooked to perfection with a nice and runny yolk, and paired with the guac, some salsa, and a bite of quesadilla, you're in heaven.

I decided to try McCann's Irish Oatmeal Brûlée, topped with sautéed green apples and red pears. The oatmeal was AWESOME. I am a huge lover of oatmeal, and adding the sugary brûlée topping added such a nice delicate crunch that couldn't be beat. The oatmeal was creamy and thick and sweet and smooth and filling…etc. It was beyond. No other oatmeal from here on out can compare.

 The amount of selections at Norma's is reason enough to go. There is something there to satisfy everyone's palates. However, don't expect to come to Norma'a and eat light. Oh no…honestly I would suggest ordering one of the more unhealthy and decadent sounding meals because that's the way to go here. THIS is the place to splurge!!!



 XOXO,
Danielle

Jane

100 W. Houston St.  New York, NY
www.janerestaurant.com

Price: $$--Portion sizes are pretty generous.
Favorite dish: Vanilla Bean French Toast ( :O )

The fact that I am so behind on blogging is not ok…so SORRY to all my devoted readers!! ;)
Last weekend, my friends and I decided to be cute and go for a nice Sunday brunch. We wanted to try Jane, which supposedly has a really good brunch menu, and so we thought ahead and made a reservation so we wouldn't be caught waiting in the blazing New York heat for a table. We still ended up having to wait, being that Whitney, Jess, and Arleigh were so late, but hey, Jane was not to blame for that!
Jane is a casual American bistro on the edge of Soho. It has upstairs and downstairs seating, and the atmosphere is sleek and inviting. The restaurant was packed on a Sunday morning. After reading through the extensive brunch menu, I was completely perplexed and had absolutely no idea what to get but was so excited to try everything.

What we got:

Whitney and Sara both got the mushroom omelette, with baby portobello mushrooms, tomato, fontina, and herbs, served with a side of potatoes. Whit and Sara both claimed it was "sooooooo good!"

Jess ordered the egg white omelet with sautéed spinach, goat cheese, and mixed greens. Although the omelet features goat cheese, she said it tasted kind of bland, but not bad!

Arleigh and I both ordered the homemade granola, with low fat yogurt, honey, bananas, strawberries, and dried cranberries. I had been craving granola so I was sooso excited to eat this. We both thought that the the granola had far too many sunflower seeds mixed in it, which overtook the actual flavor of the granola.

One of the most intriguing items on the menu was the vanilla bean french toast, made with brioche bread, dipped in a creme brûlée batter, and served with maple syrup. Frankie ordered this for her meal, and the rest of us got a half order to share for the table. The french toast was delectable…I absolutely loved it. The inside was really soft and gooey, and the outside was nice and crunchy.

My side of plain scrambled eggs. yes I know…boring. but yummy!!!

I understand why Jane gets so busy for Sunday brunch; they have a really lengthy menu listing a variety of different good breakfast options. When ordering off the brunch menu, you also receive a complimentary cocktail, including alcoholic beverages, or fresh squeezed juices. What a deal! I would definitely come back to Jane to try something new--they had a lot of good looking egg scrambles that I'd love to try. All in all, a good, fun, not too pricey meal to share with friends.

XOXO,
Danielle

De Santos

139 W 10th St.  New York, NY
www.desantosnyc.com

Price: $$$-All of the dishes and drinks are a bit pricey.
Favorite dish: Banana pancakes

This weekend has to have been one of the best and most exciting weekends ever! After arriving at Times Square to see the Project Runway 10th Anniversary season premiere taping, squeezing our way to the front, and above all, getting interviewed to be on the show, this weekend definitely deserved an eating celebration. On Sunday morning, Arleigh, Frankie, and I wanted to go out for a delicious brunch, and Arleigh suggested De Santos, a restaurant she and her brother used to eat at when he was living in the West Village. De Santos is located in a historic brownstone, with a homey, rustic, and candlelit interior, and a beautiful garden patio outside. In fact, this unique space used to be home to famous New York musicians, including Janis Joplin and Bob Dylan. How neat!!

Here's what we ordered:

Arleigh ordered the french toast, lightly filled with berry compote, served with fresh fruit, and maple syrup. By the final look of Arleigh's plate, I can assure you that she had no complaints about this dish.

Out of sheer excitement, Frankie and I dug into our pancakes without photographing (I broke my own rule!!!) Frankie and I both ordered the banana pancakes, served with fresh berries, and maple syrup. The pancakes were extremely light and fluffy, warm, and perfectly filled with fresh banana. They were so delicate and delicious.

As you can tell I really liked my pancakes...

A preview of De Santos's enclosed outdoor garden seating area.

When I came home after brunch, I went online to take a look at their dinner menu, and despite how much I had just eaten, I was still drooling and trying to figure out when I could go back for another meal. Although the prices are not the cheapest, the traditional American menu is sure to impress.

XOXO,
Danielle