Tag Archives: brunch

4 Amazing Brooklyn Doughnut Shops – Brooklyn, NY

Emily and I rarely eat doughnuts anymore, but since Sunday is our day to go wild, we decided it would be a good day to finally find our favorite doughnut in Brooklyn. We decided to settle it, here and now. Which, of course, is easier said than done. There are different varieties of doughnuts. You’ve got: Cake & yeast, creme filled, jelly filled, pudding filled, iced, sprinkled, glazed. To simplify the selection, we narrowed it down to our preferences. I prefer white-creme filled yeast donuts, like I grew up on (To be honest, Boston/Bavarian Creme is an abomination and putting it into a doughnut is a culinary sin.), then an old fashioned cake doughnut. Emily prefers chocolate yeast doughnuts, preferably not filled with anything. I actually expected different results than what we came up with.

4.) Dunwell Doughnuts – 222 Montrose Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11206 – (347) 294-0871
This Vegan doughnut establishment, started almost two years ago in Bushwick may be our least favorite, but it got into the top four for a reason. Their flavors are creative and beautifully honed, the dough, moist and fresh. And to top it off, its the only vegan option in this entire list, if thats important to you. Really love the Spiced pear, and spiced pumpkin as well as their mini cider donuts, which really aren’t that mini.

3.) Dough – 448 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205 – (347) 533-7544
Their wildly original flavors and super airy soft dough make them the place we make a bee-line for at smorgasburg in the summer. Their small Bed-Stuy gets cramped quickly, and we wish they would have packed our Chocolate Earl Grey more carefully so it could be included in this photograph, but at least it still tasted good. The Lemon Poppy Seed was tart and tangy, as lemons go.

2.) 606 R & D – 606 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238 – (718) 230-0125
While not technically a doughnut shop, this small restaurant in Prospect Heights, is worth visiting for its doughnuts alone. Their small cake doughnuts remind me of the little diner doughnuts from back home. Its small-town homemade goodness from a very cute little brunch spot. The sugar coated cake doughnuts are moist and sweet and I could eat a dozen of them.

1.) Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop – 727 Manhattan Ave, New York, NY 11222 – (718) 389-3676
Growing up, my hometown had this bakery called The City Bakery and they had the most amazing creme sticks ever. We didn’t do the weekend doughnuts often but when we did it was a treat. My father would usually wake up early and go pick up doughnuts and by the time we woke up in the morning, they were ready and waiting for us. I looked forward to those doughnuts whenever I went home to visit, until several years ago it closed down for good. I’ve no idea why they couldn’t make it work. They had a great variety of pastries and baked goods and everything was amazing. But, ah, to hell with my hometown, they are clueless. Since I couldn’t go home to it, I figured, “oh well, NYC has to have something like it or better”. It took a while but then I found it: Peter Pan Donut & Pastry shop in Greenpoint. Their creme sticks are just as good as what I remember as a kid. The place is a basic diner, no pretention and very nice eastern european girls who serve you doughnuts – what more could you ask for? This place gets our top pick because even Emily, who doesn’t care much for creme filled confections, says it was her favorite out of all of them.

Le Paddock – Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn

Rather than further whining about how horrible my neighborhood is/used to be, in terms of restaurant offerings, I think I’d rather talk about the good things. Le Paddock is the newest offering to Windsor Terrace featuring rustic french cuisine and really amazing pizza. The owners, Sylvie Bertrand and Gregory Tetaud worked together at Robin Des Bois in Carroll Gardens. I fell in love with the food here on the first visit having sampled the Coq au Vin and The Forrestiere Pizza

Le Paddock
1235 PROSPECT AVENUE @ Reeve
Brooklyn, NY 11218
718-435-0921

Tuna & Pizza

Tuna Steak with wasabi mashed potatoes, asparagus, grapefruit vinaigrette

Forrestiere: wild mushrooms, fromage blanc, pancetta and truffle oil

The owners, Sylvie Bertrand and Gregory Tetaud

Leek and Spinach Quiche

I decided to make a little Sunday brunch quiche with some extras I had around the kitchen. We had some leeks leftover from Thanksgiving so I added that and the extra spinach from another dish I am making to put together a quick quiche, with grana padano, ricotta and mozzarella cheese. I could have used a slightly more cooked crust, but it was still pretty damn good. Recipe below.

Spinach and Leek Quiche
2 tbsp butter
2 leeks chopped width-wise (soak in water and mix around a bit to loosen up the dirt, drain and rinse)
2 cups of spinach
1 tsp nutmeg
Salt and Pepper
5 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup grated grana padano
1 cup grated mozzarella
1 cup ricotta
1 pie crust (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350.
In a skillet, saute leeks, nutmeg, salt and pepper in 2 tbsp of butter for about 5-6 minutes (until soft), then add spinach for another minute or two until the spinach just begins to wilt. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl mix eggs, milk, and cheeses until well blended. Add the leek/spinach mixture. Mix well then empty into the pie crust.

Loosely cover pie with foil. Bake for 75 minutes or until the pie is just a little wobbly in the center. Remove and let sit for 20 minutes while the rest of the pie sets.

Pie Crust Recipe
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp of salt
2/3 cup of butter divided unto 1/4 inch slices
2-3 tbsp cold water

Preheat the oven to 475F. In a food processor combine flour and salt, pulse a few times to mix. Turn processor on and mix in butter one slice at a time until dough forms course pebbles. I often have to open up the processor and mix by hand to catch the flour on the edges. Add water 1 tbsp at a time until dough just comes together. Remove from processor and form unto a ball and pat down flat. Cut into two equal pieces (each piece is one pie crust). Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm again. Roll out on lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch deep dish pie crust with a little overhang. Fold the overhang onto the edge. Bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned.

Great Boston Brunch – Mike & Patty’s and Island Creek Oyster Bar

Brunch isn’t just a NYC thing although we do it the best out of anyone. However, if you are in Boston, there are two great place to try. The first is Mike & Patty’s, a tiny (even by NYC standards) cafe and breakfast nook in Bay Village. You’ll be hard pressed to find a table (there is only one) but its mostly a takeout joint with some amazing food. Their speciality is the Fancy Sandwich (sorry, no picture). I went for the Croque Madame. I am always a sucker for Croque.

The next place is Island Creek Oyster Bar near the Boston University Campus. In a city where seafood reigns, this stylish and modern restaurant does amazing things with raw shellfish. I could have eaten a dozen or two.

Mike & Patty’s
12 Church St
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 423-3447

Island Creek Oyster Bar
500 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 532-5300

Croque Madame at Mike & Patty’s

1/2 dozen Oysters at Island Creek Oyster Bar

Oyster at Island Creek Oyster Bar

home/made: Red Hook, Brooklyn, NYC

We have a bit of a peeve about brunch. It’s a bit overrated and so popular right now that we go to the supposed hot, new places and have to wait for 1+ hours for a table only to find the meal mediocre at best. home/made, in Red Hook, is an exception to that rule. They focus on a few small things and do a great job. The espresso and coffee are wonderful, the scrambles are inventive and delightful and the potatoes with whole roasted garlic; Oh my, the potatoes are phenomenal. In addition to their indoor dining area they also have a small shaded and sun-drenched garden. The prices are reasonable and the waitstaff does not have a stick up their ass either. Enjoy!

home/made
293 Van Brunt Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(347) 223-4135

frothy cappuccino

Pecan Sticky Bun

roasted tomatoes, arugula & fontina scramble

double smoked bacon

Ramps and Goat Cheese Scramble

Buttermilk Channel – Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, NY

Oh Brunch. It’s a long celebrated tradition that makes it socially acceptable to get sloshed either before, or slightly after noon, as long as its something foo-foo, like bloody mary’s, bellini’s or mimosa. This combination of alcohol and/or fruit and vegetable allows us to throw our inhibitions into the wind, have a big hearty meal and then go shopping, which usually leads to maxed out credit cards. Oh Brunch, how I love thee…BTW, easter sunday brunch is coming up very soon – perhaps the biggest brunch day of the year. You might want to check out Buttermilk Channel – they make a mean Bloody Mary!

Buttermilk Channel
524 Court St
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 852-8490

Cheddar Waffles

Buttermilk Pancakes

Short Rib Hash

Antipasto Bloody Mary

Fort Defiance: Red Hook, Brooklyn, NYC

George Washington used to hang out here. In the sense that this whole area was the site of a historic battle during the Revolutionary War. It was the first battle that Washington’s army had engaged in before retreating into manhattan and then New Jersey. We’d only declared our independence a month prior. Now the area is filled with bars, restaurants, The Ballfields and the Mercado the wonderful Fairway where I do about 40% of my grocery shopping and this fine establishment, Fort Defiance. Enough about history, on to the pictures. Oh, BTW, they are open for Breakfast/Brunch during the week…big bonus!

Deviled Eggs

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

Homemade Slaw

Muffaletta – soppresata, coppa, and mortadella with Emmenthal and provolone cheese and olive salad on muffaletta bread

Meadowlark: Centerville, OH

The term brunch was coined sometime during the turn of the century, by the british and is considered a meal eaten sometime after 10am, usually on Sundays. In NYC, its typically saturdays and sundays. I’ve always thought of it as a hangover cure for the weekend of partying that most of us get into when we first move here. Popular drinks include mimosas and bloody mary’s, both of which contain alcohol. I am a huge fan of brunch, frequenting many spots in the city and blogging about it. So when the opportunity arose for us to go to brunch in Dayton, I jumped on it.

Meadowlark is located in Dayton, Ohio in a strip mall close to the Dayton Mall – this is the only negative thing I can say about the place. The brunch was fantastic, with nearly too many wonderful choices and everyones meal with excellent.

Meadowlark Restaurant
2094 Miamisburg-Centerville Rd
Dayton, OH, 45459

Tomato Soup with Cornbread

Shrimp and Grits with a Poached Egg.

Japanese Omelette with Fried Rice

Hoppin’ John – black-eyed peas, simmered with onion, greens and spices, ladled over hot rice and garnished with pepper vinegar, roasted garlic oil, chopped tomato, scallion and grated white cheddar

Tomato and Pimento Egg Sandwich

Fresh Fruit Pavlova

Chocolate Cake with Salted Toffee

Mimi’s Hummus – Ditmas Park, Brooklyn

Ditmas Park is this small residential area close to where we live. The neighborhood would simply be an afterthought if it weren’t for the weekend farmers market, cheap rents and most importantly, its up and coming restaurant scene including Picket Fence, Sycamore, and The Farm on Adderley. Mimi’s Hummus is another addition offering up a weekend brunch filled with Mediterranean and Turkish inspired dishes and a mouth-watering selection of Hummus.

Mimi’s Hummus
1209 Cortelyou Road
Brooklyn, NY 11218
(718) 284-4444

Pita Bread

Mimosa

Masabache Hummus

Shakshuka Eggs

Israeli Salad

Stuffed Filo Dough With Ground Beef & Spices

Punchim – chocolate coconut home-style balls

Breakfast at Bardessono

Every morning while in Napa, I started out by having breakfast at the Bardessono, a green resort who holds the distinct certification of LEEDS Platinum (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) for having a very high credit for energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. At this resort you will have to specify if you want to have your sheets changed daily as they will not do this automatically like in most hotels. They use solar paneling and recycle their water.

But enough about that, lets move on to the food:

Croque Madame

Croque Madame, inside view. This was so amazing, I ordered it twice (not in the same day, though)

Classic American Brekkie – Eggs, Bacon, Potatoes and Fresh Bread

Pancakes with Strawberry Compote

Snap Food

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