Brunch in New York

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City Bakery’s incredible and extremely rich hot chocolate with marshmallows is so delicious as to be alarming: a masterpiece; one of the best in the city.

Come for the cocoa, and stay for the food and ambience during brunch time. This huge bi-level loft-urban canteen hits every mark: knockout eclectic cold buffet/salad bar, great hot food bar with terrific macaroni & cheese or chicken wings, and last but not least, the dangerous dessert bar : grab yourself a delicious chocolate chip cookie or the caramelized “pain-perdu” while they’re hot…  Read the rest of this entry »

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Opened in 2001, db Bistro Moderne is a relaxed and fast-paced Manhattan restaurant, located in the City Club Hotel, at the Midtown crossroads of fashion and theater. This is Chef Daniel Boulud’s contemporary interpretation of the Parisian classic, and a restaurant where traditional French cuisine meets the flavors of the American market.

The restaurant is comprised of two dining rooms linked by a panel wine bar, which also connects the restaurant to the adjacent hotel lobby. When stepping in, eyes are drawn to a series of sensual, larger than life, floral photographs by Christopher Beane. Read the rest of this entry »

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Were the interior of Nougatine at Jean-Georges a musical composition, it might be called The Gracious Living Symphony.  Designer Adam Tihany has waved a magic baton with blonde woods, ceiling-height windows, space around the tables – (and being as this is New York, let us repeat that)  – space around the tables, and a terrazzo tile and white marble hand-laid floor with a nougat-like appearance that inspired the café’s name.  When the weather cooperates, brunch is also served on the Mistral Terrace, which has unforgettably scrumptious “We are here and you are not” views of Central Park. Read the rest of this entry »

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Finding an upscale, friendly place to brunch just behind Port Authority doesn’t seem like an easy thing to do. There aren’t a lot of attractions in this area, but it’s worth the trip to to discover 44 1/2, a bright and modern restaurant where you can also have a seat at the bar or in the nice Japanese garden on a sunny day. Read the rest of this entry »

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Casa Lever, the restaurant, is on Park Avenue at 53^rd Street, within the landmarked Lever House, New York City’s first curtain-wall skyscraper, later imitated in Paris and Berlin.  A gracious Isamu Noguchi sculpture garden is situated within the Lever House courtyard.  The restaurant interior, meanwhile, beckons with opulent, 1960s retro-chic.  Andy Warhol prints of Dennis Hopper, Giorgio Armani, Jerry Hall, Sly Stallone and Alfred Hitchcock enliven the space. Before Casa Lever even officially opened, Madonna threw a party in it for her friend Penelope Cruz. You can picture Warhol himself, nonchalantly sitting in one of the parallelogram-framed booths, looking out and up at a Venini glass chandelier to quip “I was just joshing about those fifteen minutes.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Petrossian is to brunches what Renoir masterpieces are to painting.  That is not hyperbole — C’est si bon!

The enchanted main Petrossian venue in New York’s upliftingly beautiful Alwyn Court building is an oasis of soothing civility.  The French-Romanian architect Ion Orveanu, commissioned to create the most tastefully luxurious and cocooning interior known to mankind, delivered with pink Finnish granite, etched Erté mirrors, a Lanvin chandelier, Lalique crystal wall sconces and bronze sculptures from the 1930’s.  The elegant surroundings suggest elegant dress, but diners do visit sporting casual chic and are more than welcome.  The varied guests are cosmopolitan and international, and locally may be from the East Side, the West Side and all around the town. Read the rest of this entry »

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On the road to the perfect brunch, we make a stop at this popular Scandinavian address. The prix-fixe menu is $48 per person. Not acceptable ? Let’s see at the end of the adventure…Round one, welcome to somewhere between Stockholm and Copenhagen. The decor mostly consists of dark wood with contrasting white accents. Modern and sophisticated ! Read the rest of this entry »

Fruits, nutella and toasts...

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We found it ! A nice place to brunch without any tourists. Penelope is a tiny New Yorker oasis in the heart of Murray Hill.

Very discreet, this place is “the” spot of the neighborhood. On the weekends, you might have to wait 40 minutes to have a seat. It’s the only negative point (along with the cash only policy) but coffee is offered while you wait. Prices are more than reasonable : 14$ prix fixe with Apple Cider Mimosa or coffee/tea and orange juice.  Read the rest of this entry »