aurora

Nancy's Take:

Atmosphere: * * * *

While the indoor seating is pleasant enough, the enclosed outdoor seating, wrapped in vines and sunlight, is what makes Aurora such a lovely dining experience. I was facing the direction of the sun and had to wear sunglasses, but that didn't bother me. While we're all stuck in winter and dreaming of spring, it's nice to savor the feeling of eating outdoors, without enduring any scathing wind. Also, with the whole building wrapped in vines, it feels almost like momentarily escaping to a bistro in Italy. I was also pleasantly surprised at our ability to be seated right away, because getting a table at dinner is virtually impossible without a reservation.

Food: * * * 1/2

I ordered the Confit D'Anatra, which consisted of duck confit and bacon hash with poached eggs. The duck confit was a tad too dry but aside from that it was overall a tasty little plate of food. We were feeling feisty that day so we also ordered 2 desserts to split The Budino de Pane al Cacao was a rich chocolate bread pudding served warm, with a hazelnut gelato on the side. It was delicious, but the flavor was best when paired with the gelato on your spoon. The other dessert was Pannacotta al Caramello, which is essentially the Italian version of creme caramel or flan....and it had a nice light texture and smooth vanilla flavor.

Drinks: * * * *

I ordered their Bloody Mary, which is no real surprise per my typical brunch routine. It was spicy from horseradish and had a nice tangy finish. I was pleased with my choice.

Becca's Take:

Atmosphere: * * * *

It was a lovely winter's day with lots of sun and little wind, so we were eager to make the trek to Aurora, which is on the completely opposite side of Williamsburg as we are. To top it off, as Nancy said, eating outdoors on the heated patio, surrounded by beautiful shrubbery and growth, makes being at Aurora even better! My only qualm was when we first entered - they daytime manager seemed as though he was going to seat us, and then just disappeared! We stood around, slightly confused and looking like goofs, for just a few minutes until the hostess brought us to our table.

Food: * * * 1/2

I tried something somewhat daring for me, as the dish centered around mushrooms - one of the few veggies I truly loathe. It was part of La Frittato de Giorno, which is an open-faced omelette. It is almost like a round, thin quiche, but less greasy - which echoes the style of an omelette. It had goat cheese in it, as well, and the mushrooms were chopped finely enough that they didn't bother me...dare I say they even tasted ::gulp:: good. It was served with a small salad, which apparently didn't satisfy this woman's appetite because I was the pioneer of "Let's get dessert, Nancy." Our warm, chocolate bread pudding was VERY rich - almost too rich without the hazelnut gelato (which was out of this world good). The Pannacotta al Caramello was heavenly: it reminded me of the perfect blend of a homemade pudding and creme brulee. It was topped with homemade shortbread wedges, and of course, drizzled in caramel. We should've just ordered two of those and left the chocolate behind. (As you can see, we were so excited by our dessert choices we forgot to take a picture of them before digging in - please pardon the missing spoonfuls!)

Drinks: * * 1/2

I tried a variation of a mimosa, which used pomegranate instead of OJ. It was much more wine-like, almost like sangria, but it wasn't fun to drink. I was sad and missed my mimosa.

Stats:

Aurora

70 Grand St

Brooklyn, NY 11211

(718) 388-5100

le gamin

Nancy's Take:

Atmosphere: * * * *

From the outside, Le Gamin doesn't look like much. It's near Cookie Road, which is brightly painted and impossible to miss. Le Gamin you could probably miss unless you were seeking it out. Inside Le Gamin, they make great use of the space. The lacquered light wood bench that runs along the wall has hinges on the seat, which makes me think they also use it for storage. It gives the restaurant a nice modern look, which I liked. I also noticed a decent amount space between the tables. It wasn't crowded that day, so we got our pick of tables. Regardless I feel like we wouldn't have felt too cramped on a busy day. Our waitress was very friendly and happy to cater to our requests.

Food: * * * * *

We were little piggies that day. I couldn't commit to just one dish when there were so many that I wanted to try. Becca and I decided to split two meals - Oeuf Gamin (goat cheese potato hash brown on a bed of ratatouille and a poached egg); Omelette with caramelized onions, brie, and tomato concasse. Oeuf Gamin was delicieux...it was positively orgasmic in taste and the perfect portion. We picked the omelette ingredients ourselves based on being, well....things that we'd still love if they were spread on a chunk of sidewalk. In hindsight the ingredients were a little weird combined in an omelette. It was flavorful but a tad on the sweet side. The omelette was gargantuan, which is a blessing or a curse depending on the size of your stomach. It was too big for us because we ALSO ordered fries to split. The fries were the whole reason we discovered this place, after walking past it one day and gazing longingly at someone's fries from the window. That is, until we realized we were making people uncomfortable with our faces smushed on the glass.

But we didn't stop there. As full as we may have been, we couldn't resist the temptation of a french dessert. We ordered a sampling plate, which had teeny tart versions of some of their larger desserts, including creme brulee, chocolate mousse, and sponge cake. I know that if I go back for dinner one day, I will be ordering either the creme brulee or chocolate mousse. Becca was so excited that she had an entire photoshoot of the dessert before we ate it.

Drinks: * * * *

The liquor menu at Le Gamin is extensive, but I went traditional brunch style and had my Bloody Mary. I was impressed with the size of the glass and the amount of horseradish, but less than inspired by their lack of garnishes. Overall it was a good Bloody Mary, though.

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * * * *

Le Gamin has a cozy atmosphere – it’s nothing fancy or kitschy, but nice and comfortable. There is plenty of seating, but I do think if they were very busy, it might be a little hectic getting in and out of your seat or the restaurant, itself. Luckily, that wasn’t the case! We were seated immediately, with our choice of almost any place in the house, and our waitress was very attentive and didn’t make fun of us for butchering how to pronounce “ouef.”

Food: * * * * *

Holy cow. THE FOOD. Le Gamin is seriously a treasure of a restaurant. If you and yours have not yet eaten there, you absolutely must. Because it’s a bit of a hike from my apartment, this winter weather will make it hard for me to get there as often as I’d like to, but come summer, I’m going to be fat and happy devouring crème brulee, and I really can’t wait to try what they have for dinner! As Nance mentioned in her comments about our brunch dishes, the omelette was seriously enormous. Its platter, alone, was intimidating. The items we threw in there were a little funky together – I’d never put brie in an egg dish again, but the ouef gamin was truly amazing. That potato pancake with goat cheese baked inside of it was a carby slice of heaven. And I’m not hugely into poached eggs, but even that tasted mighty fine. As for dessert, the mini-sized tasting of all of their after-brunch treats were magnificent! Nancy and I know when we need to stop eating so we don’t burst, but we couldn’t say no to this $4 combo. The chocolate mouse was in a dark chocolate cup, the crème brulee was simply perfect, the apple cake was flakey with fresh whipped cream, and the sponge cake was sticky, sweet and we dipped it in a caramely, honey sauce. Dreams do come true…

Drinks: * * * ½

I was excited to see all the drink options at Le Gamin, and would love to go back and try some signature cocktails, but brunch will always be brunch and for me that means mimosas. I downed two of them amidst all that food ! A bigger pig you might not find, nor a happier one :)

Stats:

Le Gamin

108 Franklin St

Brooklyn, NY 11222

enids

Nancy's Take:

Atmosphere: * * * * 1/2

Enids is a frequent haunt among my weekend bar hopping. However, due to the overcrowding and long wait for a table, I usually brunch elsewhere and come by later on for drinks. For that reason, I could only give it four and a half stars. On the upside of Enids' atmosphere is the always eclectic seasonal decor, not to mention my favorite paillette-covered camel on the wall. For the winter, the ceiling dangles beautiful paper snowflakes hanging from branches, and accented with white Christmas lights. It's really a magical place this time of year.

Food: * * *

I can't speak highly of every dish on the brunch menu, but there are a few really amazing ones that help compensate. I tend to order either the Hungry Bear or the Huevos Rancheros, because those are the tried and true best items on the menu. This particular day I went with the huevos, and I was not disappointed. It's done particularly well here, with a generous slathering of refried beans and a nice tomato sauce. Then, of course, I pour hot sauce all over it.

Drinks: * * * * *

So many tasty drinks at Enids. It's the main reason I'm there so often. Well...that, and their mac'n'cheese. If you're a Bloody Mary fan, this is the place for you. Enids uses their own spicy jalapeno vodka, and more garnishes than you thought were possible. The garnishes include a lemon, lime, celery stalk, cornichon, olive, and a caperberry. I can safely say it's my favorite Bloody Mary in NYC.

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * * * *

I always enjoy dining and drinking at Enids – it’s really a homey place where both Nancy and I have become regulars – like the Cheers of Brooklyn. Nancy is right about the décor – it’s charming and gives you just another reason to want to go in there as opposed to its ugly neighbor, Matchless (probably my most loathed bar in Brooklyn). The people who work there are awesome, the mac’n’cheese is awesome, and God damn, the Frozen Harrisons are awesome.

Food: * * * *

Enids has a reputation for really stepping up their brunch game. When I first moved to Brooklyn, the brunch menu was always the same – I don’t even remember if they offered specials, as they do at dinner. Now, there are weekly specials that are always enticing. For instance, triple chocolate pancakes were a special the afternoon we brunched at Enids. Do you have any idea how hard it was to turn those down?! But I did it for the Veggie Hungry Bear – I’d do just about anything for the Veggie Hungry Bear. It’s honestly a vegetarian’s breakfast dream consisting of one vegan sausage patty in between a delicious, buttermilk biscuit, with a fried egg and covered in vegan breakfast gravy. It also comes with choice of a side (I always choose homefries because apparently I run solely on carbs), and then they threw a few random pickled veggies on the plate, as well. I don’t get the pickled stuff at Enids – it’s like they just pickle anything that’s leftover – but I ate the pickled carrots; they were okay.

Drinks: * * * *

I love mimosas at Enids. They are cheap, boozey and that’s really all I need.

Stats:

Enids

560 Manhattan Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11222

718.349.3859

ella cafe

Nancy's Take:

Atmosphere: * * * *

I feel like I should be going to Ella more often than I actually do. The food is delicious and the interior is cute. It's a coffee shop in front with a clean modern feel, and a small room of tables in the back with waitress service. One major plus with Ella is the large waiting area. This is a combination of people ordering on their own in the front for the coffee shop section, and people waiting to be seated at a table. There's a long wooden bench that accommodates a good number of people, plus a pretty decent amount of free space to stand. In contrast, the tables in the back room are crammed pretty close together. I think our waitress was taking care of the entire back room, and so we were fairly patient with her. She seemed a little overwhelmed.

Food: * * * * *

I ordered the organic spinach & kielbasa omelet with cheddar cheese, and it was ever-so-satisfying. It's a tough decision when you look at the menu, especially knowing that breakfast is served all day but the lunch items look just as tempting. I need to go back for their jalapeno fish tacos!

Drinks: * * * * *

We were biding our time before reviewing Ella. Until recently there was no alcohol served, and we get pretty cranky without our brunch booze. Now they have mimosas, and delicious ones at that. They came in a generously sized wine glass and I couldn't have been happier.

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * * * *

I love Ella because it's cozy and cute without trying to be something that it's not - it's an organic kitchen with big helpings and hearty options. I love the outside dining patio at Ella in the summertime because it has just enough awning to cover your from the sun, but it still evokes all the fun of season. I've always had pleasant servers at Ella, but the one downside is that this place is always busy. I've never been there when it is quiet, and since they keep late-ish hours (till 10 p.m.), I've been there at all times of day. It's also kid friendly, which may be good for you but sucks for me. :(

Food: * * * * *

I am honestly wild about everything on the menu at Ella. There are plenty of vegetarian options, and I purposely over-ordered during this brunch just to be able to take some soup home. I had the three-cheese omelette, which is large, in charge and packed with cheese. They served it with fresh-cut fries because they were out of homefries, which was a bit of a bummer, and a small salad. I opted for the butternut squash soup as an additional side, and it was thick, creamy and full of flavor. I could live off that soup - and that omelette!

Drinks: * * * * *

Now that Ella serves a variety of wines and champagne drinks, I am one happy camper. The mimosa was a great size for the price ($7), and it was served in a large, round glass. The OJ was frothy, which made me assume it was fresh-squeezed, but I don't have any proof of that. I do have proof that it was delicious and gave me the perfect buzz to start my inevitably boozey day. :)

Stats:

Ella Cafe

177 Bedford Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11211

(718) 218 - 8079

Breakfast served all day and night (specials until 11:30am weekdays)

Brunch menu weekends until 3pm

Manhattan Inn

Nancy's Take:

Atmosphere: * * * * 1/2

I was in great admiration of the way Manhattan Inn transformed their interior into something from another era. One would not expect this coming off the street from Manhattan Avenue. There is a cozy sort of lodge appearance evoked by the dark wood. Meanwhile, the old timey piano player and quirky wall art make you think, "Hey, this is a classy joint." While our waiter suffered from mind fog and mixed up part of the order, it was quickly remedied. He was extremely apologetic for the long wait on our food as well. I wouldn't have cared as much if I hadnt been starving from the moment I got there.

Food: * * * *

I veered from my usual brunch choices and went with their bagel plate served with cream cheese, tomatoes, capers, and red onion. The bagel was especially good which I think added to my enjoyment of the toppings. In addition, I felt compelled to order the kielbasa as a side because it's such a dominant theme in their menu. I figured it must be something special if they're using it in so many dishes, and I was right.

Drinks: * * *

The Bloody Mary was good but also kind of forgettable. I know this because I don't remember anything about it except that I had no complaints.

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * * * * *

Manhattan Inn gets five stars in my book for atmosphere. Though the ultimate seat would be in the room with the piano player, every seat in the house is charming. The main dining room is kept separate from the bar, and the piano player is staged under a large skylight. The natural sunlight entering that room, as well as all the chairs to all the tables being old, wooden theatre-style row seats, makes dining a true joy. For immediate seating, we opted to sit at a table for two by the bar. It was still lovely, as the bar is classic and all the wait staff are friendly.

Food: * * * *

I ordered the omelette with caramelized onions, cheddar cheese and tomatillo sauce. This omelette traditionally has chorizo in it, but I, of course, got it without meat. The picture is a horrible representation of the gloriousness of this omelette. It was superb! The caramelized onions were to die for, there was just enough cheese in it to offer a lovely flavor without being overbearing, and the eggs were cooked just how I like them. The only downside to my meal was that I asked for hashbrowns as my side, and they were out. I had to eat a baguette with jam, instead…tragedy.

Drinks: * * * *

I’m giving the Manhattan Inn an extra star in the drink department for appearance alone. Mimosas are typically the same everywhere you go, and the Inn’s mimosa tasted just fine. It was served in a wide-set, stemmed glass, as oppose to a flute, and it was really fun to drink! It was like a fishbowl of champagne.

Stats:

Manhattan Inn

632 Manhattan Avenue

NY 11222

(718) 383-0885

Mon-Fri 6 pm - 10 pm

Sat-Sun 11 pm - 3 pm