Fanny

Nancy's take:

Atmosphere: * * * ½

I was pleased that we were seated right away because I was starving! The decor inside was fairly minimal, but the place was clean and pleasant looking. Being a hot day, my only complaint was that the air conditioning wasn't strong enough, and my legs were sweating on the vinyl seat. I noticed they had a garden area, plus a more private area of seating in the back. This worked out well when a group came in with a crying infant, and they were seated in the very back area. Privacy for them....peace and quiet for us!

Food: * * * *

They offered a mix of creative brunch items on the menu alongside traditional brunch favorites. I wished there were a few more creative dishes that boasted the Southern French theme of the restaurant. Yes it's called "French Toast" for a reason, but how about some things we don't all know?

I ordered the poached eggs and tarragon shrimp (on country bread with sautéed spinach). The sauce had a slight sour cream taste with a hint of dill and was a delightful alternative to a Hollandaise sauce. The flavors all blended together nicely, and the shrimp were large and modestly tasted of tarragon. I would happily go back and order the same thing again!

Drinks: * * *

Bloody Mary

Taste: Delicious! Just the right amount of spicy from the horseradish

Size: Good on size - comes in tall drinking glass

Garnishes: None - I was a little disappointed in the lack of garnish.

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * * *

Fanny is a homey little joint along Graham Avenue with homemade curtains and long, open windows to catch plenty of sunlight (also good for people watching). They have an outdoor eating area, which we were unfortunately not offered when we arrived for brunch, otherwise, we would have dined out there. It seemed to have a sweet garden and happy ambiance. Also maintaining a happy ambiance was that the waitress was kind enough to seat the baby in the back of the restaurant, behind the bar, so us brunchers wouldn’t have to hear it whine.

Food: * * * * ½

I love me some French cookin’ – especially when it’s done right! I didn’t know Fanny deemed its cuisine French, and I ended up ordering a classic French dish: Baked eggs over Ratatouille. Other than the fact that I wanted veggies, this was one of the only meat-free menu options (beware vegetarians!) But it was scrumptious – a dish to be envied by any carnivore. I can’t wait to go back to Fanny for brunch when the weather cools off, because it was extremely warm outside and this dish never gets cold – it was piping hot the whole time – I was sweating in my seat! I chose the salad to go along with my eggs and it was a large helping for a side – very impressive. My dish, had I not chosen to do the brunch special with drinks, would’ve only cost $8, so Fanny is a great place for those who are pinching pennies.

Drinks: * * * ½

With the brunch special, you get a Mimosa or Bloody Mary, so I naturally chose the Mimosa. But, you also get fresh squeezed OJ, so I kind of had a Vitamin C O.D. The Mimosa was very refreshing – so much so that I ordered a second! The drinks are just as affordable as the food – excellent!

Stats:

Fanny

425 Graham Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

(718) 389-2060

www.fannyfood.com

Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The brunch special is $13 and includes entrée, fresh squeezed OJ & either a Bloody Mary or Mimosa.

Beco

Nancy's Take:

Atmosphere: * * * 1/2

We tried to eat brunch at this place the weekend before but were greeted with over an hour wait. I think it's a combination of the small size of the restaurant and the food being good but cheap. It seems to draw a large crowd from the neighborhood, in spite of it being located off a side street by itself. We decided if we were going to have the slightest chance of getting seated faster, we would have to be early birds. We made it there by about 11:30 on Memorial Day, and were pleased to find that people were still out of town for the holiday and there were plenty of tables. Hooray! The inside was cute, very diner-esque with some Brazilian-themed pop culture framed on the walls. The waitress was very sweet and attentive. I also can't believe how well they do with cooking food in their tiny kitchen space. But I'd get there on the early side (it opens at 10 a.m.) unless you want to be starving for at least an hour.

Food: * * * *

I ordered the Misto Quente, which is a sandwich consisting of toasted, sliced bread, ham, and mozzarella with eggs on top, served sunny-side up. I decided the trick was to stick the eggs inside the sandwich to eat it....and it was delicious! This is a traditional Brazilian dish, but it reminded me a lot of the French "croque-madame" sandwich that is also a ham and cheese sandwich with an egg.

Drinks: * * * 1/2

Caipirinha: muddled fruit, sugar, and cachaça (classic-lime, pineapple-mint, passion fruit) with Pitu. I had the Pineapple-Mint version which is one of the brunch choices included in the price of brunch

Taste: refreshing....also pretty strong

Size: small rocks glass

Garnishes: a lime

....Still wondering what their Bloody Mary is like, because I didn't see it on the menu until we had already eaten!

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * * *

Beco is small and quaint and has a traditional Brazilian vibe inside and out. As Nancy said, when we originally went, it was too packed to get a seat, and I simply cannot imagine how warm all of those patrons must’ve been! There was plenty of space when we dined, but boy, was it hot. We sat in a seat in the back, mostly because of the industrial fan pointing right at the table, but ideally, I would’ve preferred to sit by the windows in the front and enjoyed some fresh air.

Food: * * * *

The cuisine at Beco is delicious and creative. It’s a great place for vegetarians, with many options to choose from. I had the Herb Omelet, mostly because of the fillings you could pick: my choices being baby asparagus, minas cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Mmmm! Being a cheese freak, I had never had minas cheese before – it is actually native to Brazil, and it was incredible. My omelet came with a side salad, lightly tossed in a dressing that had a strong lime kick to it and, my only complaint, the saddest little thimble of potato stix. When we got our bill, our waitress handed us a take-out menu, and the food they serve for lunch and dinner looks just as enticing as the brunch did, so I know I’ll be back. Or, if you're lucky enough to be in their delivery area, their menu does offer delivery service for lunch and dinner. Woohoo!

Drinks: * * *

I had the Sakerinha; it was similar to Nancy’s Caipirinha, in the sense that it was made of muddled fruit (strawberries and kiwi), but my drink was not strong, and I’m still on the fence if it even had alcohol in it at all. I, too, was a little discouraged to find out at the end of our meal that there is a whole brunch “deal,” which includes various drinks, (definitely made with alcohol), so I’ll have to go back and try my hand at their drink menu again.

Stats:

Beco

45 Richardson Street

Brooklyn NY 11211

Tel:718-599-1645

Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m - 2 a.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 2 a.m.; Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover cards.

www.becobar.com

All entrees are served w/French press coffee, and a choice of fresh OJ, Bloody Mary, Pineapple-Mint Caipirinha, or

Passionfruit Caipiroska: $14.95