Lovin' Cup Cafe

Nancy's take:

Atmosphere: * * 1/2

I thought the overall decor and appearance of the restaurant was acceptable....raw wooden booths and a substantially long bar. Not particularly memorable, but decent surroundings. My biggest issue was the lack of A/C (if there was any at all, it needed to be cranked up). It was a hot summer day and Becca and I were about to suffer a heatstroke. I immediately ordered and chugged 4 glasses of iced water, which was the only thing that saved me. Meanwhile, I used my arm to wipe the dripping sweat from my forehead during our entire brunch. We started with one waiter and ended up ordering food from our hostess, which was a little weird. I guess our original waiter had too many tables. The staff was very nice to us, and happy to keep refilling our water.

Food: * * * 1/2
I haven't eaten here since it was called "Anytime," but I was excited to see tater tots still on the menu! I ordered the Egg & cheese sandwich, on toasted sourdough with a side of tater tots. The sandwich was good enough, but not the best egg sandwich I've ever had (see Five Leaves review). My favorite part was still the tots....which I completely devoured.

Drinks: * * 1/2
(bottomless) Bloody MaryTaste: I liked the taste but disappointed in the delay of being able to drink it. I'd suggest they start chilling their Bloody Mary mix in advance. I had to wait for the ice to cool it each time - otherwise it tasted like soup...blechh!! NOT refreshing.
Size: Tall glass - great size, especially since they're unlimited! I managed to drink two of them before being too full.
Garnishes: Lemon and a lime.

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * * *
I think Lovin’ Cup has a good thing going in the looks department. It’s easy, carefree and the bar is really nice. My absolute favorite part of this entire brunch was the ongoing Pixies soundtrack that played almost the whole time we were there. It was perfect brunch music. We were seated in a wooden booth, which at first I thought would lead to splinter city, but it actually was more comfortable in the crazy heat than the metal or plastic chairs I've been seated in lately.

Food: * * ½
I ordered the Sweet Jane Scramble, which has onions, broccoli and peppers and, supposedly, sharp cheddar. I think they left the cheese out of my scramble, which is COMPLETELY uncool. Not to mention, I make better eggs with my eyes half-closed in my own kitchen. It came with tots, which was the best part of my meal, and sourdough bread that was a bit stale. And though the tots were delicious, they wreaked havoc on me later, and I ended up pretty ill for the remainder of the day. Too much grease!

Drinks: * * *
Since I don’t do Bloody Marys, I was left with no other choice but to drink bottomless pints of Lovin’ Cup’s house draft. It was a pretty standard light beer - nothing wrong with it - but I certainly missed my standard mimosa. I had two pints and decided that was enough. I don’t know how I feel about beer with brunch. I mean, I love beer all the time, yes, but like I said, I just really wanted my OJ and champers. I’m a big spoiled baby, I guess.

Stats:
Lovin' Cup Cafe
93 N 6th St (Btwn Wythe Ave & Berry St)
Brooklyn NY 11211
(718) 302-1180
http://www.myspace.com/thelovincupcafe
Saturday & Sunday 11:30am To 5pm
$15 Drunk Brunch* Pre Fixe: Any Brunch Entrée Served With Coffee And Choice Of bottomless Bloody Mary Or House Draft

Dumont

Nancy's take:

Atmosphere: * * * *

The back enclosed garden at Dumont is a beautiful place to eat. However, with the sun beating down on us midday, we were sweating profusely. I sat on my jacket so as not to leave a sweat print on the seat when we left. The staff took good care of us, and even adjusted the shade above to keep us out of direct sun. The food was brought so quickly, we could hardly believe it was meant for us!

Food: * * * 1/2

Often I forget about the whole idea of doughnuts, until suddenly they are placed in front of me. A plate of homemade doughnut holes were brought to our table....intended to be served before brunch but actually arrived at the same time. I took a few bites of my brunch and then decided I just had to eat a doughnut first. I ordered the Eggs Florentine, made with fresh-tasting spinach and the sauce giving the dish its flavor. It was not the best eggs florentine I've ever had, but very clean and fresh-tasting. The incredible quickness with which our brunch was served made a big impression on me.

Drinks: * * * *

Bloody Mary

Taste: This is another great-tasting Bloody Mary

Size: Tall glass

Garnishes: Lemon and 2 olives

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * * * ½

My only qualm with Dumont’s atmosphere is that we were immediately sat in the garden, without even being offered an indoor seat. The garden is shaded, somewhat, and has a definite charm about it, but it was so damn hot - to the point of heat exhaustion - hot. Whoever had to sit in my hard, metal chair after I did was heading for an ass puddle of sweat. Not a good look.

Food: * * * ½

Dumont is known in Brooklyn for being one of the best. They are meat-y place, typically, so I don’t tend to follow that trend, especially since their DuMac and Cheese probably weighs in at about the 5,000-calorie range. Call me crazy, but this was not the finest brunch I ever had, with the only exception being that the homefries were the best homefries I’d ever had. My omelette had asparagus, tomatoes and cheese in it, but the veggies weren't diced or chopped in any way. A huge stalk of asparagus would fall out, followed by a whole cherry tomato. It was like having a plain omelette with a side of veggies. It really annoyed me. They do give you free doughnuts though, and they are some glorious doughnuts.

Drinks: * * ½

I opted for something new at Dumont: a fresh, watermelon-meets-cucumber vodka muddled concoction. It was so unbelievably hard to drink. There were so many seeds from all the cucumbers and watermelon bits smashed at the bottom that I couldn’t use a straw. And when I would try to drink it from the glass, all the ice above all the fruit would get in my way. The alcohol was in some sort of strange mix-ins purgatory, so I finally just gave up. SAD FACE.

Stats:

Dumont

432 Union Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11211

Web site: http://www.dumontrestaurant.com/

Brunch: Sat 11am-3pm, Sun 11am-3:30pm

Le Barricou

Nancy's Take:

Atmosphere: * * * * 1/2

This is a great atmosphere in which to dine, with walls plastered in old newspapers and worn painted signs. It feels like a trip to a charming bistro in France, especially as many of the staff speak to you in French accents. On a bustling brunch hour, we were still seated fairly quickly.

Food: * * * * *

All of my eating experiences have been phenomenal here, and this was no exception. I ordered the omelette special, made with farm-raised eggs and filled with asparagus, tomato, and mozzarella. The omelette was delicious and served with flavorful homefries - crispy outside and soft inside. The chocolate croissants served beforehand are a tasty little brunch treat (they bring you a plain croissant too).

Drinks: * * * * 1/2

Taste: Delicious! One of my favorite Bloody Marys in Brooklyn.

Size: Large mason jar - clever and the perfect size

Garnishes: Lime and an olive

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * * * * *

Not only does Le Barricou have an interesting, antiqued French ambiance, it has possibly the hottest manager of all time. I would go to brunch in a porta-potty if that man was showing me to my seat. But, other than him, the restaurant is deceivingly large, so it’s almost never a problem to get a table – even though it’s often packed. The staff is always friendly and the water boys are attentive and courteous.

Food: * * * * *

No matter what I eat at Le Barricou, I love it. I have never been disappointed in their cuisine, and this being my first time dining at brunch, it was no different. I had the Vegetarian Egg White Omelette, which really packed a punch. Alongside the mixed, roasted veggies and goat cheese was a potent Chipotle sauce, which was a pleasant surprise. I opted for the pommes frites instead of the homefries, but I stole some of Nancy’s and they were both delish. This was actually the first time my brunch defeated me. The omelette was so large, and the helping of frites was so heaping, I did not clear my plate. For shame, for shame.

Drinks: * * *

I had a mimosa and it was pretty standard. I enjoy the food much more than the drinks at Le Barricou, for no particular reason other than I’m not nearly as daring with my bevies as I am with my brunch. Don’t get me wrong – the mimosa was refreshing and tasty – but not as special as the food.

Stats:

Le Barricou

533 Grand Street

Brooklyn, NY 11211-3502

(718) 782-7372

Web site: http://lebarricouny.com/

Brunch Sat & Sun 11am - 6pm

maggie brown

Nancy's take:

Atmosphere: * * * * 1/2

We intentionally waited to review Maggie Brown on a day with good G train service, otherwise it would be a huge pain to get there. This is something to factor into your decision if you live outside of Fort Greene - check the G train schedule first, or take a car service.

I love the decor at Maggie Brown, with its Victorian feel, intentionally a bit time-worn and antique-looking. There is rich, gold/black wallpaper meeting with a raw brick wall, and outdoor garden seating in the back. Being a hot summer day, we opted for the air-conditioned indoors. We were seated in a booth, promptly brought ice water and asked for a drink order. The drinks and food were delivered timely by a friendly waitress. In fact, all of the staff working that day were very friendly and engaging.

Food: * * * * *

I can't say enough good things about the food, based on all of my experiences there. This time I ordered the Brie and berry pancakes, and they were incredible. I usually opt for the savory food for brunch, but it was worth veering toward the sweetness this time. The Brie is an unusual yet completely brilliant addition to pancakes, and the flavor paired nicely with the strawberries.

Drinks: * * * * 1/2

Bloody Mary

Taste: This is one of my top 3 favorite Bloody Mary's in Brooklyn to date. Lots of horseradish kick to it.

Size: Small rocks glass

Garnish: 2 olives, lemon, lime.

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * * * ½

This was my virgin voyage to Maggie Brown, and I have to say, it was worth the trip! When you step into the door, the restaurant appears homegrown with a weird haunted mansion vibe. That probably sounds awful, but really, it’s fun! We were seated in a big booth made of tufted, maroon leather. The odd art, gaudy-in-a-good-way wallpaper was the perfect complement to all the hip-hop music they played. Awesome. Oh, and no rug-rats! (Michael, you owe me a Frozen Harrison now.)

Food: * * * * *

THIS FOOD IS GOOD. Maggie Brown had a lot to live up to, since Nancy was raving about it, and it totally met and probably exceeded all expectations. I ordered The Grandma Harriet, which included scrambled eggs with fresh dill, tomatoes and onion. I got my eggs with a side salad, homefries and I substituted bread for a homemade biscuit with raspberry butter. Let me tell you about raspberry butter: it’s almost like raspberry sorbet, but a bit grittier, but it’s not like jelly at all – jelly is gross. It has a unique texture and a killer taste.

Drinks: * * * ½

On this soberest of Sundays, I only sampled one mimosa. It was made with fresh squeezed OJ and served in a tall flute. It was delicious, but that day I only had eyes for raspberry butter.

Stats:

Maggie Brown

455 Myrtle Ave., Brooklyn

718-643-7001

www.maggiebrownrestaurant.com

nita nita

Nancy's Take:

Atmosphere: * * * 1/2

We arrived around noon and the waitress asked if we planned just to drink. At that moment I knew I had come to the right place. The World Cup games were being screened in the front room, so we went to the back area, which was secluded enough to act as a separate room. The waitress was polite, and our drinks and food arrived very promptly.

Food: * * * *

I ordered the Huevos Rancheros. If you like salsa, you would definitely have enjoyed this version, as it was served with a generous helping on top. I don't remember enough to describe the taste, because I shoveled the whole thing into my mouth in about 5 minutes. I'd say that's a sign that it was delicious.

Drinks: * * *

Drink #1 - Bloody Mary

Taste: Definitely approved. Nice and spicy.

Size: Small glass

Garnishes: served with a celery stalk.

Drink #2 - Bellini

Taste: It was good but could have been better. Their motto is "Stiff Drinks, Great Eats," so I would have expected there to be a bit more sparkling wine in the drink. The peach juice (to me) tasted almost like orange juice.

Size: Small glass, the most disappointing part.

Garnishes: None, doesn't need any!

Becca's Take:

Atmosphere: * * *

I like Nita Nita because of its cozy backyard - but sadly - it was nearly 100 degrees when we brunched, so even though the interior "decorating" of Nita Nita leaves something to be desired, the air conditioning unit might as well have been an original Picasso on the wall - pure genius. Luckily, the layout of the restaurant lets the bar crowd do their rowdy thing up front, while us posh, very lady-like diners can enjoy our brunch in the peace and quiet of the back area.

Food: * * * *

For the first time in Summer Of Brunch history, I stepped outside of the omelette box and dove straight into a carby pool of pecan-infused maple syrup. (You would've done the same!) But, I wanted a little protein, so I ordered a side of scrambled eggs. The side items at Nita Nita are one of my favorite parts about brunch here. You can get eggs, bacon and a bunch of other small-plate breakfast favorites for only $3, so whatever you're in the mood for can be easily obtained, even if not included in your entree. But back to my french toast. It was made with thick-cut sourdough bread and topped with pecan maple syurp and whipped cream. It was cooked to perfection and came out much faster than I expected. I was more than pleased.

Drinks: * * * 1/2

I see a Bellini, I drink a Bellini. It was very refreshing on a hot day, and had a smooth flavor going down. It could've been a little "peachier" and a lot bigger, as Nancy said, but it definitely wasn't hard to drink. It was so above mediocre that I had two!

Stats:

146 Wythe Ave

(between N. 8th St & N. 9th St)

Brooklyn, NY 11211

(718) 388-5328

www.nitanitabk.com

Hours: Mon-Fri 4pm-Midnight; Sat-Sun 11am-Midnight