Cafe Colette

Nancy's Take:

Atmosphere: * * * * 1/2

I love how the interior of Cafe Colette has been decorated. It's like French-bistro-meets-fifties-diner. What caught my attention the most was the gorgeous color of the back wall, painted in a distressed style with robins egg blue and hints of light aqua peeking through. There's a checkerboard floor and a diner-style bar as the focal point of the room. There are also lots of tables outdoors wrapped around the side of the cafe. The staff were all so friendly, and happy to answer our many questions about the menu.

Food: * * * * 1/2

I ordered the Chorizo and raja scramble. I found out that "raja" refers to the way that the green peppers are cooked before being put in the scramble, so that they have an extra smokey flavor to them. Whatever they did to it, they should keep doing! I don't even like green peppers that much and yet I loved this scramble. The side of potatoes were cooked with scallions and whole garlic cloves. I ended up spreading the garlic cloves onto my multi-grain toast.

Drinks: * * *

Bloody Mary

Taste: I had high hopes for this one with all its garnishes, but it was slightly watered down and not spicy enough for me.

Size: tall fancy glass with a stem

Garnishes: pickle, celery, lemon, green olive, and a salted rim. I gave it an extra star for the garnishes alone.

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * * * *

Café Colette is a great place with a lot of a charm but still a lot of space. I was surprised at the amount of both indoor and outdoor seating. Being the kitschy girl that I am, I convinced Nancy to sit at the bar. Only in certain environments do I enjoy eating my food at the bar, and this was one of those places. It was a clean, cool counter with comfy swivel seats and a very knowledgeable bartender/waiter.

Food: * * * * ½

This food was really close to perfect. I opted for two eggs, any style, and got them scrambled with gruyere cheese. It was absolutely delicious, but I felt like my helping of eggs was a little small. Maybe I’m just a pig, but I could’ve eaten another order, easily. I opted for French fries instead of breakfast potatoes – and actually got them this time! – and I had a side of the multi-grain toast, which was hearty, had a hint of sweetness and was possibly the best toast I’d ever had.

Drinks: * * *

My mimosa was standard as could be. Nothing to complain about – except the price tag ($9 – it keeps getting higher! I guess Café Colette prrroobbbaablllyy doesn’t use Andre) – but it tasted smooth and sweet.

Stats:

Cafe Colette

79 Berry Street

(between N. 10th & N. 9th streets)

Brooklyn, NY 11211

http://www.cafe-colette.com

Juliette

Nancy's Take:

Atmosphere: * * * *
I was excited to see it was a beautiful sunny day - perfect for brunch on the outside terrace of Juliette. From the street you can see people sitting up there, and they always seem to be having such a good time. There is a separate hostess for the terrace as opposed to the main level, so we hopped straight upstairs and sipped on mimosas at the bar while we waited. It wasn't more than 10 minutes before we were shown to our table - a nicely shaded area that we already had our eyes on. Okay, so the view from THAT side of the terrace is not gorgeous - it overlooked a trash-cluttered aluminum roof. However, I still think the overall ambiance of the terrace was adorable.

Food: * * *
I couldn't resist ordering the house-cured Scottish salmon benedict with lemon-caper hollandaise and red bliss home fries. The first thing I noticed on my plate was that the home fries were NOT red bliss potatoes. They also didn't taste like anything special. The eggs benedict was good, but I honestly expected a little more excitement from the lemon-caper hollandaise. There were small bits of capers ground into the sauce, and more than anything it had a flavor of pickle juice. Hey, I'm not complaining about pickle juice....I just wanted to be a little more impressed with the dish than I actually was.
The waitress was extremely apologetic as she had forgotten to put our order in. I said "Honey, just keep our drinks coming and we'll be fine." She gave us free beer to compensate for the error, and the food actually came out very quickly regardless.

Drinks: * * * 1/2
Apparently I've been spoiled by all the drink deals we've found lately. The mimosas were average-priced at around $8, but it felt expensive to me after drinking those $4 ones at Lokal last week. I steered clear of the Bloody Marys here because I saw one brought to another table and it looked less than thrilling. I thought the mimosas were tasty, but they're also pretty hard to mess up.

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * * * *
I like the atmosphere of Juliette because it is prime for people watching. And not just the kind of street-level people watching, but couple's quarrel from their very own kitchen window people watching. (I just creeped MYSELF out!) But, in my defense, it’s impossible not to notice the people who live in the building beside Juliette, because when you’re dining on the roof, you’re basically dining with them. It was an interesting spot, and I’d love to hang out there are night. They had a lot of posters for their nightlife scene – it’s a must before it gets too cold to be a rooftopper.

Food: * * 1/2
I, like Nancy, was expecting something really special from the food at Juliette, and was let down. My omelette seemed so exciting on paper because it boasts of truffled goat cheese – which, by the way, was the high point of this omelette. The asparagus was also a seller for me, but it was so finely chopped, it was barely worthwhile, and even tasted a bit sour. The eggs were cooked in fluffy, French style, and I asked for French fries instead of breakfast taters and got the taters.
Wah-wah :(

Drinks: * * *
I love strong mimosas and free Stella, but not at $8 bucks a pop and the latter will never happen again.

Stats:

Juliette
135 n. 5th st
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 388-9222
www.juliettewilliamsburg.com
Open Mon-Thu 12pm-12am; Fri 12pm-1am; Sat 10:30am-1am; Sun 10:30am-11:30pm

Lokal

Nancy's Take:

Atmosphere: * * *
From the outside, Lokal looks like it could be some kind of a cheesy tiki hut place intended for tourists and frat guys. Inside the restaurant, it's actually quite tasteful. The walls are decorated with Turkish ceramic tiles and there are tables to accommodate all sizes of parties. There's also a nice outdoor section in front with awnings to protect from the sun and elements.

Food: * * *
I ordered the Huevos Rancheros and a side of bacon. The huevos were served simply, with black beans and soft tortillas, with a little touch of salsa and guacamole on top. I had the eggs sunny-side up and overall I thought it was a nice dish. The bacon, however, wasn't crispy enough for my taste.

Drinks: * * * * 1/2
$4 for a mimosa, bloody mary, or bellini and you've sold me! Their bellinis are especially tasty and admittedly I drank four of them. At that price, you can really just plan to hang out for the rest of the day. The drink service at our table was a little slow, but sitting at the bar takes care of that issue.

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * * * ½
Even though Lokal is sometimes referred to as the ugly stepchild of Five Leaves, I think it still has a somewhat charming, ethnic vibe to it that sets it apart from the above association. There’s never a wait, you can eat outside or in, and the bar service is pretty tremendous. Lokal is also home to a really neat basement bathroom, and I love me some comfortable, pretty and private lavs.

Food: * * * ½
I stepped slightly out of the box this weekend and started my brunch with a tomato pesto soup, which was absolutely lovely. It was some of the best tomato soup I’ve ever had – and the light touch of pesto was truly perfect. I could’ve eaten bowls upon bowls of that stuff. I then opted for the White Spinach Omelette, which had waaaaaay too much spinach in it; I think even Popeye would agree that it was a gagging amount. The eggs were cooked well, though, and the cheese nice and melty. So after weeding out some of the heavy greens, I was much happier with my meal.

Drinks:* * * * *
Lokal gets five stars for drinks. Not only are they delicious, but they are dirt cheap! $4 mimosa, bellini or bloody mary? Who among us wouldn’t indulge?

Stats:

Lokal Mediterranean Bistro
905 Lorimer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 384-6777
Open Mon-Thu,Sun 10am-11pm; Fri-Sat 10am-12am
www.lokalbistro.com

Rabbithole

Nancy's Take:

Atmosphere: * * * *

The restaurant is divided into four sections: A seating area in front, a bar in the center, and

more tables at the very back leading out to the garden. We were seated in what I believed to be

the most perfect table of the whole restaurant - indoors but overlooking the garden (with the doors open). For one thing, we were far enough away from the screaming baby in the front that we could enjoy our food in peace. For another thing, we caught the nice breeze from outside

without getting too hot in the sun. Plus a nice view!

Food: * * * * *

I can't say enough good things about the food. I ordered their Eggs Benedict, because it was made with bacon. The taste was unexpected but delicious. Mustard seeds are mixed into the side salad as well as the hollandaise sauce. I've never seen this in a hollandaise before but it had a nice flavor. Add that to the eggs and maple-flavored bacon on top of a homemade biscuit, and

you've got a tasty little brunch!

Drinks: * * *

Bloody Mary - Maybe I'm just spoiled by the places that include drinks with brunch, but ordering a second round started to get pricey.

Taste: good but not memorable
Size: Tall glass

Garnishes: Lemon and celery.

Becca's Take:

Atmosphere: * * *

Rabbithole is a quaint little place with your typical Brooklyn bistro look. But the first thing I noticed when I walked in last Sunday was an obnoxious, crying baby. I asked the very flustered host specifically to be seated away from the baby, which he did. When we got to our seat, we were actually really happy because we were half inside and half outside, so it wasn't too warm and we were in plenty of shade.

Food: * * * *

I almost ordered the half-baked eggs, and then the waitress warned me what the dish was actually like, and I opted for the goat cheese, roasted tomato and red onion omelette, which was made perfectly. When it came out, it almost looked fake - that's how perfect. The homefries were delish and I ordered a side biscuit because I just can't help myself. It really was the perfect amount of brunch - yum!

Drinks: * * 1/2

I wasn't impressed with The Gardner cocktail I ordered for my first round, so I went with a mimosa for round two. I got a nice buzz, but they weren't outstanding.

Stats:
Rabbithole
352 Bedford Avenue (bet S3rd/S4th St)
(718) 782-0910
Brunch available every day 8am-5pm
www.rabbitholebakery.com

The Bedford

Nancy's Take:

Atmosphere: * * * *

At first I thought The Bedford didn't seem like the most creative name for a new restaurant. Then again...it almost sounds like a place from a film noir, where you half-expect Humphrey Bogart to come strolling in. Come to think of it, it kind of looks like that too! The building inside and out is not what you'd expect to see on Bedford Avenue. The front facade is white stucco and adorned with potted window plants - very reminiscent of Los Angeles (or even Morocco?). Indoors is fairly dark, and mostly reliant on natural sunlight. The waitress and bartender welcomed us, and we were seated immediately. Take advantage of this aspect quickly, before the word gets out and this place fills up for brunch!

Food: * * * * *

I had the omelette special, with chorizo, feta and heirloom tomatoes. For those not already aware, I put hot sauce on everything possible. I was pretty sure the chef himself brought our food out in person, and I didn't want to offend him by asking for hot sauce to slather all over it. This is the kind of restaurant where you get the impression the chef really takes pride in the artistry of his food pairings. The chorizo and tomatoes created such a nice flavor on their own that I immediately abandoned all notion of hot sauce. In fact, I started dipping our fresh cut fries from our shared basket, into the leftover juices on my plate.

Drinks: * * * * 1/2

There are a wide variety of specialty cocktails to choose from, as well as a comprehensive wine list, and the traditional brunch drinks. The only downside is that having more than one can get a bit pricey, but they are all delicious. I've sampled several of their specialty cocktails previously, but I went traditional for brunch.

Bloody Mary

Taste: Good stuff....I definitely approve.

Size: Tall glass

Garnishes: two olives on a toothpick and a lemon.

Becca’s Take

Atmosphere: * * * *

The Bedford has an antiquated, industrial feel to it, which kind of reminded me of a British schoolhouse from…I don’t know…the early 1900’s? I totally dug the low maintenance vibe of the place, and also was impressed to watch the lone bartender make every drink meticulously and that the chef was happy to bring us the food he prepared with his own hands. It’s always a good sign when the people working at a restaurant care so deeply about what they do for their guests.

Food: * * * * *

This place gets five stars for food in my book. I have never…in all my days…had scrambled eggs cooked as lovely as they were at The Bedford. And keep in mind – I didn’t drink the night before ::gasp!:: so this wasn’t a hangover talking. My eggs were scrambled perfectly with red onions, cheddar cheese and chives all on top of charred sourdough bread. They gave me deep-fried breakfast potato slivers and a tomato on the side, but I only had eyes for our side of fresh cut fries with paprika aioli – which were killer! The aioli was out of control good. I may have mentioned to Nancy that I wouldn’t mind “eating the rest of it with a spoon”…or something like that.

Drinks: * * * ½

I had a delicious champagne bevie adorned with a black cherry called a Baldini. It was fizzy and tasted great, but at $10 a pop, I couldn’t get a buzz on at The Bedford. BOO-HOO.

The Bedford

110 Bedford Avenue (bet 10th St/11th St)

Brooklyn, NY 11211

(718) 302-1002

Hours: Mon-Sun 8 am - 4 am