Mrs. Kim's

Nancy's take:

Atmosphere: * * * *

Tucked away on Franklin Street in Greenpoint, Mrs. Kim's is an undiscovered little gem. Its mostly wooden interior reminded me of sipping hot cocoa at a cozy ski lodge. The chairs were Shaker-esque, like climbing into Grandma's rocking chair on the porch. Nice big windows let a lot of sunlight into the room.There were plenty of tables open at brunch hour, though our waitress was a tad on the bitchy side.

Food: * * * *

I nearly missed the fact that Mrs. Kim's is actually a Korean restaurant. The brunch items were traditional American and French fare, with some pork buns, kimchi, and bibimbop thrown into the mix. Whatever they're doing,it's fine with me if they keep it up. Becca and I split two dishes between us. We had their omelette made with spinach, chive, scallion, and ricotta. Not only was the omelette tasty, but the home fries it came with were amazing. But it didn't stop there. We also split the pumpkin belgian waffles, which were their special. It was all so delicious and satisfying. Had either of us been less full, we would've also ordered the steamed tofu buns.

Drinks: * * * * *

Having had some less-than-thrilling experiences with Bloody Marys lately, I almost shied away from ordering it this time. Then I caught a glimpse of one at the bar. I'm glad I ordered it, because it has now climbed up my ranks among the best Bloody Marys in Brooklyn. It was thick but also plenty alcoholic (I like thicker mix vs. watered-down). Best of all, it was loaded with horseradish and Sriracha (which I watched the bartender pour in).

Size: Tall drinking glass (also a bonus)

Garnishes: lemon, lime, giant celery stalk and a pickle slice

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * *

I adore Franklin Street in Greenpoint, and I always mean to frequent it more than I do. I really think the only thing the atmosphere of Mrs. Kim's does for me is that is resides in a corner spot along Fraknlin. It is a spacious place with a lot of great light, as Nancy mentioned, but the strange, giant, Grandma chairs didn’t mesh well with the semi-modern bar or the tiniest bit of Asian flair they were clinging to. Nevertheless, looks aren’t everything when you’re brunching.

Food: * * * *

Mrs. Kim’s does an excellent job of making sure every customer is happy. There is literally something for everyone. Because everything sounded so good on the menu, Nancy and I opted to share plates for the first time EVER. We were wise to do so! It was the perfect portion of each. The pumpkin waffles were to die for, and they came alongside fresh fruit, whipped cream and powdered sugar. The omelette was a little dry, but still delicious with all the fixins to be found inside, while the breakfast potatoes were some of the best I’ve had yet! I wish I had had room for the tofu steamed buns, but I guess this means I’ll just have to go back.

Drinks: * * ½

I opted for a mimosa, even though I thought $8 was a bit steep. It came in a large, stemmed glass, and was made with fresh-squeezed juice (why it was $8, I’m assuming). It was a little, as I like to say, “too orange.” The lighter your mimosa, the more champagne – I like pale yellow mimosas, and this one, though tasty, was not.

Stats:

Mrs. Kim's

160 Franklin St.

Brooklyn, NY 11222

(718) 389-8881

Open Weekdays 11am-11pm; Weekends 10am-1am

www.mrskimsnyc.com

Fada

Nancy's Take:

Atmosphere: * * * 1/2

It was surprisingly hot for a mid-October day, so I got us a table indoors. I did take note, however, that the back garden looked very inviting. The front windows were open to let in the breeze and it was the perfect indoor climate. Since there weren't many guests at the time, I was ::GASP:: actually allowed to sit down before the rest of my party arrived (this is uncommon in NYC). The inside of the restaurant reads mostly of brown wood and no specific decor stood out in my mind. I thought it had a nice charm, nonetheless.

Food: * * *

When Becca and her friend, Theresa, arrived, we all ordered our drinks and looked over the menu. There were a lot of lunch-type options as well as breakfast food, so it seemed like enough to please anyone's palette. I think were all a little frustrated, however, with the waitress' inability to clearly describe any of the items on the menu when we asked questions. We all ended up just taking the plunge and ordering things whether we understood them or not. I had the Eggs Fada, which were poached eggs served in a casserole dish of baked tomatoes, eggplant, and goat cheese. Honestly I pictured the tomatoes being more like fresh cut tomatoes, and instead, it was more like a pasta sauce. Although the restaurant is French, I felt like i was eating a rich, Italian dinner for breakfast. It was good, but a little too "hearty" for my taste when it comes to brunch.

Drinks: * * *

Bloody Mary

Taste: good but a little watery

Garnishes: lemon, cornichon, and about 5 olives

Size: round stemmed glass

Becca’s Take:

Atmosphere: * * *

I like the feel of Fada for no particular reason other than it's simple, easy, considerably spacious for tight, Brooklyn eateries, and it has an interesting, antiquied feel about it. It's not fancy or over the top, but it's not boring - good middle ground for brunch, lunch or dinner. Like Nancy, this waitress annoyed me. A lot of the items on the menu are either written out in French or are prepared in a French style, which may not be known to everyone - like moi. Every question I asked her, she couldn't really answer, so it was a guessing game mixed with process of elimination as to what sounded the least intimidating or the most vegetarian.

Food: * * * 1/2

I've eaten at Fada for dinner before, and it was lovely. Brunch was just as nice. I started with a tartine, which is a toasted baguette with jam and butter. In my never-ending quest to find the perfect biscuit, I initally thought a tartine may have been some kind of French biscuit. After a daunting explanation from our waitress, I ordered it basically because I was confused and hungry - but it worked out because I enjoyed it very much. For my main meal I had their quiche special, which was made with brocolli, endives and goat cheese. It was tasty, no doubt, but a little slimey. I prefer my quiches a little more well done, with less oil seeping out of the nooks and crannies.

Drinks: * * *

Mimosas, and plenty of them. They are pretty cheap, and I was feeling boozy, so I had about three of them.

What Theresa Ate:

Theresa started her brunch with an Irish coffee that looked as good as she said it tasted. It was adorned with whipped cream and a cherry - so sweet.

I know Theresa quite well, and she doesn't usually fancy eggs. She went for the special omelette, which had asparagus, mushrooms and muenster cheese. She gave it her very own seal of approval! The omelette came with breakfast potatoes - which Theresa deemed not as delicious as mine, but still a damn fine homefry - and a salad. Theresa opted for fresh fruit to start, and nibbled a bit on my tartine.

Stats:

Fada

530 Driggs Ave, at N. 8th St

Brooklyn, NY 11211

Brunch: Fri., 10 a.m.—4 p.m.; Sat.—Sun., 10 a.m.—5 p.m.