Buttermilk Channel

Buttermilk Channel is a classy joint, so I made a classy pose. Shut up, I'm working on it.

But seriously, first off, it's well decorated. The navy exterior, the interior painted the color of buttermilk, the wooden bar and brick wall. Lovely and relaxing. The service is attentive and generally friendly, and the owner is very nice (he chatted with us for some time after he saw my aunt measuring the bar with an actual measuring tape, and then gave her some tips on sconces...yep).


The brunch menu is southern-tilted, with house-made sausage, biscuits, scrambles, pancakes, pork chops, and more. They also offer your usual burger and salad options, and all entrees are $6-15, and include coffee/tea and a mimosa or bellini. One of the better brunch deals I've had, considering the menu, atmosphere and complimentary beverages. I ordered the ABC Grilled Cheese, with apples, bacon and cheddar. It came on grilled bread, and was predictably salty and could have used more apple, but the bacon was good quality and perfectly cooked. The tiny salad that came with it was actually very good.

We ordered a side of biscuits, which I was fairly impressed with and would repeat order. I also sampled a bit of Jennifer's pork chop and cheddar waffles (the pork chop was HUGE), and it was really delicious-- juicy tasty pork, and predictably delicious waffle (how can a cheddar waffle be bad..I'm sure it could happen, but it shouldn't). The tiny bit of Rich's corn beef hash I tried was also good (below) and my cousin Walker gave their fries his seal of approval.

I will note that I had dinner there once, and though this is not that review, it was also good. I will definitely be back for another relaxing brunch (note that it is only served on Sundays) time and time again. -Laurel



One afternoon, our friend Rich and I were going to meet up and head over to Reis 100 in Park Slope, where they have a 100 different types of sandwiches. Since Rich is a sandwich fiend, I thought he would thoroughly enjoy it. However, due to the MTA induced fate we often find ourselves wrestling with, it was going to take forever for him to get there from LIC. So Laurel was kind enough to invite us along with her family to Buttermilk Channel.

To be honest, I might have lured Rich to the restaurant under false pretenses...I promised him Country Fried Steak, as well as biscuits and gravy, both of which they do not have (but hopefully due to us meeting the owner and begging him to add them both to the menu, I'm hoping this might change). Either way, I do not think he was disappointed at the vast array of food we ordered and sampled off each other. I mean, seriously, he looks so happy in that picture above, right?



So, the food. This place definitely takes the first part of their compound word to heart. Everything had a ton of butter. That's what made the porkchops so tasty at least...the coating of butter and crumbs on the outside. The meat inside was less than spectacular - tasted a bit bland in fact. But coupled with the coating and the cheddar waffles, it was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend this dish. It is the most expensive one, although at $15 and including coffee and alcohol, it's not that bad.

The biscuits were good, and I wish I had eaten a whole plate by myself, but alas, I had to share with everyone else. Also, we ordered a coffeecake, which came out in the odd form of a small muffin. Soft and gooey, with great flavor. They also have donuts, which we didn't try, and now I can't remember why...

The wait staff is super nice and very patient. Our waitress was nice enough to give me my alcoholic beverage after we had all eaten, because apparently I can't read and didn't realize a free drink comes with the meal. This place is well decorated, and everything has a very classy feel to it. Before even meeting the co-owner outside, I got the feeling whoever owned the place knew exactly how he/she wanted it to look and feel: homey and inviting. A lot of restaurants don't think it out, and just slap a bunch of tacky crap into a room and wonder why no one comes. This guy really knew what he was doing - he even remembered the name of the paint he used on the front.

Go here and enjoy.- Jennifer





Address: 542 Court Street between Nelson and Huntington (Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn)

Website: ButtermilkChannelNYC.com, Yelp

Payment: Cash, Credit

Delivery: No

Open Late: Open for Dinner, Sunday, Tues-Thurs, 5pm-11pm; Fri-Sat 5pm-12am; Open for Brunch on Sundays only 10am-3pm

Large Group Friendly: Somewhat, they take reservations for 6+ people

Bar/Happy Hour: Full Bar, Drink included in the brunch price

reBar

In yet another attempt to eat at Superfine and finding it closed, Laurel and I ventured over to reBar after we were told by our friends Davis and Amanda that they served brunch. We walked in to find a small coffee bar set up beside a staircase. We were pointed up the stairs to a large open area with a bunch of tables, and a divided bar, as well as another off et dining area. After being told to sit wherever we liked, we chose a table as far away from everyone else as possible so the waitress would have to walk really, really far, and our food would be room temperature (okay, not really, but we could have done that because there were a lot of choices).

The menu offers pretty standard brunch, along with salads and pressed sandwiches. And as we always seem to want the same sweet/savory frenchtoastpancakeswaffles/scrambledeggsomeletbaconsausagepotatoestoast, we decided on this particular trip to mix it up a little bit. Instead of the typical, we chose pancakes with strawberries and walnuts, and chose an omelet with BBQ pulled pork, manchego cheese and carmelized onions. That's right. We're different.

The pancakes were very tasty - soft on the inside, slightly crunchy on the outside. The walnuts were candied and a nice touch, although quite the texture difference from a soft pancake. The reBar omelet was the real risk taker here, obviously. And I must say, I kind of liked it, but it was really, really weird. In fact, as Laurel and I were eating it, we kept saying over and over "I'm not sure what is happening in my mouth right now." It's basically a flavor explosion that is neither amazing nor disgusting, despite the list of ingredients mixed with eggs. It's just...yet again, really, really weird.

Also, as a recommendation: if you decide to get the reBar omelet, don't get something sweet. It will just make your taste buds keep going 'WHAT THE HELL?!' as you switch back and forth. Also, the BBQ in the omelet is a little sweet, so the extra isn't needed. But I do recommend trying it, if any of those ingredients sound good to you. Your mouth just kind of...has to adjust to the difference. Once it does though, I promise you'll be satisfied.

I'm dying to go back to reBar and drink, actually, as I think it would be a great place to dance (if they have dancing?) and/or get in a fight (as a note, I need large spaces for my fights). Go to DUMBO and try it! -Jennifer


reBar was a second choice for brunch one weekend, but the menu looked encouraging and the space is kind of awesome. It's huge and open with tall ceilings and wood floors, a place you'd want to have a party in and then have a break dancing competition. These are how all of my parties end, but it'd just be more convenient/classy at this joint.

The menu is your standard brunch, with a little higher than they should be prices.. like most places. I have to agree with Jennifer's assessment of the reBar Omelet.. it was just plain weird. I don't think I'd order it again, I'm still weirded out by that thing. It's just.. unnatural. The accompanying salad greens and potatoes were just okay, and the pancakes were also okay. Nothing was amazing, or even overly noteworthy, but not bad, either.

The service was lacking. The waitress did the classic disappearing act, where she started out attentive and then completely vanished. So much so, that we had to walk around for a while to find someone to pay. Did we mention that there was NO ONE there? Two other tables the whole time we sat there. But I think they have wireless, so it'd be a cool place to sit with coffee and a laptop during the day without be bothered (by anyone, including the waitstaff), or, as I said, break dance. -Laurel

Address: 147 Front St. between Pearl St. and Jay St. (Dumbo, Brooklyn)

Website: reBarNYC.com, Yelp

Payment: Cash, Credit

Delivery: No

Open Late: Mon-Tue. til 2:00 a.m.; Wed-Sat. til 4:00 a.m.; Sun. til 2:00 a.m.

Large Group Friendly: Yes

Bar/Happy Hour: Full Bar

Tue Thai Food

Recently, an adventure over in the West Village proved to be a rather yummy discovery. One night, Crystal, Laurel and I decided to grab a bite to eat after a comedy show. After much walking, we found a cute, somewhat cheap little Thai place somewhere in the midst of the confusion that is the West Village.

One of my all-time favorite appetizers of Chinese restaurants (I say this because I've never seen these in a Thai restaurant until we went here, and I just read the Wikipedia page and apparently it's a new commodity in Thai restaurants), is Crab Ragoon. Fried wontons (or just the pastry that makes wontons) stuffed with crab and cream cheese, which you dip in duck sauce. They are de-licious, and not usually offered in authentic Chinese restaurants. At Tue, the crab ragoon is a bit spicy, which added an extra flavor I thoroughly enjoyed. They're not too expensive either, six pieces for $6.


For dinner, I ordered the "World Famous" Pineapple Fried Rice ($9). Although being apparently famous throughout all the lines, it was pretty standard. It had pineapple, raisins, cashews, onions, roma tomatoes, lime, and a choice of meat. I went for the chicken, which was a bit tough to the bite, but had a good flavor. Either way, while good, and not too expensive, I'm pretty skeptical that this restaurant's pineapple fried rice is actually heard of in say...Thailand.

Either way, the decorations are adorable, and rather inventive. The light (pictured above) was really cool and gave the restaurant a bit of an arty feel. Also, the staff was super nice and very attentive. I recommend it if you're walking around the West Village. -Jennifer


Our visit to Tue was born out of a bout of incredible indecisiveness. We walked around and around the West Village, declaring this too expensive and that too whatever, when we finally came upon Tue. Thai didn't sound too bad, the prices were good, and it looked cute. Aaaaaand done.

The menu is largely standard (price and selection-wise), with appetizers, a couple of soups and salads, curries, noodle dishes, and rice dishes. I ordered a yellow curry with chicken, which was $10ish.


It was a hearty portion, with a good amount of veggies (onion, cabbage, green beans, carrots) and chicken, which was a little overcooked, but fine. The sauce was lightly sweet from the coconut milk and a nice amount of spice, but it didn't wow me with flavor. The rice was perfectly cooked in a ball on the side. Overall, it was solid, but, as Jennifer said, nothing amazing.

The service was friendly and dependable, and the decor is way cute-- not your standard too modern and plastic Thai place. If I lived in the area, or needed a quick bite of Thai food in the area, I would recommend--but nothing to go out of your way for. -Laurel

Address: 3 Greenwich Avenue, between Christopher St & 10th St

Website: Yelp

Payment: Cash, Credit

Delivery: Yes

Open Late: Til 11pm Daily

Large Group Friendly: Yes

Bar/Happy Hour: No Alcohol

Autour du Monde (with Guest Reviewer Davis)

Always on the lookout for a great brunch place close to our apartment, Amanda and I popped by Autour du Monde one weekend. It was a bit late for brunch, so we wound up being alone in the place with the owner (whose name is sadly escaping me). We chatted him up while enjoying our meal, and left very satisfied.

The atmosphere inside is comfortable, with large windows along the outer wall, looking out onto the street. A large semicircle of a bar sits in the middle of the room. As far as the menu consisting of items "around the world," you can expect French and American-influenced entrees.

When Jen suggested we grab something go eat for lunch a few Sundays ago, Autour du Monde sounded like a great idea, and I'm glad I had another chance to try this place out.

They offer a free drink with most of the items on their brunch, though I had the burger, which isn't on that list. It came on a massive, buttery brioche bun, and cooked to perfection. The heavy bun helped absorb the overly juicy patty, avoiding the sad, soggy mess you typically get during the second half of even the best burgers. The side of fries served their job suitably.

If you're in the mood for an affordable, tasty brunch off the beaten path, I definitely recommend dropping by Autour du Monde. - Davis

Autour du Monde is a cute little French spot in Clinton Hill near Clinton Ave. I love their logo, although it's done with the Kristen font, and that font kind of sucks. Still cute enough to make me want to pop in. I had the pleasure of going with my friend Davis, who had been there before. Autour is locally run - Davis pointed out the owner during the meal - with a large, open space, and a large bar.

They've got brunch down pretty well. I ordered the omelet with a side of bacon. It came with home fries and a small salad. I also ordered a large glass of fresh orange juice. Everything came out fast, and was cooked just right, although it's not hard to mess up this standard meal. The omelet however, was a work of art considering it had nothing in. I'm always impressed when people can flip omelets or pancakes just right and this cook obviously can.

The waitress was very nice and attentive. This place is good and worth checking out if you are in the area. I'd like to go back another day soon; I feel like what I got was basic and I have plenty of room to explore. - Jennifer


Address: 860 Fulton Street at Clinton Ave. (Clinton Hill, Brooklyn)

Website: RestaurantAutourduMonde.com

Payment: Cash, Credit

Delivery: Nope

Open Late: til 10:30pm every night

Large Group Friendly: Yep! and doesn't seem to be too crowded

Bar/Happy Hour: Yep, and brunch includes a drink if you so choose

Madiba

Simply put, this might be one of the coziest and most satisfying restaurants I've ever been to. Unsure of where to dine on a recent Monday afternoon, we stumbled upon Madiba quite haphazardly. We decided to walk to Dekalb Ave in search of some brunch - Autour du Monde was closed, and most of the other restaurants were crowded. We went into Madiba because it was considerably less crowded and the tables and umbrellas outside were cute and inviting.

Unfortunately all the umbrellas were taken, so we had to settle for inside. Luckily, however, we got to enjoy two musical artists warming up for that night's performance. They were absolutely fantastic and very nice. Also, the inside of the restaurant is adorable, with its wooden tables and old glassware, as well as the awesome coke bottle chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The restaurant is named after Nelson Mandela; Madiba is the honorary title South Africans gave him. Therefore, the entire restaurant is decorated in his honor.



As for the food, the restaurant has quite a collection of comfort food and spicy delights such as curry. A few of us jumped at the offer of Sangria, while Laurel went with coffee. Laurel and I both went for the Meal in a Pie - chicken on bottom, mashed potatoes and gravy in the middle, and a flaky crust on top ($10). It definitely lived up to its name. I was unbelievably full afterward. Davis went for the Fatcake with the savory mince. Yes, it looked as unhealthy as it sounds (pictured above). He seemed to really dig it, although I didn't get to try a piece.

Definitely give Madiba a taste if you're in the neighborhood - or take a special trip out to Fort Greene just for this little South African gem. - Jennifer



I have to agree that Madiba is super cute and from my experience, pretty tasty. I ordered the same thing as Jennifer, which we don't normally do, but it looked too good. And it was good, the mushroom gravy was especially delicious. I practically licked my plate and was pleasantly full.. but not too full to pass up dessert. I ordered Koeksisters to share, twisted little buttery pastries with a sugary lemon-ginger sauce. They were rich and light at the same time, and deliciously sweet. My coffee came with adorable little jar containers of milk and raw sugar, and was nice and smooth. My stomach was happy when we left, as was the rest of me.



The prices are reasonable for brunch (standard), and can get a little pricier for dinner, but I would be willing to venture that the price fits the quality. The wait staff is friendly and the atmosphere is airy and festive. They have lots of events and music, so I'm sure we'll be coming back to check that out as well as more of the menu. You should too. -Laurel

Address: 195 Dekalb Ave. between Carlton and Adelphi (Fort Greene, Brooklyn)

Website: http://www.madibarestaurant.com

Payment: Cash, Cards

Delivery: Yes

Open Late: Yes

Large Group Friendly: Yes

Bar/Happy Hour: Yes