Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant

I love breakfast. Well no, I love brunch, because brunch combines two of my great loves: breakfast and sleeping in without missing breakfast. 

Waaa-it... didn't I already mention this? Right... deja vu huh? 

But worry not, I got that negative "press" thing out of my system on Monday. Instead, since I'm in New York this week for a work/play combo weekend, I thought I would talk about this lovely brunch place that I dined at the last time I was in New York- Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant.

The one thing about brunch that really gets to me, is that everyone else seems to love it too! Therefore, there is, inevitably, always a wait for a table at any brunch spot (least it be McDonalds. Which, btw, I had for breakfast in Singapore on Xmas eve- don't judge!). 

This was exactly the case when I dined at Clinton St Baking Co & Restaurant. My friend and I braved the hour long wait because I just had to have their pancakes. What a foodie brat I've become ;)

But let me tell you, these wild Maine blueberry pancakes that we had was truly worth the long wait. Served with warm maple butter, these pancakes were not too thick and not too thin. They would have surely satisfied Goldilocks herself!  

The pancakes had just the right amount of crisp to dough ratio and were delectable with the warm blueberry compote and sinful with the maple butter. I really can't explain why the pancakes were so good, but if you trust my taste buds, you too would wait for over an hour for them. 

The second dish we shared was poached eggs in heirloom tomato and summer squash stew topped with grated Parmesan cheese and served with sour dough toast. The combination of the warm poached eggs, stewed squash and tomatoes made for a very homey and comforting dish. The tomatoes were so vibrant and sweet, while the eggs were beyond fresh. I love it when simple ingredients come together like this to make a tasty and stellar dish.

Speaking of simple ingredients and simple life, I kept picturing myself on a quaint little farm, eating this dish with farm fresh eggs from the coup, and freshly grown tomatoes and squash from the garden patch out back. Apparently I watch too many farm movies because if you really lived on a farm, you would be too pooped from farm chores to fix yourself such a breakfast. At least I would.

 

Finally, we also ordered a side of their fried green tomatoes. These were truly a perfect combination of fried sinful crunch, with salty and sweet goodness. Furthermore, the fried green tomatoes were not the least bit too greasy and were so amazingly good that I've been craving a good fried green tomato since then.

Anyway, that was what I was up to the last time I was in New York. Stayed tuned to find out what other shinnanigans I get myself into on this trip. Happy February and almost Chinese New Year! 

Details:

Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant

4 Clinton Street

New York, NY 10002

646-602-6263

Public

While in New York, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to catch up with an old high school friend from Orange County whom I lost touch with after we went our separate ways for college. We made plans to brunch at Public.

Set along a tree-lined street in Nolita (North of Little Italy- look at me with my New Yorker lingo!!), Public comes complete with irreverent decor- public buildings are the inspiration for the industrial aesthetic. Raw exposed brick, sleek industrial lighting, and nook and cranny seating set the scene at this downtown industrial chic restaurant. Designed and branded by the James Beard Award winning team at AvroKO, Public was recently awarded a Michelin Star in 2010. And, if you are an avid fan of Iron Chef America, you might have recognize Public's Executive chef Brad Farmerie from "kitchen battle" "maple syrup" or as a Iron Chef hopeful from Next Iron Chef America.

Failing to make reservations, my dining party was ushered into Public's sister space and wine bar, Monday Room, to wait for our table. Sexy leather banquettes to perch my behind, free ice tea to quench my thirst and good conversation with my old high school friend made our wait go by swiftly.

Upon being seated, we were served small bites of apricot scones. Sweet and doughy, these scones were moist but a little too buttery for my liking. I would have preferred if the scones were warm out of the oven but since they were complimentary, who was I to complain.

The brunch menu at Public is interesting with a wide array of global choices ranging from lamingtons to Irish breakfast to ginger spiced lychee french toast. After a rave recommendation from our server, I ordered the Turkish Eggs-poached eggs a top Greek yogurt with kirmizi biber (a common Turkish spice made of crushed peppers that are rubbed in oil and often roasted) butter.

Now I know from the picture this dish looks a little weird maybe even questionable (I mean the French couple sitting at the next table could not help but stare incessantly at my meal when it arrived in front of me) but let me tell you, this was one of the most delightful and unusual dishes I've had in a while.

The poached eggs that come buried in a soupy mess of Greek yogurt and topped with the kirmizi biber sauce reminded me of good hummus, the way it’s served in middle eastern restaurants, with a sizeable well for olive oil and spices. On smell alone, the sweet aroma of the kirmizi biber is intoxicating, but the flavors... oh...The tartness of the yogurt balances the mild, smoky spice from the kirmizi biber, while the butter adds a sweetness that complements the richness of the runny yolks. For egg lovers, it’s a must-try. My only complaint is that my eggs were a little over-poached and the yolks could have been runnier.

Details:
Public
210 Elizabeth Street
New York, NY 10012
212-343-7011