Upper East Side Brunching

Looking for some BRUNCH recommendations in the Upper East Side? Check out these Brunch Babe approved spots that will satisfy your appetite. Whether you are looking for flavor packed food, unlimited booze, sports, relaxed environments, alfresco seating these brunchs spots hit in on the nose!

DOC WATSON'S

Address: 1490 2nd ave (near 78th Street)

Brunch Scoop: This Irish/English Pub/Restaurant offers brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am- 4:30pm. For $11.95 you get a brunch entree and two complimentary drinks (choice between bloody mary, screwdriver, mimosa, house wine, champagne, juice or select 10 oz. Draft beer). You want to catch the Yankee and Jets game? No problemo! Doc Watson's has flat screen TVs with games playing all day so you could have the luxury of rooting for your fave teams and chopping down some yummy brunch.

What We Ate: Eggs Benedict with Canadian bacon topped with hollandaise sauce on a toasted muffin, served with Cottage Fries. Doc Watson's does not disappoint with this classic brunch dish. Add some ketchup if you desire and bon apetit!

What We Drank: Mimosas

What screams brunch more than some freshly squeezed OJ and some champagne. Here at Doc Watson's they prepare your mimosas with TLC and pour in a decent sized glass.

 

 Other Brunch Options: Corned Beef Hash, Eggs Florentine, Smoked Salmon Hash, Steak & Eggs, Crunchy New York French Toast, Belgian Waffles, Three Egg Omelet, Full Irish Breakfast, Salads and Burgers. 

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
Address: 1460 2nd Ave (btw 76th & 77th Street)
Brunch Scoop: Justin Timberlake's Southern style restaurant hits it out of the park with their delicious brunch entrees and unlimited drinks. Every Saturday and Sunday enjoy brunch from 11:30am- 3:00pm. Add just $11.95 and enjoy unlimited mimosas and bloody marys with your brunch dish. Brunch with a Southern BBQ twist? Yes please!

WHAT WE ATE: Smoked Pit Huevos Rancheros- These have got to be one of the best Huevos Rancheros we have come across in our brunchventures. I mean really you have the option of getting your eggs fried or scrambled with melted cheddar cheese served on a tortilla, sour cream, fresh guacamole, jalapenos, beans AND BBQ pulled pork! Love to see different twists on brunch classics!

SIDE: Classic Mac n cheese- How can you visit a Southern Style Restaurant and not try their mac n cheese? This mac n cheese is so gooey and cheesy just how the babes like it and is only $5.95!

WHAT WE DRANK: Unlimited mimosas were on deck since this babe is not a huge bloody marys fan. Southern Hospitality keeps these coming until you are ready to say "No Mas!"

Other Brunch Options: Smoke Brisket Hash and Eggs, Steak & Eggs, Fried Chicken & Waffles, Grilled Onion Portobello and Cheddar Omelet, Chicken Fried Steak.

Upper East Side Brunching list will continue to grow as this babe is on a mission to try all of the UES brunch hot spots! 

Happy Brunching!

-Live, Laugh, Brunch

Brunching Babes Hit Up Calle Ocho Tasting Event!

As you guys know from our previous posts and tweets, Calle Ocho (one of our fave brunch spots) recently moved locations and is now located on 45 West 81st inside of the Excelsior Hotel. They hosted an exclusive blogger tasting event on 9/14 to sample their new menu and the babes were invited! We had an amazing night and even mingled with our fellow foodie bloggers. (Special foodie love to: MyUpperWest, BrunchGangNYC, Sanura Jamil from My Life Runs On Food, Chubby Chinese Girl & Friend, Famous For Bad Reasons, Sarah Shaker, Timothy Cooper, Antonio our waiter and the ladies of Goldstein Communications! You were all a treat to meet!)

Upon our arrival we were escorted to their private dining room which was beautifully set for us and as soon as we were seated the food/drink fiesta commenced. Our lovely waiter Antonio welcomed us and started us all with a Classic Mojito and some Pan de Bono (delicious breads made with cheese and corn flour and is served with pureed black beans) pictured below. (If you are ever planning an after work drinks date with friends stop by Calle Ocho for their $5 mojitos every Monday.)

Our 5 course tasting soon followed and oh my we were in foodie heaven!

Chef Alex Garcia who has been featured on Food Network and Executive Chef Rodney Mitchell gave us a rundown of the menu we were about to sample and here it is with matching photos so that you too can enjoy!

CEVICHE: 

-Cured Salmon, Aji Amarillo, Sour Orange, Pineapple

-Marinated Aji Tuna, Ginger, Cilantro, Mustard Vinaigrette

Paired w/ their ROJA Sangria (fresh fruit and a splash of Spirits)

APERITIVO:

-Bacon Wrapped Almond Stuffed Dates, Hearts of Palm, Cabrales

-Colombian Sweet Corn Arepa, Ropa Vieja, Crema Nata, Criolla Salad

 PESCADO:

-Roasted Striped Bass, Serrano Ham-Chick Pea, Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

-Paired with White wine

 CARNE:

-Cuban Style "Steak Frites", Traditional Chimichurri

-Paired with Red Wine  

POSTRE:

-Dark Chocolate Domino Cake, Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

Calle Ocho may have switched to a new location but folks believe us when we tell you that the food, drinks hospitality, decor and BRUNCH are still up there! The babes had a chance to ask Chef Rodney Mitchell if they were going to make any changes to their BRUNCH menu and guess what? They are adding some interesting new items to their menu: Pancakes, French Toast and Eggs Benedict with Duck Sausage and of course the unlimited sangria is still included! We cannot wait to try these new BRUNCH dishes!

We ate, we drank, we laughed all in the name of THE OCHO! Thanks to all those who made this a delicious evening for the babes!

If you have yet to try Calle Ocho's BRUNCH well then you really do not know what you are missing out on! Check out these photos of the babes fave BRUNCH dishes:

VACA FRITA

Pollo Ranchero

Cuban Sandwich

Quesadillas de El Salvador

Did we convince you yet?

~Live, Laugh, Brunch

The Brunching Babes

New Addition To Your Brunch Party: Hpnotiq Harmonie

Our friends at HPNOTIQ recently released Hpnotiq Harmonie the newest addition to your brunch party! This new liqueur is a a refreshing blend of Premium French Vodka, Infused Natural Fruits, Flowers and a Touch of Cognac.

Check out their newly released video and next time you are brunching with your girls order some Hpnotiq Harmonie! 

This is a brunch babe approved drink and can be mixed with several other liquors. Check out some of these recipes below:

BUBBLES & BERRIES:

You Will Need

• 2 oz. Hpnotiq Harmonie
• 2 oz. Champagne

Instructions

Pour chilled Hpnotiq Harmonie and Champagne into a Champagne flute.

 HARMONIE MARGARITA:

You Will Need

• 1 1/2 oz. Hpnotiq Harmonie
• 1/2 oz. Premium White Tequila
• 1/2 oz. Triple Sec

Instructions  

Shake ingredients and pour over ice into a Margarita glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

 

 

These drinks will sure spruce up your brunch. For more recipes or to submit your own recipes visit Hpnotiq Harmonie Recipes. 

Cheers!

-The Brunching Babes

There's a new brunching babe in town...

I recently moved out of the South Bronx and into the Upper East Side (movin on up movin on up!) and I am truly in love with my neighborhood. Not only are my commutes to any part of the city a treat but there are tons of restaurants and bars to try with at least 80% offering brunch! Yes, I think I am in heaven.

I took a stroll through the neighborhood to scope out the scenario and I was inspired to write this post. As I passed by the different restaurants/bars with signs like the one below, I kept making notes to myself "ok must try this place, must try that place" etc, so I came up with my "Upper East Side Brunch Wish List". These are places I would love to try hopefully before the year ends with the other resident babe Yadira who is only a crosstown bus ride away from me!

1)Southern Hospitality: Located on 2nd Ave near 76th street this BBQ joint offers unlimited mimosas and bloody marys for an extra $11.95 with the purchase of a brunch entree. Some entree options include: Smoked Brisket Hash and Eggs, Chicken and Waffles, Pulled Pork Huevos Rancheros and more. You can get your brunch/drink on here every Saturday and Sunday from 11:30am -3:30pm. 

2) B. Cafe: Located on 75th between 2nd and 3rd ave this Belgian Beer Cafe offers brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 11:30am-4pm. No unlimited drinks here but their menu options look promising. Some of their brunch entrees include: Belgian Waffles with vanilla ice cream, Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, Croque Monsieur, Steak Sandwich, Carbonnade Flamande which is Belgian style beef stew cooked with dark beer and Moule Frites (Mussels). As for drinks they have some interesting beer selections, bloody marys, mimosas and bellinis.

3) MXco: From the owners of Hell's Kitchen, El Centro and Vynyl this Mexican restaurant located on 2nd Ave btw 77 and 78th Street offers brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am-3:30pm. With tasty entrees like Huevos Rancheros, Breakfast Quesadilla, MXCO Brunch Burrito, French Toast and Chicken Chilaquiles get your Mexican fix here. With the purchase of any brunch item, you can get wine, beer, mimosas, margaritas, bloody marys at HAPPY HOUR prices ranging from $4-5. Orale!

4)Fulton: Located on 75th street off of 3rd Ave is a seafood restaurant that offers SUNDAY BRUNCH from 10:30-4pm. Here you can start off with an appetizer (crab cakes, arugula salad, assorted pastries) or you can go straight to the main entrees and choose between Lobster Eggs Benedict, French Toast, Pancakes, Steak and Eggs, Fulton Burger or create your own Omelet. Drinks range from $11-12 and include the usual suspects: mimosas, bellinis, bloody marys and the unusual: pearllini.

5)York Grill: Located on York Avenue between 88th and 89th street this eclectic restaurant offers a PRIX FIXE Sunday Brunch for $19.95 which includes a drink of your choice (champagne, mimosa or bloody mary), fresh basket of muffins, selection of fresh fruit and of course your entree. These entrees suddenly made my mouth water. You can choose between 14 entrees (we love choices!) that include the Traditional Eggs Benedict, Chocolate Brioche French Toast, Huevos Rancheros with baby shrimp, Grilled Half Pound Sirloin Cheeseburger, Omelets and more. If you subscribe to the deal site SCOUT MOB you can receive 50% off your bill until 11/7/11.

I am sure this list will only grow but for now these places are on my brunch radar. Expect to see some reviews for these places soon.

Do you often survey your neighborhood for the best brunch spots? What are some hidden brunch gems in your neighborhood that you would like to see the babes try? Leave your comments below!

Live-Laugh-Brunch
-Erika (Upper East Side Babe)

Brunch Hit List Edition: Mexican, Moroccan, American Oh My

                                                                       

The Skinny: East or West you’ve got options people! As New Yorker's we thrive on this. So any of Sarabeth’s locations offer up excellent choices & locations for Brunch. While Sarabeth may have received her legendary status from jams and breads we hear the Brunch is no different.  Loved by many and hated by none this now classic  Brunchtime institution serves up serious American fare. You can find the gamut from eggs & omelet’s , potatoes , bagels, lox, crabcakes even Guacamole & Chips if you are looking to go south of the border! But piece of advice we here it’s all about the Americana here. So don’t be afraid to go with some good old fashioned eggs, potatoes, savory breads & a cup of coffee, fresh squeezed OJ  or a smile which are included standard with every meal. 

 Brunch Babe Tip: This one is quite popular on the brunch go to list for many, so score yourself a reservation if possible. We have also heard UWS location moves very swiftly and as such keeps most wait times under 30 min enough time to scan the menu with your crew and order immediately upon sitting ;)

The Deets:

Sat-Sun: 8am-4pm 

423 Amsterdam Avenue, New York NY 10024 (at 80th)
212-496-6280; sarabethswest.com

1295 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10128 (at 93rd)
212-410-7335; sarabethseast.com

40 Central Park South, New York NY 10019 (near Sixth Avenue)
212-826-5959; sarabethscps.com

 

The Skinny: As you know we have a serious penchant for  international & local travel. However for the working girls and boys living in this beautiful city can often put a serious restraint on the amount of times one can get a way a year. Our solution to balancing this madness has always been think global and eat local soooooooooo when my friend told me about a Morocan restaurant in the east village serving up  brunch he had me at drool. With the last of the summer season leaving us with a little good weather from the Brunch Gods this weekend you could score yourself a sweet al fresco spot at this little Café and have yourself an exotic staycation in your mouth! What’s more this café accommodates the early risers and the late bloomers with Brunch starting at 9am and ending at 4pm. 

Brunch Babe Tip: We have our eye on such menu items like the Blackstone Eggs which feature roasted tomatoes or the Moroccan Benedict which features a green pepper SAUCE (sorry we know how I feel about sauce I caps it out of the respect I have for it). Although not on the Brunch menu online we also hear there is an amazing hot cereal which shouldn't be easily dismissed!

The Deets:
sat-sun: 9am-4pm

101 Saint Marks Pl # 1
New York, NY 10009-5146
(212) 677-2226

http://www.cafemogador.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny: Amor A La Mexicana! I don't know who made this saying but I bet they were eating some really delicious Mexican food when doing so. Lucky for us it is no secret that NYC is filled with amazing Mexi comida but there is also an abundance of some not so authentic delicious places as well. So rejoice because here is one that lands squarely in the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious category! They may be very well known for their Taquiza (unlimited small plates of tacos that include everything from pork, skirt steak, mixed seafood , shrimp & avocado, fried fish and veggie options for a fixed price of $23 another obsession of the babes!).

One look at the Brunch Menu and taste of their food and you may be authoring your own song. Feast on some authentic eats like Chilaquiles or Heuvos Rancheros ,each with Mercadito's own unique touch such as black bean hash or chile serrano salsa. Are you a late riser or looking to soak up Friday nights liquor with something a little more savory? Peruse the "Tortas" which are classic Mexican style sandwiches or "Classic Tacos" section which include those amazing ones previously mentioned . Whats more you get a drink and you have completed what they call "Perfect Hangover Cure" which is your choice of a dish and a cocktail for $18 in beautiful perfect people watching and meeting area of LES now if that doesn't make you say ARRIBA don't know what will hombre.

Brunch Babe Tip: Traveling with a bigger crew ask if the back is open, they have a great little sunken room  beautifully decorated with flowers which can seat larger groups. One of the wooden tables upfront closer to the sidewalk will be just as pleasing and you can sit semi al fresco. Of course my friends there is always seats at the bar if you are looking to keep the parranda going!

The Deets: 

sat-sun: 12pm-4pm
179 Avenue B ( at 12 st)
New York, NY 10009
(212) 529-6490
http://www.mercaditorestaurants.com/aveb/menus.php

 

 

Well there you have it. Now stop reading and start deciding where you shall go for a new brunchventure. Youv'e been hit. Remember: Live. Laugh. Brunch.

                                                             

                                                            XoXo,
                                                            The Brunching Babes

1 of the Brunching Babes @ Mercadito Ave B NYC

Friday Hit List Edition : Beat The Heat Brunches

Can we say T.G.I.F ! I feel a particular victory for us all for making it to this Friday. The truth is we all love our city but this week has been a particular scorcher. Many times this week I thought about going outside and doing a rain dance hoping for a little relief knowing that other NY'ers would gladly join in with me like a secretly synchronized flash mob! Thankfully the weekend is here and we can all seek refuge in the form of delicious and cold cocktails , wonderful company and indoor AC while we enjoy our brunch!  So off we go down the yellow brick road of yummy brunches for another set of sure to be crowd pleaser.

Seafood City:


Location: City Island New York

What you need to know: A hop  and a skip into the Bronx and a jump over the city island bridge you will quickly be transported to a small ferry town reminiscent of (make any place up far away outside of the city) and Insert here. Whats more Seafood City boasts fun and accommodations for the whole family from its large cafeteria style indoors, to arcade area, to outdoor patio with clear views of the boats and docks complete with an outdoor wet bar! You are sure to find enjoyment here for any group type and size! Sit inside and you'll be thankful for great AC, contemporary music and a seafood selection to rival any true crustacean lovers appetite. Feeling more like a liquid brunch no problem! The bar selection includes all of the regular suspects as well as some specialties such as the Henny Colada ( pictured atop this article), the Miami Vice (available in regular or extra strength) and the Nutcracker Coladas that have NY'ers and out of towners coming from all over just for their famed reputation. Want to keep the party going you and your crew can head to the nearby Orchard beach located in the same vicinity and take in even more fun in the sun!



X2O Xaviers on the Hudson










Location: 71 Water Grant Street
               Westchester County, New York

What you need to know: So You Fancy huh? Feeling a little fancier or simply like taking a breather from the NYC streets. Well since we never met a Frenchie we didn't like ,restaurants that is, this  3 floor mainly glass petit tresour which sits on the water is definitely high on our recommendation list! Here you can take in breathtaking views of the George Washington and Tapanzee bridge and gain some new perspective on these architectural classics while you enjoy an equally decadent brunch. This Sunday only  menu boasts not only French but also Italian, Spanish and Asian influences and embellishments. For 38.00 per person you and your compadres get unlimited Champagne, Breads, a selection of 2 savory courses & 1 dessert. Not to shabby, and with selections such as Miso Glazed Salmon,Poached eggs with creamed spinach , Pan Seared Cod and deserts such as Caramel flan with fresh fruit and Warm Banana Walnut Bread Pudding with ice cream we are more than certain everyone will find something more than accommodating of their palette.


Mojave 
 

Location:22-36 31st St
             Astoria, NY 11105

What you need to know:  Grab your unlimited metro card and some friends and get transported to the land of Queens. Already live in this flavorful borough well then even better! This southwest inspired and sister restaurants of the villages Agave NY brings serious flavor in their brunch selection options. We particularly enjoy that they have such a wide selection on their brunch menu that include the categories appetizer, eggs, pancakes and others,salads and sandwiches, quesadillas and sides! We haven't even mentioned the best part yet. With this pollo loco heat outside you are sure to want to ask for one of their delicious libations which also come FROZEN! Nothing screams adult fun like an alcoholic slushy and with flavors such as Strawberry, Mango,Passion Fruit, Prickly Pear, Blood Orange, & Pomegranate we sure everybody will walk out with a different fave. 


Southern Hospitality


Location: 1460 Second Ave., New York, NY 10075
               (btwn 76th & 77th Streets)
               

What you need to know: Staying or coming into the city this weekend.come on down to SoHo we are talking the restaurant not the neighborhood. This ones a recession special scoring you bottomless mimosas and bloody marys for an additional 11.95 with the purchase of any brunch entree. With Brunch running from 11:30 am -3:30pm everyone can definitely get more than their moneys worth. Whats more coat your stomach with southern favorites such as chicken and waffles , chicken fried steak n eggs and one of their culinary all stars pulled pork! Take the party from your table to the bar upfront which features a lively atmosphere and flat screen televisions that also makes this a good one for when any sporting events are on during the weekend. Hey why not make it a J.T. inspired day and keep the fun , AC exposure and mimosa induced giggles going  and take it from his restaurant to the movies where you and some friends can catch him and Mila Kunis in the flick Friends With Benefits opening this weekend.   

 You've been hit! That's it for this weeks Brunch Hit List. Go out brunch happy. Fill up you hearts and belly's with delicious new finds and stay cool! 


XoXo,

The Brunching Babes