New York - Pullinos, Egg, Balthazar

With so many big lunches and dinners to squeeze in on our trips to New York, it's tempting to skimp on breakfast. But then sanity kicks in and we gorge ourselves anyway.

Eggs on cocotte at Pullinos

Pullinos - Nolita

Pullinos is a charismatic, bar-pizzeria-restaurant with a checkered floor, high ceilings and oodles of charm. It's widely reputed to be great for lunch and dinner (and the pizzas are apparently excellent). But TPG had a waffle here on his previous trip and I haven't stopped hearing about it since (he puts it in the "world's best waffle" league) - so we stopped by for brunch.

First in the door at Pullinos - TPG sleeps on the doorstep

And the waffle had just gone off the menu! Poor, crestfallen TPG. But not matter - the buttermilk pancake with huckleberries and ricotta is baked in a heavy skillet and is thick and fluffy, with good vanilla ice-cream ($11).

My eggs en cocotte with fettunta ($12) are to die for - a rich, creamy eggy joy with eggs, spinach, ham, fontina and thick, toasted bread for shovelling from skillet to mouth . And it might sound boring but the half grapefruit baked with muscovado sugar and mint is a fab little side. We had this at a couple places in New York (I'm yet to see it in London), but Pullinos does it best - and I love the way they segment it for you.

Pullinos, 282 Bowery, New York, Ph: 212 226 1966  



Egg - Brooklyn

Eggs Rothko - before the new camera

It's worth venturing over the bridge to Brooklyn every now and then to witness the flurry of edgy, new places that seem to be popping up each year. Despite its reputation as the up and coming destination for the New York cool kids, I'm still not completely sold on Brooklyn - so many skinny jeans, so much eyeliner (and that's just the men) - but it does have some gems.

Egg is one of them. It's open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner - and that doesn't stop a small waiting list forming for Sunday breakfast. It's worth it.

Never ending donuts

Egg has a small farm in Oak Hill, New York which provides a healthy growth environment for the plants which end up on your plate. Sit down and be greeted with a plate of fried donuts - which is constantly replenished as you continue to devour them. Be careful to save some room for the massive plates of food that are coming. My Eggs Rothko ($9) is an easy cooked egg inside - INSIDE - a slice of "Amy's brioche" and topped with a considerable amount of oozy Grafton cheddar. It's served with broiled tomatoes and a side of meat or seasonal vegetables - I go for Col. Bill Newsom's country ham, as well as a scone like "biscuit" served with fig jam. It's a heart attack on a plate and it's fabulous. TPG had the excellent steel-cut organic oatmeal with dried fruit, toasted almonds, brown sugar and cream ($7) - and another half grapefruit with muscovado sugar and mint.

There's a country ham biscuit (with fig jam, cheddar and grits), organic grits and eggs, biscuits and gravy, and duck leg seared with potatoes and green onions and served with eggs. This is unlike any breakfast you're likely to have in London right now. The coffee's not bad either - we had pots of it American style. I love Egg.


Egg, 135 North 5th Street, Brooklyn, New York 11211, Ph: 718 302 5151 



Balthazar - Soho

Well, of course Balthazar. For us, no trip to New York is complete without a visit to Keith McNally's beautiful, buzzy French bistro. I've written about Balthazar before. On this trip, we visited once for a takeway coffee and one of their miraculous donuts at the small, takeaway bakery and coffee shop next to the main restaurant, once to have a coffee with a friend in the fun bar area, and once for a leisurely croissant and coffee with the papers. I still haven't ever been for dinner despite raving on about the place for years.

Open early til late.

Balthazar, 80 Spring Street, Soho, New York, 10012, Ph: 212 965 1414


Happy Christmas, everyone!

Gluttonous Travels: Greedy Diva Bites the Big Apple - New York, USA (Part 1 - Breakfast, brunch and coffee)

New York, New York!! In a city of over 20,000 restaurants, not even counting Magnolia Bakery, just where does a Greedy Diva begin in this fabulous foodie city?

The Peanut Gallery and I have quite a taste for the Big Apple, and when in town we have a habit of waking up wide eyed at 5am to bound around the city from end to end, trying to squeeze in as many meals, burgers, hot dogs and cupcakes as our ever expanding gullets will hold.

So here we are again in the city that never sleeps. Here are some of my favourite food spots from trips gone by, supplemented by our latest discoveries this week. I've broken it into parts to aid digestion.

Part 1: Breakfast/Brunch

Balthazar Bakery
• Balthazar: Beautiful French bistro, in the heart of Soho. Soak up the bustling atmosphere over some Eggs en Cocotte and the New York Times. Love it! Open for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and afters. The gorgeous bakery next door is great for take away cakes, coffee and doughnuts (ok, donuts - when in Rome...). 80 Spring Street, Soho.
• Bubby's: Huge American style breakfasts - for when more is more. Try the huge stack of blueberry pancakes, or a southern style fry up with home fries or grits. Wear elasticised trackies and don't look back. Not for the faint hearted (nor raw food devotees). 120 Hudson Street, Tribeca.
• Bouley Bakery: Sample the fresh baked goods, coffee, desserts, soups, salads and sandwiches from Chef David Bouley's bakery, next to his well known restaurant. A feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. Yum. 120 West Broadway.
  
• Public: Why do we always forget New York Sunday brunch hours when we come here? Public looks fabulous - if only I could (1) arrive when its open (after 12pm on a Sunday) and (2) get a table - I have only stared down other diners while jealously hovering over them on 2 sequential NY trips now. Check out the vanilla brioche French toast with star anise poached plums, amaretto marscapone and fresh basil. Public also comes recommended by my new and trusted foodie friend, Michael. And its just been awarded a Michelin Star. Another reason to haul myself back to New York asap (as if I needed one...). 210 Elizabeth Street.
  

Cafe Select
• Cafe Select: For a decent brekkie with the locals, we stumbled upon Cafe Select. My fruit salad was ordinary (too much apple, not enough exotica), but TPG's Eggs Palais Federal (2 poached eggs with hunks of ham off the bone and hollandaise) were excellent. 212 Lafayette Street, NoLita

Pastis
• Pastis: Another tried and tested brunch spot, although I prefer it for lunch - see my Lunch tips to follow in Part 2.
  
• Do New York hot dogs count as breakfast? 

Coffee:

Always on the prowl for a decent espresso in the land of filter coffee, here are the results of some extensive research, with particular thanks to The Peanut Gallery who did the original leg work on most of these while shopping for sneakers (the man needs his coffee)...

Joe

Joe: Best strong cup of espresso I've sampled in NY to date. Smooth, rich and they make the lattes "flat white" style. Feel the buzz. 141 Waverly Place, West Village

9th Street Espresso

• 9th Street Espresso: Looks so promising, but the espresso was mediocre - big cups, too milky, although the flavour was ok. Minimalist setting. Might be worth another burl if you are in the area and specify your desired milk to coffee ratio...if you care that much. 700 East 9th Street, East Village
  

• Gimme! Coffee: Good quality coffee, and conveniently placed for some serious shopping. 228 Mott Street, NoLita
• City Girl Cafe: A good coffee, if sometimes a little weak, using Stumptown organic coffee beans. The chilli chocolate balls are a must if you're stopping by. 63 Thompson Street, Soho
  

Cafe Ost
• Cafe Ost: A fun new discovery, courtesy of one of New York's latest and greatest foodie residents, Susie. As the sun streams in the windows, sip a decent latte surrounded by trendy students and workers with their Mac laptops abuzz. 441 East 12th Street, East Village
• Balthazar Bakery: See above, but worth another mention. Not the most amazing coffee in town, but fairly decent for a takeway option, particularly when coupled up with a delicious cinnamon doughnut/donut. 80 Spring Street, Soho
  

Olive's

Olive's
• Olive's:  Gorgeous shop with just better than mediocre coffee - but at least the small cup option is available among NY's jungle of milky grandes. Strictly takeaway only. Also good for takeaway sandwiches, cookies, fruit salad and snacks. Service is brusque. 120 Prince Street
  
• Abraco: Closed every time we make the trip to the lower East Side (it's closed Mondays). But we have a feeling this could be "the one". 86 East 7th Street, East Village

Many of the lunch spots to follow in my Part 2 tips are also great for brekkie/brunch. If only my fingers could keep up with my stomach... stay tuned.