Belcourt

We tried a new spot for brunch on Saturday; we were headed toward Jo’s–a favorite–but just couldn’t resist the siren song of outdoor tables on a sunny morning. Belcourt is an attractive brasserie-style spot that sits at the corner of 2nd avenue and 4th street. It’s not on the quietest corner in the East Village, but it offered sunshine galore at 11am.

Actually, what further prompted us to (finally) stop at Belcourt was the recent and glowing review Serious Eats posted about their poached egg dish, pani frattau. Ashley had read to me about this so-called “revelation,” a mix of eggs, tomatoes, crème fraiche, and Parmesan cheese on paper-thin bread that is rumored to have a history with Sardinian shepherds, and I was sold. Sunny tables and runny eggs: we veered off our usual Sunday Brunch path to give it a try.

The Bloody Marys were great–passing the first litmus test for any good brunch spot; mine was a Mariner, and came with a huge oyster. I’ll be honest: it was a whole lot of oyster that early in the day, but I do love oysters. (Side note: Belcourt has an Oyster happy hour every day.)
 As for the eggs, Serious Eats had once again identified a winner, though promises of life-changing bites were somewhat hyperbolic.
The bourbon French toast came with homemade Ricotta, which was creamy and absolutely delicious. Next time we go, I’ll try their biscuits, which looked amazing when I spotted a plate passing us by.
P.S. Those of you in New York–any favorite outdoor eating spots for the summer? I’m collecting suggestions!

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