Category Archives: live music

live music

Brunch at Hotel Chantelle

Posted on May 18, 2012 | 2 Comments

Get ready for the best new brunch to hit the Lower East Side this summer. Once you recover from a night out at Hotel Chantelle, come back for an incredible outdoor brunch.

Starting with the ambiance you will be immediately brought back to the old New York City feel.  From the street lights, table settings and incredible jazz band Dandy Wellington, your brunch festivities only just begin…


Review:
Thanks to Hotel Chantelle’s PR agency BWR PR, the brunch bunch of the summer received a special invite to come and try the new brunch menu at Chantelle.  Although the service started a bit slow with a little wait for water and cocktail orders, the service quickly picked up.

South of Delancy

The specialty South of Delancey cocktail includes:

  • Kettle One Citron
  • Sweet Tea odka
  • Peach Schnapps
  • Lime Juice

The crepe brunch menu was unreal.  Although it was difficult to choose which crepe, we opted for 2:

Saumon Fume

  • Smoked Salmon, asparagus, fresh dill, lemon creme fraiche
  • A perfect blend of creamy and salty

Champignons Sauvages

  • Wild mushrooms, baby spinach, Applewood smoked bacon, goat cheese
  • This dish had more mushrooms and bacon than anticipated.  Definitely filling and delicious

During our meal we met the chef Jeff Kreisel and he served us the Maine Lobster salad.  This delicious salad was perfect as an appetizer to share with the table:

Maine Lobster

  • Vanilla infused cauliflower puree, fava beans, radish opal basil, ruby grapefruit vinaigrette

Of course, we had to try the remaining 3 out of 4 brunch cocktails:

  • Mimosa:  they were in the old school glasses, a great touch
  • Bloody Mary:  tasted freshly made, with the perfect amount of horse radish: but still tasted like it was missing something
  • Mint Julep:  I’m not a Mint Julep fan, but it was tolerable ;)

Last Call:
We will definitely come back to brunch here this summer.  The food was fresh, the drinks were delicious and the ambiance was perfect.  The staff will learn to accommodate the busy brunchers from the get-go.  We’re looking forward to trying the rest of the crepes on our next visit.

Brunch Review:
5 out of 5 mimosas

The Information:
Hotel Chantelle
92 Ludlow Street (and Delancy)
New York, NY 10002
(212) 254 – 9100

DISCLAIMER:  This was a partially compensated brunch – but all reviews, posts and opinions are that of Mimosa Maven with no influence from the venue.

And in case you are looking, the brunch menu is here:

And there’s me in the reflection ;0)

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Posted in Bloody mary, brunch, Brunch Drinks, favorite brunch, Fun, Great Food, live music, Lower East Side, mimosa, NYC Brunch, Outdoor brunch

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Brunch at Docks in Murray Hill

Posted on October 23, 2011 | Leave a comment

After hearing great reviews about this oyster bar we noticed there was a great brunch deal at Dock’s Oyster Bar: $23 bottomless brunch cocktails and entrée.  I was beyond thrilled to try this Murray hill brunch.

Review:
The ambiance was outrageous.  There was a live jazz band, beautiful bar and lovely cloth table clothes and well-dressed servers.  We arrived just before noon, but once the clock stroke 12 it quickly began to fill up with an older crowd.

Biscuits and Muffins

We were immediately served with a basket of muffins and biscuits.  They were so perfectly moist and sweet that whenever we were down to just one the servers refilled our basket!

The menu looked

Bloody Mary and Mimosa

decent, but what really excited us what the variety of deals (versus the smaller

variety of food). The brunch options here include:

  • $17 for an entrée and choice of mimosa, bloody mary or juice
  • $20 for an entrée and choice of 2 mimosas, bloody mary’s or juice
  • $23 unlimited brunch cocktails with your entrée!

Eggs Benedict

  • The eggs benedict was average – nothing special at all
  • The bennie included poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce with choice of:
    Canadian bacon or Irish smoked salmon.  We had the bacon.

Cajun Omelette

  • Cajun Omelette came with pepper, onion, Andouille and crawfish

Huevos Rancheros

  • Even though these huevos rancheros came with fried eggs, corn tortilla, black beans and tomato chili sauce it still needed extra hot sauce just to add some flavor.  It was fairly bland and definitely not recommended.

Scrambled Eggs, Smoked Salmon Carmelized Onions

  • You can’t really go wrong with this meal, especially at a seafood type restaurant… but the potatoes were a downer.  They were bland and a waste of space on the plate.

Last Call:
We were surprisingly underwhelmed by the food – everything was bland and needed extra salt, pepper or hot sauce.  Perhaps we came on an “off day” because we’ve always heard positive reviews.  Next time, we’ll come for the clambake instead.

Brunch Review: 2 out of 5 mimosas
The Information:
Docks Oyster Bar
633 3rd Avenue (@ 40th St)
New York, NY 10017
212-986-8080
www.docksosterbar.com

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Posted in AYCD, Bloody mary, brunch, live music, Manhattan, mimosa, Murray Hill, NYC Brunch

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Park it Here: Garage Brunch

Posted on February 20, 2011 | 1 Comment

Garage in the West Village  is one of my favorite NYC brunch establishments!
It has it all:

  • Delicious food
  • Great drinks
  • Live jazz music
  • Classy ambiance
  • Moderate pricing
  • Great service
  • All You Can Drink mimosas and Bloody Mary’s.  Or at least one if you opt to not to the AYCD deal

Review:

Garage is an ultimate go-to brunch spot when the parents, and even grandparents, are in town. It’s even ideal with just one, or all of your girls.

The clientele is calm and more mature than most AYCD venues. Maybe it’s on the live jazz music that plays in about 20 minute sets.

Every omelet is delicately made with nearly no grease and the grilled chicken sandwich is outrageous.  Last weekend, I had the Caprese omelet, tomatoes, mozzerela and basil.  In the past, I’ve ordered the spinach and mushroom omelet and the Farmers Market omelet (Fresh roasted zucchini, tomatoes, asparagus, eggplant, and yellow squash, tossed with goat cheese).  Honestly, each one was equally delicious.  However, Renee (a frequent #brunchtastic bruncher), is on a search for the perfect steak-and-eggs combo.  She did not find it here.  We are on the search for a great steak-and-eggs meal for her.

The sandwiches are quite tasty as well. The grilled chicken lay on Rosemary and Thyme  Focaccia roll with a mini salad drizzled with the perfect amount of Garage’s house dressing. If you love waffles, it is phenomenal as well! Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and loaded with whip cream and chocolate…

We can’t forget about the live jazz! It’s such a great touch, particularly for the parents. It classes up the place, not that it needs it (relative to other AYCD brunch places). And if you’re lucky, I’ll bring my grandfather and he’ll even want to sing for you.

Only 2 downsides
1. If one person at your table wants to order unlimited drinks, your entire table must order unlimited drinks
2. When ordering unlimited drinks, they tend to take a while to fill up your glass

Last call: This  place is a dependable brunch spot.  Particularly if you are entertaining out-of-towners.   It’s perfect for a low-key catch up brunch, going away brunch (we miss you Nadine!) and a place to relax and listen to live jazz music after a long stressful week. When I’m here I enjoy myself, my fellow brunchers and especially the food.

Brunch score: 4.5 out of 5 glasses
Price: $16.95 per dish with 1 drink, plus $6 extra for AYCD

The Info:
99 7th Avenue South
NY 10014
(212) 645-0600

Visit their Site for more information and the full menu!

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Posted in All you can drink, AYCD, Great Food, Greenwich Village, Inexpensive, live music, Manhattan, West Village