Sunday marked the beginning of brunch service at Symcha's, featuring a breakfast buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The food was most definitely tasty, but expensive ($45). The best part is that daytime service truly makes use of their pretty patio. Owners Symcha Zylberman and Anna Ezratti want you to linger for hours tucked under the cover of wide red umbrellas. Fortunately, there are plenty of tables.
Taking over the restaurant's bar area, this spread covers everything from bagels and lox to raspberry mousse. All the classics are accounted for: egg, whitefish, and tuna salad (really good), a super creamy chopped liver (really, really, good) as well as pastries ranging from danish to croissant. After gorging on a first round, you can return for dessert later. Brownies, cheesecake, eclairs, cinnamon and chocolate rugelach -- just take your pick. In between, choose an entree from menu selections like Kurobuta pork hash, crepes with fresh strawberries, even an egg benedict three way with salmon, spinach and ham, sauced up by a yuzu-hollandaise.
Caffeine and prosecco are included, but you'll have to buy your own
after the first drink. Bellinis and mimosas will set you back $9 a
glass, Bloody Marys and Mojitos are $10.
Poached eggs oozed out perfectly over a rich base of truffle polenta, and Neuske's bacon "bits" were obviously salty and smoky, like breakfast popcorn. We could have eaten a bucket of them for certain.
Belgian waffles were a little dry on their own, but work better with a topper of slow-cooked pulled beef that tasted like a delicious winter stew. We do think it's funny that everything savory that comes out of the kitchen, seems to be topped with red and yellow pepper garnish.
The dessert buffet draws you in, but after two other courses it's a very tricky endeavor. Maybe a small pastry box to go?
If a $100 brunch for two people seems too steep a price to pay, look for Symcha's new lunch menu debut, available from Thursdays through Saturdays, starting November 24.
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