Back Forty in the East Village sadly closed, but luckily the newer SoHo location is still around serving their warm buttery biscuits for brunch. Back Forty is right off Broadway downtown, so it’s far enough away from all the shopping foot traffic that you’d want to avoid when looking for a restaurant. Don’t be fooled by the downstairs space, as they have a giant upstairs hidden up their sleeve. It’s spacious making it absolutely perfect for big groups for dinner or brunch. The fireplace is an added perk, and you’ll see the staff using an iron to make their fireside creme brûlée throughout your meal. Hey, it’s an added table side show.
Start with an order of biscuits and jam. It’s only one per plate, so two people can probably share one. It won’t blow your mind, but it’s definitely some happy carbs to get your day started. If you are in the mood for something light, the Kale Salad with Apples, Soft Boiled Eggs and breadcrumbs is just what you are looking for. The amount of apple slices on the salad is much appreciated, and the dressing is a light vinaigrette that feels healthy and ideal- especially for a post shopping snack or midday bite. For a heftier and hangover curing dish, pick the Pork Hash or Grass Fed Burger. The Cornflake French Toast is quite the mountain loaf of bread. If you are in the mood for something sweet it will do the trick, but if you are a french toast connoisseur, I wouldn’t run here to try this. The bread seems a little dryer than many of my other favorites and not as doughy as I would prefer. I like The Smith, Jane, Cafe Orlin and Palma’s much better or really all of these.
Back Forty needs to be on your list of restaurant go-to’s because it’s a great last minute place to meet a group of friends for brunch. You’ll most likely get a table if you call ahead day of, too. If you are in the ‘hood shopping, it’s one of the best restaurants around to grab a bite which is always hard to find and frustrating when all you can think of is Balthazar or Delicatessen.
