Prune is a little restaurant in the East Village known not only for its female chef/owner Gabrielle Hamilton (who won a James Beard award for her memoir Blood, Bones and Butter), but also for its long brunch lines on the weekend. When you peruse Prune’s menu, you don’t see the typical eggs benedict five ways, egg wrap or waffles. You see unique options that also make you think “what the hell am I going to get here?” It can put you out of your comfort zone if you are the typical bacon, eggs and toast regular, but ya gotta do it sometimes. They offer a nice selection of smoked salmon, sturgeon and sable from Russ and Daughter’s down the street with assorted breads, some Farm Fresh Ricotta and Spaghetti a la Carbonara with bacon and eggs that you can share as a starter to kick off the meal. We went big and chose the Dutch Style Pancake which is one large individual pancake cooked in the oven with blueberries, sour cream and powdered sugar because how could you not try this beast? It’s thick, fluffy and not as sweet as most pancake or french toast breakfast dishes. Therefore, if you aren’t into sweet breakfasts, this could be pleasantly right up your alley. I liked the outside toasted pieces better than the soft inside.I, however, asked for extra syrup because I can’t get off the sugar boat.
Huevos Rancheros
For egg dishes, you can get down with Soft Scrambled Eggs, Egg en Cocotte wit Savory White Chicken, Steak and Eggs, etc. The Huevos Rancheros are baked eggs in a tomato sauce with garlic, chiles, black beans, cheese and avocado. Just as good and enjoyable as you’d imagine. I tried the Fried Oyster Omelette that’s layered with Remoulade Sauce and served with another side dish to complement which is a mixture of powdered sugar and tabasco sauce. I’ve never seen anything like this. Somehow, it does work! The tabasco hides the sweetness, and the spicy flavor goes hand in hand with the fried oyster coating and eggs. I don’t know, but it’s a cool experiment that totally works and makes you feel like you’re down in New Orleans.
Brunch is very pleasant at Prune, and the tiny restaurant feels good with wooden walls and mirrors to make it look larger. The staff is quite attentive, but I wouldn’t wait hours in line to eat here for brunch if that was the case. It’s a great experience for a one time visit, something different to try, but I wouldn’t crave it every Sunday.
Fried Oyster Omelette
