Denise S.
Yelp
J'aime ca.
Came here for the first time today. I have been meaning to try this place for a long time but was sort of turned off by the stories of its infamous long lines on weekends. My DC and I arrived a bit after 10AM and we just had one group ahead of us, and waited 5 minutes. Not bad at all. Although, during our brunch we watched as the line grew longer and longer (by the time we left, it was almost curling around the block).
The service is prompt. I think everyone is aware of the line, so the wait staff are very quick at taking orders and clearing dishes immediately. When we sat down, we were asked right away whether we'd like some coffee and croissants to start. I just had a tall glass of freshly squeezed OJ.
I ended up deciding on the quiche de jour, which had spinach and feta. They also have a lorraine available every day. The quiche came in a generous portion. The crust was buttery and flaky and the filling with delicious (the eggs were fluffy and light, not too dense). It came with a pretty standard side of mixed greens with a basil-y vinaigrette dressing, and their lovely baguette served warm with butter. The DC had the Croque Madame, which looked like the perfect hearty hangover brunch.
Mid-way through our brunch, the owner very apologetically asked if we could move tables to accommodate a large group. It was no problem (we just had to slide over one table), and she gave us each a croissant of our choice for free as a 'thank you'. I opted for the chocolate croissant, which I enjoyed later this afternoon. It was just perfect -- soft, flaky, fresh, without too much filling.
Other notes:
- Tables are very close together and some groups of 3 were sharing just a tiny table meant for 2.
- The side patio looks nice.
- Cappuccinos come in those huge bowls.
- Clock on the wall is 7 minutes fast.
- According to my DC, this place is a "gay hipster mecca". I dunno. The crowd seemed pretty mixed to me.
- Bill Cosby ate here apparently; his autograph is on the wall.
All in all, a nice brunch spot but I don't think I would line up more than 15-20 mins. for this place. The food is great, but there are also lots of other similar places that are less hyped with no lines.