Brunch

Issue: Where to grab a quick and delicious brunch in the neighborhood for four without waiting an hour for a seat.

My parents were in town briefly on a Sunday and wanted something tasty that didn't require a super long wait. Usually my parents love the process of going out to eat. They like planning where to go, ordering the entrees only after the appetizers have been delivered to the table, returning to favorite spots and sampling new places. But we all had a hockey game to watch, so the timing was important.

Rule: Brunch in the Park Slope area can have an insane wait, especially when the snow starts to melt and seats become available outside.

People make fun of Park Slope for being all about babies and brunch. And, honestly, some of that critique is probably true. There are a ton of babies and there are a ton of places to get brunch. In spite of all the choices there is often a long wait for the best places. For example, I have never in my life been to Dizzy's on 8th Avenue without having to wait for at least a half hour. Yet, there are plenty of seats available at places where the selection is sub-par or the place is kind of ho-hum, but who wants to go there? Certainly not my parents.

Application: So we decided on going to James in Prospect Heights. After cataloging many restaurants while sitting in my apartment (Franny's, Flatbush Farm, Rosewater, Al Di La, Alchemy-mostly rejected because Ryan is tired of their brunch menus even though I think they are the best) we decided on James, with The Vanderbilt as a back-up, just in case there was a long line.

James is on Carlton Avenue in Prospect Heights, one of the prettiest blocks in Brooklyn. The owners live upstairs and grow herbs used for meals at the restaurant. I mean, come on! How cool is that? That is seriously right up my alley.

We arrived with a complete party and were told that it would only be a few minutes to sit. Score. We were able to quickly get four stools near the window and a drink menu while we waited for our table in the busy room to open up. This short wait gave us time to survey the room and marvel at the plants seemingly growing out of the wall, the amazing chandelier and the huge plant on the bar. All the decorations are over sized and yet fit very well in the room with high ceilings and a lot of charm.

For brunch I ordered the ricotta pancake with blueberries which I had planned on splitting with my Mom, who ordered the delicious and fluffy fritatta. Instead of eating them both evenly I devoured by sweet and light pancakes and ate a bunch of the fritatta as well. My Dad ordered the french toast stuffed with blackberry jam. OMG it is so good. He was suitably impressed. Ryan got the burger with yummy herb fries that were gone in 2.5 seconds.

My only complaint was a slight hiccup with our waiter who seemed a bit overworked (widely known side-effect of waiters working Saturday dinner and Sunday brunch) and misheard my drink order and forgot my Dad's coffee. Besides that the service was right on- quick, efficient and pleasant.

Conclusion: We were in and out of there, entirely sated and well fed within an hour. After all the back and forth about where we would end up, it was the perfect choice for a brief brunch that never felt rushed. James is also due for a special shout-out for the delightful brunch cocktails. I don't normally imbibe during brunch, but I couldn't resist the blood orange bellini. If I was into bloody marys, I am sure their version with jalapeno would have been an excellent start to a Sunday full of family, food and hockey. Go Canada.