The Farm on Adderley

Issue: Where to go for a celebratory brunch with friends without breaking the bank.

Our friends Hilary and Jeremy got engaged recently and Ryan and I wanted to take them out to brunch to congratulate them. However, we are also trying to save money for our own impending wedding so we didn't want to spend a fortune. Plus, we live in opposite sides of the Slope which always makes me worry that one party is going too far out of their way for brunch. So after thinking it over we went with Ryan's suggestion of The Farm. It is in Ditmas Park, so a subway ride away for both parties.

Rule: See: James. Brunch is crazy in our neighborhood. Finding a table for four at 1pm is nearly impossible. And not feeling rushed is even more difficult.

Application: We arrived at 1pm and were told that it would be quite a while. Usually at this point you are forced to choose between sticking it out or walking down the block to the next place. However, the issue with Ditmas Park (and the biggest thing holding me back from moving there this instant) is a lack of variety. As their restaurant row grows, it expands with new cuisine, there is not much repetition. If we wanted to go to brunch we could go to Purple Yam for some entirely different Asian fare, or Connecticut Muffin next door and possibly be able to grab a seat with a coffee and muffin. The only similar brunch is Picket Fence, which is also crowded on a Sunday morning.

We weren't able to be seated until after 1:30, but the hostess was kind enough to take my number so we weren't confined to the small waiting area near the bar, or the freezing cold outside. A bottleneck instantly forms at the entrance to the restaurant creating a waiting problem and a bar seating problem. But the restaurant is much larger than it seems, especially when the weather is warm and the backyard is back in play. The seats are all interchangeable, creating a warm and comfortable environment. Like a farm. Although the place is busy and the line is literally out the door, the restaurant never succumbs to the desire to cram the tables in as closely as possible. Our four top was so distanced that we never heard any other conversations besides our own.

The Farm boasts one of the best brunch menus I have seen in a long time. It is nicely balanced with two salads alongside french toast and omelets. Our table ordered two substantial burgers, the bibb salad and the tuna salad sandwich. The burger was unremarkable but huge. It did come on an English muffin and with cheddar cheese, big pluses. However, the fries were a bit soggy and not at all interesting. The bibb salad was the most delicious salad I have had in a while. Pumpkin seeds gave it a nice crunch and the dried cranberries kept it a bit sweet. I also had a side of chocolate brioche that I witnessed a waiter going blindly from table to table trying to drop off, but missed me again and again. It was flavored with sea salt and butter, I mean... Whoa. Delish. Hilary loved that her tuna salad lacked heavy mayonnaise and was instead flavored with capers and roasted tomatoes. If I could do it again, I would order the same thing. If I could do it one more time, I would order the farmer's breakfast of scrambled eggs and home fries.

Conclusion: The wait can be terrible, but better planning would alleviate that problem. The total was entirely reasonable and treat-able. We all got coffee, but no delicious sounding drinks that make brunch more expensive than it needs to be. The atmosphere is friendly and the service is good, if a bit overwhelmed. Our waiter never tried to rush us in ordering even in spite of the long line. However, I did catch a few glances as we lingered over the check for a moment. It was almost as if we stayed for two more minutes we would have gotten a warning from the staff. The food was tasty, never mind that the burger was not so impressive, everything else on the table tasted great. All that means is that it deserves another trip out to Ditmas Park. This time at a more reasonable hour.