Rating: 💋 💋 💋
A year ago on President's Day Weekend, Maura and I had a fabulous brunch at Essex. It was excellent, and I will need to go back soon so I can write you guys an official review. Apparently President's weekend brunch is becoming a tradition for us, because this past Sunday we visited Cafe Cortadito, on Maura's recommendation, for this year's brunch. Cafe Cortadito is a Cuban restaurant in the Lower East Side, and I was super psyched to go. As I walked over from the train, I was so pleased to check out the city. I think I have been struggling with New York for a while, like I have fallen out of love with it a bit recently. Since Friday, though, I've been feeling the potential to find the magic in this city yet again. Exploring the Lower East Side on Sunday strengthened that, because it is such a cool area with so many things to do. I love to be surrounded by all of that liveliness.
I had not gotten to see the lovely Maura since our last brunch at Pardon My French. That was before Thanksgiving, you guys. That was so long ago! How terrible! Life is crazy, but I need to get better about that.
We both agreed white sangria is the superior brunch drink, because it tastes good - unlike the gross Bloody Mary - and it does not fill you up as much - unlike the frozen margarita or the mimosa. Mimosa is definitely my second choice, but any time a brunch restaurant has white sangria, I'm in. Since Maura and I both wanted the same thing, the waitress conveniently bought over a pitcher for us, which made it a lot easier to get refills when needed.
The white sangria at Cafe Cortadito was super refreshing and yummy with a light, fruity flavor, as well as crisp green apple chunks and sweet red apple chunks decorating the pitcher. There were orange wedges as well, but fortunately not too many of those. Citrus phlegm is just nasty.
It took around five to ten minutes for our food to come out after we ordered it. Craziness! Brunch is a machine and they probably have as much prepped in the kitchen as possible so they churn out orders and turn over tables as quickly as possible. Maura and I did note that when we started going out to bottomless brunch in college, it took a lot longer. We would go out with large groups of people though. I mean, I have been to birthday brunches where there were twelve to twenty people packed around a table. It was madness. It understandably took longer for our food to get to us, and we spent a lot more time waiting for our food with nothing but pitchers of cocktails to tide over our appetites. All things considered, it was a recipe for danger. Lately though, I've been surprised at how quickly I've been getting served at brunch. On Sunday, Maura and I pinpointed why that is - it is a lot easier to quickly serve a table of two. It's a no-brainer, really. Maura and I also agreed that two to eight people make the perfect brunch size. Upwards of that, things just get crazy, and we really do not think going to bottomless brunch solo makes a good plan. Blackout and lost in Manhattan is not the best way to spend your Sunday, and you won't even remember the fabulous French toast!
Maura ordered the Calentado, otherwise known as steak and eggs. The steak was cooked to a perfectly bright pink with a smokey crust on the outside. The bite I had was so delicious, and the smokey char soaked into the white rice and paired perfectly with the black beans and egg.
My order of Huevos a la Cubana was also great. The Creole sauce and eggs drizzled into the nooks and crannies of the perfectly seasoned white rice, and I was very happy with my order. I did not find either dish to be out of this world mind-blowing, but it all tasted good. I have nothing to complain about on the food end of things.
While we ate, Maura and I discussed updates with our family and friends, upcoming events, and our careers. She is finishing up graduate school, so that is really exciting! I was my own Valentine this Friday and made a sizable decision about my career, which you will be hearing about soon enough. It was a scary choice and a lot to consider, because you cannot see the future. You just never know how things are going to pan out. I think it is better to go out on a limb and try for what you want though, than to settle into a safe numbness. The good thing is, I have been getting more and more excited about my decision, so I think it was the right one. My friends and family have been super supportive and that means a lot too. All it means right now is, I've been running all over Brooklyn for gigs in photo shoots, commercials, and student films now that my schedule is a little more flexible.
I cannot leave this review without mentioning that Cafe Cortadito is definitely a packed house. It is crowded to the point that, as we waited to be seated in the doorway, Maura and I could pick out an entire section of the front room that would be totally trapped in the event of the fire. In order to get in and out of tables, furniture needs to be moved and you need to shimmy around it. It goes without saying that the volume is cranked, so you have to shout the whole time. Not only do they pack in tables, they pack in reservations. With ten minutes left on our hour and a half reservation block, the waitress came over and kindly asked us to leave because there was another table waiting. There the group was, waiting expectantly for our table, so we had to scramble to pick up our coats and bags and squeeze out of the restaurant. I would like to thank the waitress for bringing us coffee to-go cups to pour the rest of our sangria into and take it to the streets. That was a very thoughtful and unexpected gesture, and it amused us greatly. We had a great time walking through the Lower East Side with our traveling sangria, dodging an obnoxious group of Harvard students who were trying to get us to join their group picture (why ????), and planning to see each other again soon. I have a couple weeks off, so I am looking forward to catching up with friends, exploring the city, and relaxing.
I am really psyched to see what the future has in store for us, and want to thank you for your reading! You guys are the best 😊
XX,
MK
Comentarios