35th Street Bistro

On Sunday my girlfriend and I stopped by the 35th Street Bistro for brunch and had a fabulous time. Ambiance-wise, we loved that the chairs didn't match; water was served in a clear unlabeled glass bottle; salt was served in large-grain form in a pinchable side dish; service was attentive, personable, and pleasant.

The eggs benedict, the only definitive test of brunchtime quality assessment used for many years to good effect by both myself and my brother (Mr. Andrew Korman), were far above par. The "artisan bread" english muffin was thin, but not too thin, and had just the right amount of butter. The ham was rough-hewn but in a good way, with a honey-esque flavor that was subtle yet distinct. The eggs were perfectly poached and nicely formed into ball shapes that perched smoothly atop the ham. The hollandaise had a touch of tarragon, and fresh ground pepper rounded things out nicely.

The steamed mussels -- exceptional! The orange varietal of mussel, they were awash in a white wine garlic broth that complemented things nicely and brought out the flavor of the shellfish without overwhelming the consumer with extreme winey or garlicky taste sensations.

Also of note: the french fries, both salted and peppered, and fried to a crispy point in a deep fryer that was the right temperature with fresh oil (so many places get this wrong).

We had food-viewing moments (per those seated near us) of their cheeseburger and several other grilled/pressed sandwiches, and determined we'd be back very soon to check them out ourselves.