New York: Isabella's
We had been looking forward to a sangria buffet bar for Sunday brunch, but because we neglected to make reservations, we really shouldn't have been surprised that the wait for a table at Calle Ocho would be at least an hour. As I had a bus to catch in two and a half hours, we decided to try our luck elsewhere.
After walking from 81st down to 77th under the hot sun, I was excited to see Shake Shack up ahead. Unfortunately, my friends weren't in the mood for burgers (even fantastic, awesome burgers). Just when I was about to suggest giving up and finding a Starbucks, we noticed Isabella's right across the street from Shake Shack:
Even though the restaurant looked very busy, we were taken to outside seating without any wait. Luckily, we were given a table under the shade of the awning.
The bread basket was a nice surprise:
Instead of plain bread, it was challah with raisins, which was soft and delicious. I was a bit wary about the strawberry at first, but it was nowhere as artificially sweet as I'd feared and actually served as a nice complement to the challah.
As part of the Sunday brunch menu, Isabella's offers complimentary drinks:
I went with the wild mushroom, cheddar, and herb omelette:
The egg was fluffy, though a tad bland, but the saltiness of the cheddar more than compensated for that. The mushrooms were meaty and plentiful and overall quite filling. The rosemary potatoes weren't that great, but I may be just comparing them to my favorite potatoes from La Note back in Berkeley.
Isabella's was a good find, but I don't think I would purposely make a trip back.
It seems like my entire New York weekend consisted of one unexpected surprise after another. We randomly made a stop at Coney Island, we meant to find the Big Gay Ice Cream truck but somehow ended up at Max Brenner, and we planned to have brunch at Calle Ocho but found ourselves sitting at Isabella's instead. I'm usually the one who likes to have things planned ahead, but even I know when it's better to just go with the flow and see where your stomach takes you. I can't wait for my next New York food adventure!
Isabella's
359 Columbus Ave
New York, NY 10024
(212) 724-2100
http://www.brguestrestaurants.com/restaurants/isabellas/index.php
After walking from 81st down to 77th under the hot sun, I was excited to see Shake Shack up ahead. Unfortunately, my friends weren't in the mood for burgers (even fantastic, awesome burgers). Just when I was about to suggest giving up and finding a Starbucks, we noticed Isabella's right across the street from Shake Shack:
Even though the restaurant looked very busy, we were taken to outside seating without any wait. Luckily, we were given a table under the shade of the awning.
The bread basket was a nice surprise:
Instead of plain bread, it was challah with raisins, which was soft and delicious. I was a bit wary about the strawberry at first, but it was nowhere as artificially sweet as I'd feared and actually served as a nice complement to the challah.
As part of the Sunday brunch menu, Isabella's offers complimentary drinks:
I went with the wild mushroom, cheddar, and herb omelette:
The egg was fluffy, though a tad bland, but the saltiness of the cheddar more than compensated for that. The mushrooms were meaty and plentiful and overall quite filling. The rosemary potatoes weren't that great, but I may be just comparing them to my favorite potatoes from La Note back in Berkeley.
Isabella's was a good find, but I don't think I would purposely make a trip back.
It seems like my entire New York weekend consisted of one unexpected surprise after another. We randomly made a stop at Coney Island, we meant to find the Big Gay Ice Cream truck but somehow ended up at Max Brenner, and we planned to have brunch at Calle Ocho but found ourselves sitting at Isabella's instead. I'm usually the one who likes to have things planned ahead, but even I know when it's better to just go with the flow and see where your stomach takes you. I can't wait for my next New York food adventure!
Isabella's
359 Columbus Ave
New York, NY 10024
(212) 724-2100
http://www.brguestrestaurants.com/restaurants/isabellas/index.php
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