•  Cuisine: French, New American
•  Scene: Casually sophisticated, children welcome, trendy
•  Occasion: Serves brunch, good for groups
• Must try: Seasonal blintzes, croque monsieur/madame
• Price: Most brunch items under $20
• Reservations: Via phone or www.opentable.com
• Phone: (212) 933-5300
• Website: www.danielnyc.com
• Location: 299 Bowery, (at 1st Street) 

• ^{Viennoiserie (for the table): Within our group of six, I think it would be safe to say that five of us were brutally hung-over from the night before.  In order to begin the healing process, we unanimously agreed to kick off brunch with a basket of viennoiserie (the fancy-pants word for “pastry”).  Fortunate enough to recognize the smell of homemade croissants fresh-out-of-the-oven, you can imagine my excitement when our server presented us with a bountiful basket filled with warm pastries: pain aux raisins (croissant with raisins), a croissant, pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant) and a banana muffin.  A trio of spreads followed as an accompaniment: circular slab of butter topped with sprinkled sel gris (grey sea salt), orange marmalade (sans peels) and four-fruits preserves.}     
  

• ^{Cheese blintzes with roasted pears and cassis syrup (for the table): “Are any of you guys getting an appetizer?  Those blintzes sound amazing, but I also want a Croque Monsieur!” Ceci proclaimed.  A number of us jumped in and replied, “Ceci, it’s your birthday!  Order whatever the hell you want!”  And that, she did.  Thinly-sliced pears (I hate to say it, but I believe they were canned) served as an anchor for two cheese blintzes (thin crepes filled with a blend of soft, unsweetened farmer’s cheese), which were topped with a spoonful of Bordeaux-colored cassis (blackberry) syrup.  The sliced pears added a playful, unexpected textural “crunch” to an otherwise delicate and creamy dish.}   
  

• ^{Croque Madame:  Imagine this take on a grilled ham & Swiss cheese sandwich: salty French ham and gruyere cheese sandwiched between two thick and buttery slices of white bread - topped with a thin layer of béchamel sauce and more gruyere cheese - then cooked to a bubbling golden brown (under the boiler) and crowned with a sunny side-up egg.  The only way to eat this 'wich is with a fork and knife as you allow the egg's liquid yolk to work its magic by seeping in to every last crevice of the bread. Is your mouth watering yet?  From the first time that I tasted this delightful sandwich in France, I was hooked.  I’ve been known to judge a restaurant based upon its Croque Madame, alone.  Although I was bummed that DBGB’s version was accompanied by a plain-Jane mescalin salad, not frites, I had to give Mr. Boulud a star for authenticity (for in my experience, croques are almost always paired aux salade).}     
  

• Viennoiserie^{: $12 (note that this was split 6 ways)}
  
• Cheese blintzes^{: $10}
• Croque Madame^{: $15}

• Basket of freshly-baked bread and pastries: This arrangement of carb-rich goodness could very well be the city's best kept *free* secret!  Baked fresh daily by the FCI's bread and pastry-focused students, this bountiful assortment included: An obese citrus scone, hearty walnut bread, pecan coffee cake, and a super moist sweet bread dotted with golden raisins and dried cherries. 
  
• Hamachi Tartare: What looked like the body of a snake made out of toothpaste was actually parsnip puree acting as an anchor on a long rectangular plate (not much bigger than an olive tray).  Shaved cucumber slices, crunchy puffed rice "kernels," and cubes of fresh raw hamachi (Japanese amberjack fish) sat atop the velvety, buttery puree.  A heavy drizzle of Meyer-lemon vinaigrette finished the dish.  The differing flavors and textures of the tartare were pleasantly overwhelming, though I found the hamachi, otherwise typically mild/delicate in taste, to be slightly "fishy."
• French toast: Two slices of challah bread French toast, each no more than 1/2-3/4' thick, were imperfectly placed atop one another.  Plump blueberries were strewn across the plate, whereas overly-ripened banana slices sat neatly like a line of fallen dominoes.  I poured every last drop of the warm maple syrup over the toast, allowing rich sweetness to suffocate every crevice of the porous bread.  After waiting a minute or two, I took my first bite.  With the exception of the bananas, L'Ecole's version of this traditional breakfast entree was splendid.  I appreciate a restaurant that doesn't serve Americanized "lumber jack" portions, because as far as not overeating, we could learn a thing or two from the French!
  

•  Cuisine: French bistro, small plates
  
•  Scene: Casual and sophisticated atmosphere, large space
•  Occasion: Dramatic interior, drinks and light bites (pre-party), cheese specialist, brunch
•  Must try (brunch): Gougeres, Grilled Cheese Bites, Almond Croissant (pain perdu), Pork Belly Hash
•  Brunch menu pricing: Amuse Bouche, all under $10; Entrees, all under $16
•  Reservations: Via phone
•  Phone: (212) 925-1600
•  Website: www.barartisanal.com
•  Location: 268 W. Broadway (At 6th Ave)

I must be coming down with another case of French “fever.” This could explain my recent cravings for charcuterie, cheese, bread and wine. Every three-four months, France successfully seduces me in to making a return visit; however, with our crappy economy, my lack of travel funds and zero remaining “Personal Time Off” days (at work), the closest I’ll get to Paris is by way of a croque madame sandwich and a glass of Pinot Noir. Luckily, NYC has plenty of French bistros and brasseries for me to escape to when I need to a good ol’ fashioned emotional eating pity party.

And while we’re on the topic of French bistros, check out my brunch review from the gorgeous, brand-new Bar Artisanal:

What’s the space like?

Think: Dramatic floor to ceiling paned-windows, black and white checkered tile floors, grand chandeliers, suede olive green banquets, oversized flower arrangements, a cheese/charcuterie station, and a large bar. Even beyond NYC standards, Bar Artisanal is very spacious and open; I can’t imagine ever feeling overwhelmed or claustrophobic. To top it all off, charming French music plays subtly in the background, transporting diners across the Atlantic.

How was the service?

Friendly, knowledgeable and perfectly paced.

Did you drink?

I began brunch with a Kir (Sancerre/white wine topped with a splash of Crème de Cassis), but chose to sip ice water for the remainder of the meal.

How was the food?

Overall, brunch was delicious! In order to taste as much as we could, Shirley and I ordered a variety of items and split everything in half. We clearly overestimated our hunger, but the menu had too many items that we simply could not resist!

• Gougeres: Golf-ball-sized morsels that taste like a cross between a popover and a gruyere cheese soufflé. Melt-in-your-mouth perfection!
• Cheese Tempura: A glass vase came filled with sea salt and pink peppercorns that anchored a bouquet of slender bamboo sticks; each one spearing a tempura-battered Comte cheese ball. Deep-fried cheese sounds divine, but I actually found these quite bland. Accompanied by an interesting dipping sauce or made with a sharper fromage, I think the Cheese Teumpura could be a huge hit.
• Grilled Cheese Bites: 1-2 grilled cheese sandwiches were cut in to bite-sized pieces and served in a French onion soup bowl/crock. Each bite consisted of crunchy, buttery griddled bread enveloping a mound of warm, stringy gruyere (I think?) cheese. Truly decadent and divine.
• Watermelon Salade: Strategically placed around a heap of lightly dressed greens were cubes of watermelon that had been tossed with olive tapenade and crumbled goat’s milk feta. The rebellious combination of flavors was truly explosive: Sweet and crunchy watermelon + creamy and pungent cheese + salty black olives. Had there had been more feta, this salad would have been perfect.
• Beignets: These looked more like large cinnamon-sugar dusted donut holes than good ol’ fashioned Southern beignets! Generally, I’m not one to complain about anything fried, but I must say that these treats would have fared better with some sort of dipping sauce as an accompaniment (crème anglais, fruit puree, caramel, and chocolate).
• Almond Croissant: Dry, boring croissant? No ma’am! More like pain perdu (French toast) stuffed with sweet ricotta cheese! Think: Almond croissant cut in half, lightly soaked in milk/cinnamon/sugar/egg batter, griddled, then stuffed with sweet ricotta and plated with berries and peach chutney.
• Pork Belly Hash: Non-gristly pieces of meaty pork belly (literally sans fat) and cubed sweet potato came piping hot and topped with two perfectly poached eggs. The plate was finished with a drizzle of smoked chili hollandaise sauce.
• Egg Frites: What could be better than a plate of homemade frites and two sunny-side-up eggs? Not too much; unless the eggs came on-top of the frites! Either way, these two ingredients go together like peas and carrots.
• Chocolate Mousse: I wasn’t much of a “chocolate dessert fan” until I tasted this guilt-ridden concoction: Milk-chocolate mousse topped with a layer of hazelnut crunch (like a brittle), coffee granite and chocolate foam.

What’s pricing like?

Reasonable, especially when considering the high-quality ingredients:

• Gougeres: $8
• Cheese Tempura: $6
• Grilled Cheese Bites: $6
• Watermelon Salade: $10
• Beignets: $8
• Almond Croissant: $12
• Pork Belly Hash: $16
• Egg Frites: $10

Will you return to Bar Artisanal?