Bar Tabac: Boerum Hill, NY

Hollandaise and Jazz-- for fans of Sunday brunch, need I say more?

Wile visiting friends in Brooklyn, they took me to this completely charming little bistro decorated in the style of old world Paris. Dark wooden floors, tin ceilings, and gently filtered light were as welcoming as the five-piece New Orleans style jazz band whose music called to us from the street as we approached.

We were warmly greeted, and seated promptly at a table near the bar, where the band played. With the romance of New York in the air, we settled in with spicy Bloody Marys and hot coffee, to take off the chill from our brisk walk from the subway.

I was advised to order "anything with Hollandaise." I'm usually not a fan, since my previous experiences with the sauce have been of the Denny's variety: lumpy, thick, gravy-like brownish substance that drowned the flavor of the entire plate. At Bar Tabac, not so! Their light, whipped, buttery sauce (which I ordered on the side) was heavenly! And I mean that literally-- if heaven were a flavor, it would be this Hollandaise sauce.

My eggs florentine had two perfectly poached eggs set lovingly on top of wilted spinach and thick cut toast. On the side: sparingly peppered roasted potatoes, cooked to a perfectly crisp golden brown, and a hearty serving of spicy greens with a light mustard vinaigrette. The Hollandaise sauce's savoriness complimented the bitter of the spinach, while sweetening the warm egg yolk which soaked lightly into the toast, for a lovely mixture of textures.

This was the kind of meal that inspires one to start a blog about their dining experience.

With its hip menu (reasonably priced) and lively atmosphere, I wished Bar Tabac was my living room.


http://www.bartabacny.com/index.html