I like brunch.

Rabbit Hole

Restaurant Information:

352 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211-5586
(718) 782-0910

Service 12/15 or 75%

  • Hostess(N/A)

If there was one, I didn’t see her.

  • Promptness(5/5 points)

This place runs like a well oiled machine.  I was amazed and dumbfounded by how fast they got my food out to me.  If one bartender was making my coffee, the other was getting me milk and sugar.  If one was serving me food, the other had my flatware ready.

  • Alertness(4/5 points)

I don’t think I even got the chance to thinking about my water or coffee before the waiter was asking me if I wanted a refill.  It wasn’t too eager though, so I didn’t mind; it was clear they were keeping everything in check.

  • Friendliness(3/5 points)
I was going to rate this higher, but then I remember the first thing that was said to me was, “no laptops are allowed in here.”  The laptop was closed and being carried like a book; it’s not like I sat down and spread out papers to stake a claim to my territory.  The rest of my experience was quite enjoyable.  I even overheard them reserving a table so that a dog owner could keep an eye on his dog, but not ruin anyone else’s dining experience.


Food and Drink 15/20 or 75%

  • Price(4/5 points)

The prices looked really low on the menu.  Then, when I tasted my food, I knew I was getting a great deal.  I would have easily paid five to six dollars more for my eggs benedict.  Probably, I would have paid another dollar more for the coffee too.

  • Quality of Food(4/5 points)

I had their version of the eggs benedict.  It was the complete opposite reaction I had to Prune.  Their version was adventurous, but well executed.  Instead of a plain English muffin, they used an herb flavored version.  Instead of plain Canadian bacon, they used crumbles of well cooked bacon.  The sauce was the perfect consistency, not too runny, but not too thick.  The home fries left me wanting a little more spice.  The side salad just felt like a cop out to me, but I think it could be much better with a few flavor modifications.

  • Quality of Beverage(4/5 points)

Rabbit Hole might have the second best coffee I’ve had yet.  It wasn’t bitter or sweet; it was right in between.  The subtle aromas tickled your nose even before you took your first sip and you were left with a deliciously chocolate aftertaste when you were done.  I was going to limit myself to just one cup, but after five minutes I decided I definitely wanted another.  I regret not having a third, but I know that would have pushed me over the edge.  They also lost a point because they have the water bottle problem.

  • Presentation(3/5 points)

Everything was nicely arranged on the plate, but there was nothing extra done to make the food look nearly as good as it tasted.  A subtle flare here and there would have helped.

Decor and Space 15/20 or 75%

  • Cleanliness(4/5 points)

Cleaning was part of their service process, and rightfully so.  I was impressed that not only was everything I used quite clean, but also that the waiter, bartender, and dishwasher all had their own little cleaning roles.

  • Theme(5/5 points)

This place has the most amazing interior.  I really didn’t want to leave when I was finished with my meal and I might make this a more regular location just based on the decor.  It’s dark wood; it’s tile floors; it’s candles discretely hidden for ambient light.  File this place under excellent spot for a night time date.

  • Adequate Seating(4/5 points)
Plenty of seats in the front, at the bar, in the back, and outside.  The do close the outside seating from time to time, but it’s well worth it for a lovely day.
  • Location(2/5 points)

This place isn’t even remotely close to a subway stop.  The ten blocks from Bedford Avenue on the L does make for a pleasant stroll after you’ve eaten though.


Bonus(5 points)

2 points for outdoor seating.

Overall Score 42/55, with bonus 44/55 or 80%

Arlo & Esme

Restaurant Information:

42 E 1st St

New York, NY 10003-9345

(212) 777-5617

http://arloandesme.com/

Map:

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Service (10/15) or 67%

  • Hostess(N/A)
There really isn’t a hostess, nor are you really designated a waiter or waitress.  They just kind of hover between working behind the bar and waiting on you.
  • Promptness(3/5 points)
They were very good at getting us seated—there was no one there—and at getting our drinks back to us.  However, our food took a while to get there so they end up settles in the middle.  I really think the people working there were more interested in the guys they were dating or what happened last night or, well you get the drift.
  • Alertness(5/5 points)
They filled up my coffee and water like there was no tomorrow.  I really was surprised at how good they were at it.
  • Friendliness(2/5 points)
I wanted to give this a one because the waitresses/bartenders were talking about how a regular comes in, just hangs out/reads/eats/drinks, and they find it creepy.  There is no place in service for talking bad about your regulars while you’re on the job and in ear shot of other customers.  Besides that, they were pretty friendly; I just couldn’t get over that initial bad impression though.


Food and Drink (14/20) or 70%

  • Price(5/5 points)
This place is cheap, really cheap.  The two of us ate brunch for $30 including tip.  There is a trade off to all of this though.
  • Quality of Food(2/5 points)
The food was decent.  I had the French toast with caramelized bananas on top which was tasty, but didn’t really do much more than what was stated.  My guest had the eggs scramble with chorizo, which was the better call of the two.  I kind of felt mislead when I looked at the menu: there were seven items including the soup du jour of melon squash and a special of chicken carbonara.  It’s a half-ass attempt at brunch more than anything else.
  • Quality of Beverage(4/5 points)
The coffee was really good.  I’d come back here for coffee.  The orange juice was so so.  I think this is a place really more focused on being a bar than anything else and it shows.
  • Presentation(3/5 points)
I liked that they served both dishes on completely different plates, but past that there really was no extra effort.

Decor and Space (10/20) or 50%

  • Cleanliness(2/5 points)
There were giant clumps of dust on the shelves lining the walls used to light the wall.  The dishes, etc. were all clean as I would expect.  They really didn’t help themselves by sticking to a very white themed room.
  • Theme(3/5 points)
It’s a basic drink, coffee bar kind of place.  This would have gotten a much higher rating but when i went downstairs to the bathroom, I felt like I’d walked into a date rapist’s grotto.  The brunch is only served upstairs, but the stark contrast made me think twice about ever meeting someone here at night.  Also, the upstairs has some photography that decorates the wall nicely; it gave me something to look at while I waited.
  • Adequate Seating(3/5 points)
This place was DEAD at 1pm on Saturday.  The tables were massively spaced out and they could easily fit one or two more tables in there.
  • Location(2/5 points)
I would rate this higher, as it is really easy to get to from the 2nd avenue stop, but you have to pass Prune and Joe Doe before you get to this place.  I can see it being a great place to bring a drink date, but other than that there are better brunch places in the area.

Bonus(5 points)

None.

Total score 34/55,  or 62%

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Themed by: Hunson