Permanent Brunch
Photo: Kathleen Squires
Thanks to restaurateur Lesly Bernard, brunch is no longer just for the morning after. At his new East Villager, Permanent Brunch, it’s all breakfast all the time. Last night was the official roll-out, and we were there.
The Food: What was once considered morning fare: eggs, bacon and pancakes, from chef Meg Grace (The Modern, Café 2).
The Design: The narrow space is outfitted with subway tiles, featuring sepia-toned photos of the actual subway, handmade by Bernard himself. Finding the restaurant’s name cleverly hidden in the tiles is a fun way to while away the wait.
Sample Dishes: An artisanal bacon bar, where $3 buys two to three “rashers” like Hungarian smoked Kolozsvari bacon made in Illinois. Baked eggs ($15) with braised short rib ragu and duck fingerling potatoes.
Sample Dessert: The daily doughnut ($6), flavored with the likes of chamomile.
Sample Drinks: The Neptune Bloody ($10) with shrimp stock, Old Bay salt and pickled shrimp.
The Crowd: Families, casually fashioned neighborhooders, diverse comfort-seekers with breakfast smiles.
The Tunes: '80s crowd-pleasers like A-Ha’s “Take on Me” and Wang Chung’s “Everybody Have Fun Tonight.”
High-Tech Extras: In lieu of advance reservations, or a snaky line out the door, there's a unique seating system. After patrons type their info into a kiosk, the seating order is displayed on an HD “chalkboard.” If there’s a significant wait, the system will text your cell phone when a table opens up.
The Deets: 95 First Ave.; 212-533-3315.
– Kathleen Squires