New York City, normally bustling with a mix of unforgiving locals and clueless tourists, is now a scene of blissful Saturday serenity. It’s August 2020, and although the dangers of COVID-19 still lurk the streets, the fear (and patience) has slightly subsided. New Yorkers are emerging from their closet-sized shelters or returning from their tropical South Florida retreats to experience everyone’s favorite form of weekend revelry, brunch.
Anxiety aside, we don our newest face mask accessories and take sweet, sweet refuge from the blistering heat beneath the tented shade of newly-constructed, outdoor dining havens that line the now-empty streets. A stroll through the West Village and a week’s worth of giddy anticipation brought me to the one and only, Buvette. Copious reviews, social media stalking and a glowing #FourSquare rating made this place a no-brainer on the ever-growing list of must-try NYC Restaurants.
Upon arrival, I admired the restaurant’s location, nestled centrally on a quiet off-street near Bleecker and 7th, the outdoor dining scene was superb. Shaded by beautiful adjacent brick buildings and dotted with blooming trees & socially-distanced bistro tables, we were seated by a gracious host after only a 15 minute wait. Mind you it was 11 am Brunch on a Saturday in New York City! The service from there was spotty, but understandable given the climate of COVID.
I ordered an ice coffee, a mimosa and my handsome date & I shared an almond croissant. The coffee was decent, the mimosa was tasty & cold, but the almond croissant (admittedly an impulsive order) was absolutely divine. The soft pillowy texture tore with ease between my fingers as a gooey, nutty filling spilled ever so slightly into each prospective bite finished with a subtle crunch of traditional, sliced almond topping.
Although I craved that same croissant for the following few days, the main event was the raved-about, Waffle Sandwich. A triangular sliced, fresh Belgium Waffle sandwiched together with a sunny-side egg, gruyere cheese and two crisp slices of bacon. This is what food-obsessed dreams are made of, trust me I would know. The combination of sweet waffle batter, saucy broken egg yolk, smoky bacon and sharp cheese is one that deserves a spotlight like, dare I say it, Chicken & Waffles. Sure it’s not as in-your-face, but I think it’s hearty, creative and flashy enough to become an instant Brunch Classic. Needless to say, this Brunch was a big success! Now on to the next one!