Shauna Eats Sunnyside

A Quaint Lil' Brunch

(pic courtesy of quaintnyc.com)

Last weekend, B and I arranged to partake in Sunday morning brunch with our fellow friends and meal busters, J & D. After some debate as to possible ‘hood brunching options, our crew agreed to venture into Quaint (on Skillman Ave. b/w 46th and 47th Sts.), a comforting nook of space marked by warm colors and a beautifully rustic farmhouse bed-and-breakfast feel.

Quaint’s interior formula is simple, yet effective: framed images on brown sugar walls, high stools aligned on the left side of the restaurant against an intimate, fully stocked bar, and a lengthy span of counter with visible, well-lit open air kitchen. Modest dark wood tables along the right side wall lead into a populus of cozy booths. Soft lighting, high ceilings, and festive summertime patio in the rear.

I will admit, I half expected we’d pay extra for this kinda class. It is Sunnyside Gardens, after all. But we were pleasantly surprised—Quaint’s prices are really reasonable, and with a tantalizing seasonal menu (AHEM, and $4 cocktails!), seems like brunch is the best excuse to catch the mellow Skillman vibe and kick it, New American style.

Upon entry and seating at a four-top table (the place was half-packed, but surprisingly chill for a noon brunch rush), our first order of business was the ($4!!!) drinks. B and I called bloody mary, with a $1 Grey Goose add-in; J & D went low-maintenance with mimosas.

ABOUT THE BM: It’s a healthy load, not too much ice. Good times on the horseradish sauce, which thankfully does not overkill. Just the right amount of post-sip heat. Lemon wedge, nice touch. And HOT DAMN on the pickled green bean garnish!! Totally fuels the flava til the very last slurp. Way to bump up the game, Quaint. Now that’s a bloody mary done right!

NOTE: Mimosas are tasty, too. Kinda hard to screw up sparkling wine and OJ. Quaintly enough, the bistro also offers $4 kir royales and champagne cocktails.

After clinking glasses to an awesome brunchtime discovery, we mulled over the uncharacteristic calm of the restaurant, the familiarty of staffers, and the pleasant din of friends convened. Quaint appears a worthy safe haven from the Boulevard scatter and near-Midtown holiday craze. We can certainly appreciate, and chose to celebrate with another swift round of beverages.

B and D each had eggs benedict with greens ($8). The poached egg, my favorite version of such, is spot-on! Ham is standard, thin-sliced, and grilled… ditto for the English muffin, though the Hollandaise sauce is plentiful and not as suffocating as it could be. It’s light, lemony, and melds into the sexy egg yolk and crisp muffin base. Side shrubbery is lovingly doused in a balsamic vinagrette and rounds out the dish’s food pyramid nicely.

My challah french toast (with bananas, rich maple syrup and spiced homemade apple butter) ($9), killed it on the tastebuds stimuli scale, and was the favorite dish at our table. Thick battered slabs that aren’t too eggy, too buttery, or too dense, and harbor fluff and crisp within each bite. The syrup is real-deal, sugary and rich (and how cute is that mini vase?). I’d like to think it was freshly sapped that morning by a toboggan-clad chap from one of those scenic overhanging trees on historic Bliss St., then transported via creaky, ox-drawn cart into the magic hands of Quaint’s french-toast-cultivating kitchen staff…

Bananas are fresh as ever, and the cinnamony apple butter adds tangy zing against the sweet syrup, though there could be more of it in which to dip lingering toast remnants. Overall, an outstanding meal, and my favorite neighborhood food find in quite some time.

And though there’s no pic to prove it, J had a Southern omelet with country ham, cheddar, and onions with a side of roasted potatoes ($8.50). Seems standard on paper, but the ham is diced thick, cheddar doesn’t drown out the other flavas, and those onions are frickin CARAMELIZED! Delicious way to fix up a ho-hum omelet. Even the potatoes, though sparse on the plate, are intensely seasoned and end up being the perfect complementary helping.

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Quaint Restaurant
46-10 Skillman Ave (b/w 46th and 47th Sts.)
Sunnyside, NY 11104
(917) 779-9220