Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Sarabeth's (New York): 3.5 Stars

By Angela

Are you doing lunch with the girls? Are you taking a client out for breakfast? Are you new in town and in the mood for good, simple, breakfast food? Do not miss a chance to try Sarabeth’s. This place has been receiving well-deserved accolades for years. I have been coming to this location for years. I have eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner here and I have never been disappointed.

The restaurant has a very warm, homey feel with bentwood chairs, brass touches and pictures on the wall. The windows are French doors that seem to welcome you to come and eat. They are also picturesque and allow for great people watching. The restaurant is split level, but both the upstairs and downstairs are a tight fit.

I have eaten and enjoyed dinner at Sarabeth’s; but they are known for their breakfast, lunch, and brunch. I have to agree that they really know how to do those meals. For lunch, their tomato soup is terrific, the mushroom soup and corn and shrimp soup are also very good, and their salads are delightful. But I am going to focus on my last meal there…breakfast, which is what they do best.

Some of the breakfast selections come with Sarabeth’s specialty items, a pastry (usually a scone) and jam. The tea is served in a pot, direct to the table (no tea bag will do). Their omelets are fresh, large and tasty and their specialty fruit juice is a “flower juice” consisting of pomegranate, orange, pineapple and banana juice. It is good; not too sweet, not too tart. But on this occasion, we had eggs, porridge, bacon and sausage.

While not everything was incredible, we all enjoyed our meal and agreed we would come again. One of us had the porridge. The porridge comes with blueberries, strawberries, or wheat berries. She had the wheat berries which have a rather nutty flavor, and while she was not a fan of the wheat berries, she said the porridge was very good - creamy and smooth. Another of us had the scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and cream cheese. She said she liked her selection but, after all she had heard that she had expected an amazing dish. It was just good. I had the salmon Eggs Benedict. I really enjoy eggs Benedict and thought they did a good job with them. I shared a bite with everyone and all agreed the eggs Benedict were the best. The eggs were not too hard or too runny and the sauce was not overpowering. Even the salmon was tasty. The bacon was N. C. country bacon, thick and crispy with no fat and the sausages were pork sausages served with apricot jam. They were delicious.

The service was slow but friendly. Not surprising. As I mentioned, I have been to Sarabeth’s several times and have found the service usually friendly, helpful, and courteous if not always prompt. Sarabeth’s also has a counter where you can purchase cookies, cakes, jams, gifts and interesting flavored ice cream. I have tried several of their jams and recommend them all.
So, if you are looking for a place to try for breakfast, stop by. The atmosphere is inviting, the waiters are helpful, and the food is good. And though some may say they are a little pricey, I disagree, especially considering the area. I thought the food was worth the price of admission. Oh, there are several things you should know. They do not take reservations for breakfast or lunch. This is not much of a problem during the week. But on the weekend the wait can be quite long. I hear the waits can be up to an hour. During the week, I have never waited more than 20 minutes. For those who care, the bathroom is communal and the towels they leave out are thick, soft, and luxurious.

If you just want to try their famous jams, you can go to their website. They sell a full line of cakes, cookies, jams, and party cakes. They even share their recipes online. Check out http://www.sarabeths.com/

Price:$$$
Locations include:
Sarabeth's (West), 423 Amsterdam Avenue (80th Street), Phone: 212-496-628, Mon. - Sat. 8:00AM - 11:00PM, Sun. 8:00AM - 9:30PM

Sarabeth's (East), 1295 Madison Avenue (92nd Street), Tel: 212.410.7335, Mon. - Sat. 8:00AM - 11:00 PM, Sun. 8:00AM - 9:30PM

Sarabeth‘s (at the Whitney), 945 Madison Avenue (75th Street), Tel: 212.570.3670, Closed Mondays, Tues. - Thurs. 11:00AM - 4:30PM, Fri. 11:00AM - 3:45PM, Sat.-Sun. 10:00AM - 4:30PM

Sarabeth's Central Park South (CPS), 40 Central Park South (between 5th and 6th Aves), Tel: 212-826-5959, 7 days per week Breakfast: 8:00AM - 3:30PM, Lunch: 11:30AM - 3:30PM, Afternoon Tea: Mon - Fri, 3:30 - 5:30PM, Dinner: Mon - Sat, 5:30 -11:00PM, Sunday, 5:30 - 10:00PM, Weekend Brunch: 8:00AM - 4:00PM

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