Sunday was gorgeous.  Unfortunately, I had conference calls and work scheduled all day.  Except from 11am - 1pm.  Brunch outside was in order!  So we walked 10 blocks north to one of our brunch stalwarts, Bar Boulud.  It (1) is close to our house, (2) has a $32 prix-fix 4-course brunch (which we didn’t actually get this time) and (3) has open outdoor seating with a great view of Lincoln Center.  Their food, while not superb, is solid classic French brasserie-style fare, and their charcuterie is awesome (Frank Bruni called this place a ”terrine machine, a pâté-a-palooza” which my dorky self finds really funny). 

ATO ordered the roasted beets served beneath a bed of baby arugula, sliced green apple, roasted pumpkin seeds and yogurt (looking at the picture and based on recollection, I can’t tell you where this so-called yogurt is).  Like one of my favorite Outkast songs from year 2000, this app was “so fresh, so clean.”  The beets were sweet and slightly tart and the crunchy spiced pumpkin seeds really elevated both the texture and flavor profile of this dish.  I made ATO switch apps with me. 

I ordered the chilled spring pea soup with lightly poached rock shrimp, cream and bread crumbs.  Very grassy and herby.  Some people like that.  But to me it tasted like a green juice and just felt too healthy.  I wanted more cream!  But ATO liked, and was nice enough to switch apps with me.  Win win (at least for me).    

Speaking of healthy dishes…. ATO ordered a salad for his entree (don’t worry, he’s not on a diet at all).  Ruby red shrimp served atop baby romaine lettuce and garnished with fennel and buttermilk dressing.  Again, this is a perennial favorite of his which I just don’t get.  To him, it is flavorful and light.  To me, it is a bit fishy will inevitably result in an empty stomach 2 hours later followed by a big afternoon calorie binge.  

So I had the oesfs florentine instead…. poached eggs over spinach, jumbo lump crab (a bit shiesty with the crab) and rye toast, all drenched in yummy hollandaise.  Now this is more like a brunch dish.  Nothing to write home about, but satisfying.  

AND after that, you can stop by Epicerie Boulud and grab some of that amazing charcuterie, to enjoy in the comforts of your own home.  Or maybe some delicious French style macarons.  Or both.  (You can guess what we did).  Nom nom! 

Website: http://www.danielnyc.com/barboulud.html#intro