Brunch @ Jane | New York City

As one of the most famous brunch spots in New York City, I finally made it to Sunday brunch at Jane with my friends Jhiane and Ally.

If you are considering dining at Jane, I highly recommend making reservations at least one week in advance (if not more) else you’ll be waiting F-O-R-E-V-E-R!  Inspite of having a reservation, my party still waited about 15 minutes.

Although Jane appears rather plain from the outside, it is a modern, trendy, and inviting restaurant on the inside.

Despite the tables being so close to one another, I really liked the warmth and décor of this restaurant.


LOCATION:
100 West Houston Street
New York, NY 10012
(greenwich village)



MENU: Jane menu

COST: $$

CUISINE: Brunch, New American

RECOMMENDED TO: Couples, Casual Dining, Small Groups.

AMBIENCE: Casual/Trendy/Modern




MY REVIEW

Brunch menu includes a complimentary cocktail after 12 pm! 

Brunch kicked off with a complimentary starter… Plain White Bread and Cranberry Walnut Bread served with Strawberry Butter.  YES!  Although the strawberry butter was delicious, the strawberry flavor could have most certainly been enhanced. 


We each started with a cocktail…
I went for the Passion Screwdriver (left) – this was the best drink out of the bunch, but also had a high vodka content, and thus after a few sips I passed.
Jhiane went for the White Peach Bellini (center) – we both didn’t particularly care for this drink, it wasn’t sweet enough.
Ally went for the Blood Orange Mimosa (right) – again, not the greatest drink, slightly bitter.

Since I’m not a fan of brunch cocktails, I know big surprise, I ordered a cup of coffee instead.  The coffee was perfectly hot and served alongside steamed milk even though I requested cream.  Regardless, the coffee was a bit too strong for my liking, hence why I needed cream. 

As an appetizer, we ordered a side of Buttermilk Biscuits & Jam.  The biscuits were dry and served cold, let alone they lacked that buttery richness I was searching for.  However, the jam complimented the biscuits well, and I’m thinking some clotted cream would have sealed the deal.

As per my meal, I ordered Jane’s signature dish, Vanilla Bean French Toast made with brioche bread in a crème brûlèe batter and served with Vermont maple syrup.  It really was as good as it sounds.  

All I can say is this was the BEST FRENCH TOAST I have ever had in my 30+ years of existence.  WOW!  Every bite of the French Toast was moist, luscious, and creamy.  Very indulgent, yes indeed.

Jhiane ordered the Benedict Jane, another very popular dish.  The Benedict Jane are poached eggs that sit atop crab & crawfish cakes and spinach.  The entire dish is then topped with a tarragon hollandaise sauce.  This dish was screaming with flavors.  Incorporating the crab & crawfish cakes was a nice twist on the regular ol’ English muffin.  Additionally, Jhiane’s dish came with a side of Home Fries which were outstanding, easily the BEST HOME FRIES I have ever tasted. The onions were most definitely sautéed in butter along with potatoes and then finished off with parsley on top. Unmistakably, deliciously appetizing!!!

Ally ordered the Benedict Johnny, another favorite amongst the customers.  Similar to the Benedict Jane, the Benedict Johnny consisted of poached eggs, maple chicken sausage, corn pancakes, and then topped off with a roasted tomato hollandaise sauce.  Since I’m not a big sausage person, I didn’t try this dish, however Ally mentioned her dish was amazing.  Furthermore, she swapped her home fries for a generous portion of Rosemary Fries. I can attest to the fact that each bite was savored by the 3 of us.  Heavenly!


VERDICT: 4 / 5 
Jane is undoubtedly one of the best brunch places I have been to in a while.  In terms of food, everything was spot on with the exception of the cold buttermilk biscuits.  Granted the drinks (cocktails + coffee) were underwhelming, the value here is very reasonable given that you will leave Jane feeling completely satiated.  And not to mention the wonderful décor and friendly service to go with it. 

Since this question is on everyone’s mind… is the French Toast really that good as everyone says?  YES!  Between all 3 dishes ordered, the signature Vanilla Bean French Toast was my personal favorite followed by the Benedict Jane.  For next time however, I have my eyes set on the Roasted Shrimp Ranchero.  Definitely not to be missed the next time you find yourself strolling in Greenwich Village, just make those reservations way ahead of time, else be prepared for a painfully long wait.

Food: Excellent  (best vanilla bean french toast; average buttermilk biscuits)
Drinks: Average  (coffee too strong; cocktails too bitter/strong) 
Decor: Good  (warm/trendy/modern) 
Service: Excellent  (friendly) 
Value: Excellent  (complimentary cocktail w/brunch)

TELL ME: Do you enjoy cocktails or a hot cup of Joe with brunch?  Are you a sweet or savory brunch person?  What’s your favorite brunch item to order?