Brunch, in my opinion, is a necessity – even when you’re home for the weekend. Though I admit Boston’s brunch places tend to be superior to all else, my hometown has a few gems as well. One such gem is Jean Jacques in Pleasantville, New York.
The bakery/restaurant is small, cute and homey. While I go for the occasional Thanksgiving pumpkin pie and dinner get-together, I’ve never thought to try the place for brunch. It soon became clear that I‘ve been missing out!
The brunch menu was fairly small, but all options seemed appetizing. It boasted omelets, French toast, quiche and Croque Madame. At the continuous recommendation (pestering) of a friend, I decided to cave and try my first Croque Madame. On a morning where all I wanted were eggs and hash browns, this was a welcome substitute. I mean, who can go wrong with eggs, cheese and bacon on a toasted croissant?
The highlight of this brunch (besides the cutest yellow tablecloths I’ve ever seen) was the chai tea latte. While I love chai flavored teas, whenever I order a latte I’m overcome with its sweetness. However, this drink had a perfect balance of tea and foam, while allowing the chai flavor to be the drink’s highlight, rather than an excess of sugar. Needless to say, I downed that before my food even came (oops).
Overall, the sweet little bakery is a nice treat on a rainy day. And speaking of sweet, I couldn’t resist grabbing a pumpkin cupcake on my way out, and I haven’t been this happy with a dessert decision in a while.