As fun as brunch may be in theory, even the most sought-after NYC brunches (see Buvette, Joseph Leonard) tend to serve more or less the same menus - basically eggs and waffles for miles. The better restaurants’ eggs and waffles are indeed better, but they’re still eggs and waffles. While it’s comforting to know what to expect, it’s a shame to have little variety.
A few weekends ago, fellow blogger and long-time social media friend Olga came to New York for the weekend and invited me to brunch at Talde. This Park Slope restaurant, headed by Top Chef Dale Talde, has been open for a few years but I’ve yet to have visited, knowing a long wait for a table was to be expected. Plus, Dale Talde’s nearby Pork Slope was sort of disappointing.
As anticipated, there was about a 30-minute wait for a table; we stuck it out and I am so glad we did. As we entered the dining room, I was struck by the gorgeous noon light flowing in through the large windows. The exposed brick walls are painted white, contrasting with the dark wooden furniture. There are several spacious booths in the middle of the restaurant and a bunch of smaller tables all around. Combined with the high ceilings and soft lighting, the overall decor reminded me of a tasteful bachelor pad (if such a thing were to exist).
Talde’s interpretation of the traditional brunch menu is unique, and quite welcome. It’s a seamless blend of Filipino and Asian flavors and American tastes - no croque monsieurs here! There are brunch versions of ramen, baos, pad thai, fried rice and even samosas. The dishes are meant to be shared, but are thankfully by no means tapas-sized. Aside from the gorgeous decor and creative menu, I was really impressed with their service. I rarely touch on service in restaurant reviews - not wanting to give restaurants a bad name just because one waiter was having an off day - but in this case, I have to. All our food arrived no more than five minutes after we ordered it. After that, the waiters didn’t bother us every five minutes, or try to get us to order more stuff, or try to shuffle us out as soon as we were done eating. The staff was truly gracious - exemplary for what all restaurants should strive for.
On to the food: we ordered the day’s special, grits with a melange of sides including kimchee, speck, dried shrimp and onions with a soft-boiled egg (pictured above). The dish was texturally satisfying, unique yet simple. We loved it. Next, the kung pao chicken wings. I’m not a big fan of chicken wings in general (too messy, too spicy), but I loved the Asian influence on the classic American chicken and waffles.
We also had the pork and chive dumplings, which were deep fried to a crunch and served with a mustard dipping sauce; the Filipino roast pork, served over white rice with pickled ginger and a fried egg (my personal favorite dish of the meal); and tater tots, with sriracha ketchup.
While my faith will always lie with a saucy-croque-monsieur-crisp-roast-potatoes brunch, it’s safe to say Talde has successfully broadened my brunch horizons. I strongly urge fellow New Yorkers to give it a try.
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