Eathaca: The Big Little Lunch
By Jenn Li JGSM '10
Issue date: 12/1/09 Section: Perspectives
Let's face it. Most of us hail from cities with a few more places to eat than Ithaca. Having lived only in the Bay Area and London, I have always been pretty spoiled in this regard. After visiting during DJ, I mentally listed food as a definite "con" to attending Cornell-the only thing more traumatic than an Ithaca winter for this California girl is limited dining options. Since moving here, however, I have been pleasantly surprised. Eathaca is a series that explores the culinary possibilities in Ithaca. This month, we will focus on my favorite meal-brunch.
A portmanteau of "breakfast" and "luncheon," "brunch" is a term introduced in Victorian England that refers to an unusually heavy meal taking the place of breakfast and lunch. The French, not wanting to incorporate English words into their language, call it le grand petit déjeuner, or "the big little lunch." Typically associated with leisure and culinary indulgence, two things severely lacking in an MBA student's busy schedule, brunches are a great weekend escape from our interminable to-do lists, if only for a couple of hours.
Surprisingly, Ithaca has a number of great places for brunch. For less than $20, Cornell's own Taverna Banfi serves a bountiful buffet of everything from made-to-order waffles to shrimp cocktail to grilled strip steaks with truffle sauce and garlic mashed potatoes. And don't forget to stop by the carving station, which rotates between serving prime rib, braised leg of lamb and pork loin.
A few places have drink specials that are sure to delight. Stella's Café offers Mimosa Mixology, which gives you a bottle of champagne and a choice of two juices for $18. The Boatyard Grill happily serves Bloody Mary's the size of a pitcher. However, for the purists out there who are only interested in the quality and creativity of the food, the Carriage House and the Dewitt Café are the best choices. Here is a side-by-side look at how they compare in food and ambience.
The Food
The Carriage House serves up delicious brunch items with a European influence. The portions are small but adequate and the food is presented with a bit of flair. The house salmon plate features a rich and almost creamy cured salmon that worked well with the accompanying baguette, brie, and candied figs. The brie-stuffed French toast drizzled with maple syrup is prepared close to perfection, with the warm brie oozing out of the toast. Unfortunately, the sconewich with a scrambled egg, New York State cheddar, and griddled ham on a cheese scone was slightly dry and failed to distinguish itself from one you might find at the Sage Cafeteria. The highlight of the meal was the garlic home fries with light tomato ginger ketchup. The home fries were at the right level of crispness and the ginger added an unexpected twist to the ketchup.
The Dewitt Café is more generous with their portions and focusing on the substance rather than the flair. If you are looking for a hearty meal, McMeel's breakfast fits the bill with pan-fried garlic mushrooms, rosemary potatoes, crispy bacon and poached eggs with a balsamic reduction. This concoction could have been greatly improved if the poached eggs were a little runnier. On the other hand, if you wanted something light and subtle, the Liesel omelette-garlic braised spinach, smoked trout, shallots, fresh parsley, and lemon zest-would be a better choice. The eggs were fluffy and the scallions added a great aroma. However, it would have been nice to actually see some of the smoked trout, rather than just taste an essence of the phantom fish. I would advise you to stay away from the buckwheat waffles with roasted apples, local maple syrup, and Chantilly cream. Even doused in the cream and syrup, the waffles are about as tasty and fluffy as cardboard. If I had an extra stomach, I would have also gotten the apple, potato and sausage hash.
The Ambience
While they are very different, both restaurants embody a quirky and endearing Ithaca style. The Carriage House Café is in a beautifully restored 1850s carriage house. The décor is cozy and homey, with children's books spread out under the glass table tops. Lucky diners may even get to sit at an old-fashioned sewing machine. On the other hand, the Dewitt Café is situated in the middle of a corridor in Dewitt Mall. If you didn't know what to expect, you might easily be confused by the hordes of diners contently wolfing down their breakfasts in the middle of a thoroughfare and against a backdrop of neon-colored fish tanks. For added character, the Dewitt Café is flanked by the Bookery, a used and rare book store, and TOKO Imports, a store that sells hand-drums, hats, and hammocks.
The Conclusion
When it comes to deciding where to go for your "big little lunch," it's hard to go wrong. Whether you are indulging in an unusually large meal at Taverna Banfi, gulping down Bloody Mary's at the Boatyard Grill, or people- (and fish-) watching at Dewitt Cafe, it is a great way to revel in Ithaca and keep Monday at bay. Just try to get there early, because, chances are, many others will be trying to do the same.
A portmanteau of "breakfast" and "luncheon," "brunch" is a term introduced in Victorian England that refers to an unusually heavy meal taking the place of breakfast and lunch. The French, not wanting to incorporate English words into their language, call it le grand petit déjeuner, or "the big little lunch." Typically associated with leisure and culinary indulgence, two things severely lacking in an MBA student's busy schedule, brunches are a great weekend escape from our interminable to-do lists, if only for a couple of hours.
Surprisingly, Ithaca has a number of great places for brunch. For less than $20, Cornell's own Taverna Banfi serves a bountiful buffet of everything from made-to-order waffles to shrimp cocktail to grilled strip steaks with truffle sauce and garlic mashed potatoes. And don't forget to stop by the carving station, which rotates between serving prime rib, braised leg of lamb and pork loin.
A few places have drink specials that are sure to delight. Stella's Café offers Mimosa Mixology, which gives you a bottle of champagne and a choice of two juices for $18. The Boatyard Grill happily serves Bloody Mary's the size of a pitcher. However, for the purists out there who are only interested in the quality and creativity of the food, the Carriage House and the Dewitt Café are the best choices. Here is a side-by-side look at how they compare in food and ambience.
The Food
The Carriage House serves up delicious brunch items with a European influence. The portions are small but adequate and the food is presented with a bit of flair. The house salmon plate features a rich and almost creamy cured salmon that worked well with the accompanying baguette, brie, and candied figs. The brie-stuffed French toast drizzled with maple syrup is prepared close to perfection, with the warm brie oozing out of the toast. Unfortunately, the sconewich with a scrambled egg, New York State cheddar, and griddled ham on a cheese scone was slightly dry and failed to distinguish itself from one you might find at the Sage Cafeteria. The highlight of the meal was the garlic home fries with light tomato ginger ketchup. The home fries were at the right level of crispness and the ginger added an unexpected twist to the ketchup.
The Dewitt Café is more generous with their portions and focusing on the substance rather than the flair. If you are looking for a hearty meal, McMeel's breakfast fits the bill with pan-fried garlic mushrooms, rosemary potatoes, crispy bacon and poached eggs with a balsamic reduction. This concoction could have been greatly improved if the poached eggs were a little runnier. On the other hand, if you wanted something light and subtle, the Liesel omelette-garlic braised spinach, smoked trout, shallots, fresh parsley, and lemon zest-would be a better choice. The eggs were fluffy and the scallions added a great aroma. However, it would have been nice to actually see some of the smoked trout, rather than just taste an essence of the phantom fish. I would advise you to stay away from the buckwheat waffles with roasted apples, local maple syrup, and Chantilly cream. Even doused in the cream and syrup, the waffles are about as tasty and fluffy as cardboard. If I had an extra stomach, I would have also gotten the apple, potato and sausage hash.
The Ambience
While they are very different, both restaurants embody a quirky and endearing Ithaca style. The Carriage House Café is in a beautifully restored 1850s carriage house. The décor is cozy and homey, with children's books spread out under the glass table tops. Lucky diners may even get to sit at an old-fashioned sewing machine. On the other hand, the Dewitt Café is situated in the middle of a corridor in Dewitt Mall. If you didn't know what to expect, you might easily be confused by the hordes of diners contently wolfing down their breakfasts in the middle of a thoroughfare and against a backdrop of neon-colored fish tanks. For added character, the Dewitt Café is flanked by the Bookery, a used and rare book store, and TOKO Imports, a store that sells hand-drums, hats, and hammocks.
The Conclusion
When it comes to deciding where to go for your "big little lunch," it's hard to go wrong. Whether you are indulging in an unusually large meal at Taverna Banfi, gulping down Bloody Mary's at the Boatyard Grill, or people- (and fish-) watching at Dewitt Cafe, it is a great way to revel in Ithaca and keep Monday at bay. Just try to get there early, because, chances are, many others will be trying to do the same.
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