I have been accused, on more than one occasion, of being a brunch-a-holic. When such claims are thrown in my face, I try to counter it, calmly, with a question – what else does one do, on a Sunday afternoon in New York City between 11 & 4?
About a month ago, various rumor-mongers and curators of online content spread a malicious rumor that struck fear into the hearts of every New York City brunchgoer – that the unlimited mimosa/bloody mary special offered at so many New York brunch spots was actually illegal. And my, what an uproar it caused! Thankfully, later that same day a clarification statement was released to quell the rumor, NYC brunchgoers heaved a collective sigh of relief to discover that bottomless brunches weren’t going anywhere. However. Based on the flood of Facebook posts and tweets that went out, EVERYONE planned on brunching that weekend – before the rumor, to get in what they were certain would be the last bottomless brunch of their lives, and after, in celebration that bottomless brunches were still a thing. I’m sure it was a great business weekend for restaurants that offer such brunch specials.
Well. Long before all of this brunch rumor-mill drama happened, Jeffrey and I had put a brunch on the books for that very weekend. We had full intended to visit Three of Cups in the East Village – I was convinced that it was this chic little Italian spot that I had gone for dinner with my sister and mother years ago, but have been unable to find since I moved to the city (which still annoys me to this day), and I was really dying to go again. One foot in the door shot my theory down – Three of Cups is a massively sprawling joing with odd walls to create rooms. As it happened, that weekend was very good for Three of Cups, but the host was in a foul mood at being so over-crowded, and Jeffrey and I couldn’t handle a thirty minute wait after a)searching for a staff member in the chaos to tell us what the deal was and b) being greeted by such a disgruntled demeanor. Luckily, I had passed another place just ’round the corner with a sign outside advertising their brunch special, so we hurried our growling bellies back over to 2nd ave (btwn 4th & 5th streets) and enjoyed a leisurely, quiet, sunlit brunch at Cacio e Vino.
My thoughts on Cacio e Vino – delicious food, delicious drinks, great lighting, adorable decor. The menu and our waiter were both a little disorganized. I had the feeling it was his first day. But he was nice, and attentive, and answered all of our questions, and was in a much jollier mood than the staff at Three of Cups, so I still give him a thumbs up. His behavior definitely contributed to the lovely experience. I’d definitely go back again – those turkish eggs (not pictured) were something else! And the bellinis were top-notch. A surprisingly great Saturday brunch, considering that 24 hours prior the fate of the free brunching world was hanging in the balance.
