Cute baby = Grub Match secret weapon
This week’s pick for the Brooklyn Brunch Battle comes from sports development exec, supermom and peanut butter aficionado Casey Romany. Café Luluc, in Carroll Gardens, won her heart with its “simple, reliable deliciousness.” Here’s more from Casey on how one brunches in style, even with a baby on board.
Have you ever worked at a restaurant? Three food service experiences. I worked at my uncle’s fish store on Friday’s when I was 15 selling fish fry. My family did not appreciate the incredible fish stank that lingered after I got home. When I was in high school I worked at Brueggers Bagels; I will love bagels forever. And in college I was a waitress at an Irish pub, but I barely made enough tips to cover my parking expenses.
Do you have any food pet peeves? When a restaurant does not have decaf coffee…there are a few Brooklyn Brunch spots out there that have no love for the caffeine free!
You’re headed to a deserted island to live on grass and coconut milk–what’s your last meal before you go? Anything and everything with tomato sauce (yes, I am Italian American, no, I am not from Jersey or Long Island). Pasta and meatballs, just pasta, lasagna, chicken parm, stuffed shells, you get the idea.
You’ve come into uncountable gobs of money—who do you hire as your personal chef? My mom…not only is she an amazing cook but she thrives off of making food for others. It is literally fuel for her soul.
What’s the single most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten? Hands down, the pasta tasting menu at Babbo (paired with the wine tasting menu). My husband and I went for our 1 year wedding anniversary and it was an incredible experience. It is too hard to get a reservation so we showed up 45 minutes before it opened and sat at one of the bar tables. Not only was the food delicious but the service was impeccable. They were very patient, paid attention to detail, and took the time to explain the food and wine pairings. If you live in or visit NYC you must go to Babbo!
Okay, so explain why Café Luluc is your Grub Match pick. My husband and I have been going to this restaurant for the past 5 years and the food has only gotten better. They master both the sweet and savory sides of brunch. They take typical brunch items like poached eggs and pancakes to the next level. It is the simple things like the dressing on their side of greens or the way they do French fries instead of potatoes that make the difference. The pricing is very reasonable and the portions are perfect. Even when it is busy you never have to wait long. The staff has been the same since we started going. They are fast, thorough, and always pleasant.
How did you discover Café Luluc? Lived around the corner for a few years and now we drive over at least once a month to get our fix. One of the biggest benefits is the flexible timing! It opens up much, much earlier than most typical brunch places…allowing families to get in their fix in the early hours and the late brunchers to stroll in at their leisure with less people lined up waiting to get in at the opening.
What’s your favorite item on the menu? We like the Eggs Florentine, the Poached Eggs with Gravlax, and you MUST order pancakes either as your meal or on the side!
Why will your restaurant be crowned Grub Match champion? Because Cafe Luluc is a delicious and dependable brunch that does the simple things better than anyone else.
Will the pancakes at Cafe Luluc flatten the competition? Check out our third and final contender next Tuesday, here on PitchKnives.
Want to take part in a future Grub Match? Tell us about your favorite restaurant at submissions@pitchknives.com.