Eating in Nolita

Brunch at Balaboosta.

Much as we would have loved to have eat our way through everything this isn't a comprehensive survey, just a few notes on a  couple of places we tried on our recent trip to New York. 

First the Fiat Cafe, a small cash only joint around the corner from The Nolitan - it was unpretentious and quietly charming.

Despite the Fiat theme it's run by a French woman and I tried it for a simple breakfast on my own. Inexpensive but well prepared food and freshly squeezed orange juice are the recommendations here. This is a good place for a relaxed breakfast and next time we'll certainly try it for lunch or dinner. I liked the neighborhoodly atmosphere, which was stylish without being pretentious or too self conscious, something that can be hard to find in this par of town.
Recommend.

On Saturday we tried Balaboosta for their weekend brunch on the recommendation of friends who had enjoyed dinner there a few days before. We made reservations for 11am and, though the place was empty when we arrived,  it filled up quickly. This is  Middle Eastern influenced food and each of the brunch dishes had twists on the old favorites. My eggs benedict had a red pepper hollandaise with  a bed of chick peas and onions between the eggs and the brioche, different but delicious. Each of the meals offered something different, baked eggs with merguez, green eggs and a short rib hash were among the dishes we ordered. Recommended.

We also ate dinner at Public a Michelin stared eatery in the same area. It's a large stylish modern restaurant with a slightly informal feel. The food was serious with an interesting Asian/Australian/Pacific influence. Meats included kangaroo, venison and wild boar and there were some innovative vegetarian options including a delicious mushroom cerviche appetizer which was very memorable. Flavors and textures were well combined with Japanese influences such as Miso, Wasabi and ginger. Next time we're in town I'd like to try the $50 five course Sunday supper.

Highly recommended, I only wish I had taken my own  photos, but here are a couple from their website. All of the dishes were visually appealing.

Tip: Though Public was fully booked on Open Table our friends secured a same day reservation by dropping by the restaurant earlier in the day.