Brunch at Brooklyn Label

It seems like Brooklyn Label (180 Franklin St., at the corner of Java St., 718-389-2806) has gone through a lot in the last few years. From solid neighborhood spot to mediocrity and back again to reliably excellent Brunch food. I went recently with a friend to see if all the rumors were true. I'm happy to report that it came through on all the hype. The menu was enormous, which made it difficult to choose. So many options - Ricotta Pancakes with fruit, Granola & Yoghurt, various Southwest-inspired egg dishes. Phew.

I settled on the Borderline Benedict - two poached eggs on top of chorizo, cushioned by blue-corn bread muffins. The blue-corn bread was slightly sweet and provided a nice contrast to the spicy meat and creamy, salty Hollandaise sauce. There was a large, quarter-sized piece of eggshell in my eggs that I unfortunately bit into, but it's a testament to the tastiness of the overall dish that I got over that shock and went on to finish my meal. The egg-whites were a touch runny too, but that blue-corn bread...Mmmmmm. There was also a slab of hash brown/potato pancake on the side, but that was neither here nor there.



My friend ordered the Cornmeal Waffle topped with poached eggs and gravy. It's a bland looking meal, all beige and yellow, but it was quite tasty. The waffle was very thick, but a nice change from the regular batter waffles. It was not any less filling though, and half-way through becomes a bit overwhelming. Perhaps it would have been better to share and compliment with a side of fruit.



Brooklyn Label proudly serves Stumptown Coffee, as well as a lovely assortment of juices & teas (Passionfruit Mango Iced Tea, Watermelon Juice), and has tables outside on the sunny sidewalk. A nice and solid neighborhood joint that's worth the trip from other parts of Brooklyn.