Five Leaves

I'll be the first to proudly admit it. The Hungry Roach has never looked so good! I wish I could take full credit, but thanks to one of my closest friends, Brian of The Blue Hour, you can finally get a true view of my most recent culinary adventure. While we both share a love and appreciation for delicious food, Brian has certainly mastered capturing it on film. His impeccable craftsmanship behind the camera has given my blog a temporary face lift. So enjoy this while it lasts!

Last weekend, the blogging duo met up in Greenpoint, Brooklyn for brunch and an afternoon excursion. I always love heading over to my favorite borough, but had never been to its northernmost neighborhood and was very excited for a day of exploration. And for us (yes, I'll speak for Brian too now), all journeys begin with food - so we headed straight to Five Leaves, a new-American cafe that epitomizes the laid-back hipster vibe permeating the streets outside. While I have no doubt that this no-reservation hot-spot fills up fast, it was not nearly as crowded as most Manhattan brunch destinations - reason alone to hop on the L train and head east for just a few stops. For the star-struck, it's worth the trip to set foot in the nautical-themed restaurant originally designed and backed by Heath Ledger. And, for those who simply love a great brunch, get cozy and order up that bloody mary - this is the kind of place to start the day and see where it takes you.

While cocktails are a great way to prolong any meal, we also decided that a few courses were in order. We started with the house made ricotta with fresh thyme, chestnut honey, figs, maldon sea salt served with fruit bread. This is delicious - and Brian's photograph actually does it justice. There is honestly nothing else to be said about the dish besides, "Order it." We then moved onto the soup of the day - black bean and corn with avocado creme fraiche and the "Blat" - bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwich with cumin/lime mayo. Both were excellent. The soup was the perfect consistency of the freshest ingredients - not too thick as bean soups can often be. I am not sure whether it was the bacon, avocado, or cumin that initially drew me to the sandwich, but the addition of my personal favorite spice truly made this sandwich unforgettable. It really is too bad that it is still Lent (or maybe it's a blessing) because this would have been one of those days that no matter how full I was, I would have splurged for dessert. I envision a menu overflowing with fresh pies, crumbles, and homemade ice cream. 12 days and counting!

The good news is that I can always go back. And, after checking out the dinner menu, I definitely plan to. After all, it's even easier to prolong a dinner - ordering up several courses and finishing with a cherry on top. If only I could prolong my blog's new face lift. Well, it's back to reality soon. But, just know that all the food that I eat really is this good looking!



Five Leaves
18 Bedford Ave (@Lorimer St.)
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(646) 510-6467
website
FOOD RATING (Out of 5):