From Champagne-fueled spreads to specialities from the subcontinent, these four locales turn your Sunday repast into an event well worth the calories:
McKinney & Doyle Fine Foods Cafe, Pawling
Andrew Sarubbi is philosophical about brunch. “There’s a sense of comfort in brunch foods,” says McKinney & Doyle’s manager. “No matter what diet you’re on, on weekends you get to relax and indulge.” Indeed. The extensive a la carte menu at the Pawling mainstay hits all the high points, often with a unique M&D twist — French almond toast, for instance, or strawberry cream cheese pancakes. And there are more than a few surprises, too. Served in its own cast-iron skillet, Judge Malone’s corned beef hash is a top weekend choice, as is Jerry Aron’s Favorite, a made-to-order soup of shrimp and scallops in a Sauternes-leek cream. “We have a lot of Spanish-themed egg dishes,” Sarubbi says — which pair nicely with the jalapeño-infused vodka and other signature cocktails offered at the bar. Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 845-855-3875; www.mckinneyanddoyle.com
 |
Jaipore Indian Cuisine, Brewster
Housed in a stately 19th-century mansion with a storied past (Charlie Chaplin once used it as a studio), this restaurant serves up a variety of South Asian favorites during its weekend lunch buffet. The attentive staff keeps gleaming copper-colored pots full of meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes; some — tandoori chicken, yellow dal, basmati rice, and hot-from-the-oven nan bread — are relatively familiar to the Western palate. But vegetarian preparations, often featuring commonplace ingredients like lentils, chick peas, cauliflower, potatoes, and paneer (the Indian version of farmer cheese), offer savory taste sensations with each forkful. Friday-Sunday 12-3 p.m. $12- $15. 845-277-3549; www.jaiporenyc.com
 |
The Thayer Hotel, West Point
With drop-dead views of the Hudson from the dining room — and a list of hot and cold dishes as long as your arm — it’s no wonder that the Sunday buffet brunch at the circa-1926 Thayer regularly draws a battalion of diners (200 to 300 each weekend, according to Restaurant Supervisor Maria Walsh). Take your pick from among an array of menu categories: traditional breakfast foods (omelets, waffles, lox and bagels), hot entreÌes (pasta, quiche, ham, salmon, chicken), a beef carving station, salads, cheese, as well as “any dessert you can think of,” says Walsh, including the salute-worthy bananas Foster and a chocolate fondue dipping fountain. Unlimited Champagne, mimosas, and Bloody Marys are included in the prix-fixe tab. 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. $34.95. 845-446- 4731; www.thethayerhotel.com
 |
Restaurant X and Bully Boy Bar, Congers
The word “brunch” doesn’t quite do justice to the Sunday spread served at renowned Chef Peter X. Kelly’s Rockland County restaurant; “feast” seems more apropos. “This is the sort of meal people drive a long way for,” says Kelly of this “legendary” 18-to-20 course buffet, which is brought to your table dish by dish. The chef effortlessly lists a sampling of the bill of fare: lighter dishes (eggs Benedict, fresh fruits), roasts (shell of beef, rack of lamb), pasta (wild mushroom ravioli is a favorite), salads, fish and shellfish… culminating with an array of desserts. And — naturally — Champagne and mimosas flow throughout the two-hour banquet, which Kelly has been offering in one or another of his restaurants for nearly 30 years. “I think people like to interact with their family and friends without having to make decisions,” he says of this unique buffet style; the 200 people he serves each weekend obviously agree. Sunday 1 p.m. $40. 845-268-6555; www.xaviars.com
» Back to Best Breakfasts 2014
