Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching. If you haven’t yet reserved a table for brunch — the favored choice among 73% of wives and mothers — there’s no time like the present. Here are some possibilities to consider.
Thank mom for all the little — and not so little — things she does for her family over an afternoon tea brunch at historic Wave Hill in The Bronx. Her choice of tea from Palais des Thés or house-made cocoa will be served along with delectable tea sandwiches and pastries crafted by exclusive partner and caterer extraordinaire Great Performances. Menu items will include smoked salmon, chicken salad pinwheels, and smoked turkey, followed by assorted macarons, fresh fruit tartlets, flourless chocolate cake bites, and more. Two seatings, one at 11 a.m. and one at 1:30 p.m., will be available on Saturday, May 10, as well as on Mother’s Day proper, May 11. The cost per adult is $50; $30 for children. Note: A minimum of 2 guests and 7 days’ advanced booking are required. Complimentary admission to Wave Hill is included with the purchase of a tea package. Wave Hill, 4900 Independence Avenue, Bronx.
If dining surrounded by park lands appeals but mom would rather keep it local, consider Tavern on the Green in Central Park. A four course prix-fixe menu opens with a basket of warm madeleines with whipped strawberry butter. From there it’s on to such enticements as Maine lobster Benedict with a tomato béarnaise and wilted baby spinach or pan-roasted red snapper with melted leeks and a golden bell pepper beurre blanc. The cost is $145 per adult, $75 per child, excluding beverages or tax. Note: A 20% gratuity will be added to all checks. Tavern On The Green, W. 67th St, New York, 212-877-8684.
For something out of the ordinary, escort your mom to brunch at Madam Ji Ki Shaadi, a restaurant in Greenwich Village that celebrates the custom in India (and increasingly popular here in the U.S.) of lavish, colorful weddings that last for days on end (the name translates to “Madam Ji is getting married”). Mom can raise a toast to the fictitious newly betrothed Madam Ji with the gratis glass of sparking wine she receives. Brunch choices include anda ke funda — spiced scrambled eggs with masala fries — and pav bhaji sliders: a thick spicy vegetable curry mounded up on soft buttered bread rolls. Mom’s brunch ends on a sweet note with a dessert (again gratis) of falooda — a scoop of the Indian ice cream kulfi, topped with crispy noodles, rose syrup, and pistachios. Brunch will be held on both May 10 and May 11, from noon to 4 p.m. Madam Ji Ki Shaadi, 154 Bleecker Street, 212-875-1405.
Docks Oyster Bar in Midtown will add live jazz to a listing of specials on Mother’s Day that include a seared ahi tuna bowl, a soft shell crab BLT, smoked salmon Benedict, and a spinach and goat cheese omelet. Special menu items, priced á la carte, will range from $26 to $39. Diners may also order from the regular menu. Brunch will be offered from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The music will be played from noon to 3 p.m. Docks Oyster Bar, 633 Third Avenue (at 40th St.), 212-986-8080.
Despite its humble beginnings in a space that formerly housed a hardware store in way-west Chelsea, Bottino has been holding court, attracting a loyal clientele for nearly three decades. Reserve a table in the garden for Mother’s Day and settle in for three courses of deftly crafted Italian food. The special prix fixe opens with a glass of champagne, a white peach Bellini, or a peach-orange mocktail. Then proceed to bucatini cannolichi, pasta shaped like razor clams served with real razor clams, garlic parsley, chili flake, and prosciutto bread crumbs. Brioche french toast is garnished with prosecco-berry compote, fresh ricotta, and Hudson valley maple syrup. The per-person cost is $95 for adults, $50 for children under 12. A 20% gratuity added to tables of 6 or more. Bottino, 246 Tenth Avenue (bet 24th and 25th Sts.), 212-206-6766.
Dishes inspired by the cuisines of the Mediterranean, Middle East and Asia await mom, as does a $5 rosé Prosecco, available all day, at Peck Slip Social near the Seaport. Shakshuka, the Maghrebi dish of eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce, is internationalized through additions of chorizo or merguez. Scrambled pancakes with bourbon maple syrup is another diverting option as is espresso-crusted steak and eggs, accompanied by a potato and squash hash and yuzu hollandaise. If mom is a whiskey lover, the bar boasts an extensive collection of over 100 whiskeys from around the country and world. Peck Slip Social, 36 Peck Slip (at Front St.), 212-217-0449.
See also…
