Cornershop Cafe: Good Variety in a Great Location
February 28, 2008
THIS RESTAURANT IS NOW CLOSED
Big snowflakes fluttered from the sky last Friday in New York City. It was a great day to find a cozy, laidback brunch spot with big mugs of strong coffee and rib-sticking food. Cornershop Cafe, on Bleecker and Broadway, provided just that.
NYC Food Guy ordered an irresistible sandwich. Sliced Banana, crunchy peanut butter, and honey on cinnamon raisin, cranberry, and walnut bread grilled in French toast batter. It was nearly perfect, read on to find out why it just missed the mark.
My lovely date, however, was very pleased with her free-range egg white omelette with goat cheese, broccoli, and tomatoes.
Centrally located between SoHo, the West Village, and the East Village, Cornershop Cafe provides a laidback atmosphere for flavorful, innovative, and sometimes organic takes on traditional brunch fare.
Read on for the review and some delicious dessert pics…
My sandwich was served with a small cup of fresh but slightly soggy strawberries and blueberries.
The banana was sweet, ripe, and plentiful and the peanut butter was of the chunky variety, NYC Food Guy’s preference. I didn’t really taste the honey but how could it hurt? The surface of the bread was grilled to a perfect crispness and the French Toast batter added lightness and a nice shine.
I would have given my sandwich a perfect two thumbs up if not for the overbearing presence of the very plump raisins and cranberries in the bread.
Here’s a look at my date’s entire breakfast, served with wheat toast that remained crispy the entire meal. It was $1 extra for egg whites and $0.75 extra per filling.
We ordered two cups of coffee ($2.50 each) and received two large filled mugs and a small pot for refills. It was great not having to rely on the busy waitress for a fresh cup. The coffee was strong and fresh.
For dessert we ordered the White & Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Gelato ($6) from il laboratorio del gelato. The gelato turned out to be the best part of this dish.
The bread pudding was hot and crispy around the edges but…
- It was uniformly sweet
- There was no overt flavor except for the cinnamon gelato
- The white chocolate was nowhere to be found and the regular chocolate, which resembled the consistency you’d find inside a chocolate croissant, also didn’t have much flavor.
Other dishes we spied during our meal…
- Buttermilk Pancakes on the dessert menu ($6) served with organic fruit compote, hot chocolate sauce, and a side of mascarpone (the white pudding you find in tiramisu)
- Breakfast Burrito (eggs, bacon, cheddar, tomato, wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla) which looked fairly generic.
- Smoked Salmon Salad (arugula, tomato, red onions, and capers), which isn’t really my thing, but was big enough for 2, a good deal for $10.
- Corner Shop Burger (beef or portobello) with cheese and fries looked decent, nothing special. The fries were thin shoestring and didn’t look undercooked but didn’t seem very crispy. The whole platter is $10, not bad for a burger and fries these days.
- Babycakes all natural, vegan and wheat free chocolate chip cookies
Cornershop Cafe also does breakfast and dinner for affordable prices. This is an ideal place to steal away from the hustle and bustle of SoHo, the West Village, and the East Village. With the variety of menu items and the friendly service, I will definitely be going back to Cornershop cafe.
Cornershop Cafe
643 Broadway at Bleecker St. New York, NY 10012212-253-7467
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March 17th, 2008 at 11:25 am
that sandwich looks ridiculously delicious, but I cant find it on their menu. What is it called???
March 17th, 2008 at 11:50 am
That sandwich was ridiculously delicious but you’re right, it’s not on the menu. I looked online everywhere and on the paper version.
At the restaurant, the woman I spoke to was unaware that it wasn’t on the menus but it definitely exists and it’s only served until 4pm everyday.
I have to admit, the fact that we know about it but others don’t does make it a little more badass.
Where are some of you favorite breakfast/brunch spots?
March 20th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I was actually pretty surprised when I passed this place the other day. I walk by it all the time and have never thought to check it out. It’s location is almost too central…
ah how i love a good brunch… a few of my favorites:
Good (if im looking for a fun scene, too much food with a mimosa, and am patient enough to wait on line for an hour)
Sullivan street diner (for reasonable prices-cash only, no wait, and complimentary scones/muffins)
Friend of a farmer (eggs in a skillet, “can i get you a coffee?” before you even open the menu, the incredible corn muffins and spread, cozy atmosphere)
Waverly diner (too much to drink the night before and in need of greasy goodness for cheap; they offer french toast/waffles/panackes with an egg for $6.50- love this place)
I guess it depends on what I’m looking for and who I have for company! Any other brunch recommendations?
March 20th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
gIRL1-
Great response. Of all those places I’d have to say Friend of a Farmer would be my first try…. though I can imagine how packed it would be on the weekends. Everything sounds pretty amazing there, particularly the omelets, and the fact that they’re all served in skillets is just icing on the cake.
Waverly sounds solid but I live on the UWS and most of my friends are on the east side, I probably wouldnt make it over there but it never hurts to know a good spot if I am.
Good also looks pretty money albeit a little pricey, $11.75 for eggs,bacon,cheese, and onions on a kaiser roll? $16 for bacon, eggs, and pancakes? Then again, if I go with the Banana Cream Cheese stuffed French Toast for $12.75, I’d be a happy camper.
If you could only eat one more brunch in this entire city, where would it be?
March 21st, 2008 at 8:31 am
Geez, what a question. I still have a lot more places to experience before I can give an answer! I havent even been to Clinton Street before!
But if I had to choose right now, it wouldn’t be at a place in the city. My favorite brunch spot can be found in Brooklyn heights- Siggy’s. It’s a friendly hole in the wall on Henry street.
How about you? Where would you go for the Last brunch?
March 21st, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Interesting, never heard of Siggy’s. What makes it so great? What would you eat for this last brunch?
My last brunch would have to be at my mom’s house. She’d have bagels and lox and whitefish salad, banana pancakes with chocolate chips and coconut, fresh coffee, ice cold organic milk, and maybe even a cheese omelette for good measure. Oh boy, I’m feeling full all ready.
If I had to choose a restaurant however, I’d be hardpressed to not choose Clinton St. Baking Company. The banana walnut pancakes with maple butter are heavenly. The eggs are fluffy and delicious. The sugar cured bacon is sweet and crisp. Where else could you go wrong? Then again, splitting a bacon, sausage, cheese, hashbrowns breakfast bowl and some French Toast at Denny’s is definitely calling my name.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Clinton St. Bakery has stolen the brunch spotlight from Prune (not such a fan- but great bloody mary and love the complimentary licorice). I’m going to have to make my way there one of these days… a day when I am feeling patient enough to put up with those waits.
May 21st, 2008 at 11:38 am
OK, in London we don’t get good burgers, but I’m still salivating about the one I had at the Cornershop Cafe. I ordered rare, with mushrooms, and a drizzle of truffle oil just before it was served. Delicious. I loved the hip waitresses (this was around 18 months ago) working in this country-style caf, but the Manhattans were pretty awful. Maybe I just don’t like Manhattans.
May 21st, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Simon,
You are correct on the hip waitresses. From what I remember it was great service and good looks, never a bad combo. As far as the “Manhattans”, are you referring to the remainder of the women on this great island?
That sounds like a pretty serious burger. I was there for breakfast so it was all about the peanut butter banana sandwich for me. Next time I go, I’ll consider burger time.
Where else did you eat on your last trip to NY?