Brunch at Isola

Over the weekend, I met up with one of my favorite friends to spend a day in the city - brunch, shopping, art fairs, more food, you know the deal.

We met up at the Mondrian Soho to eat a delicious brunch in the sun-filled glass eatery and I took my camera so I'm going to share some snaps and do a quick little review.

I hopped off my NJ to NY train and hopped onto the subway. As always, the weekend train schedules were all really weird so I ended up at the 14th Street station (ACE line) and encountered these bronze little weirdos.

A few more minutes on the subway and a brief walk later, I was at the Mondrian Soho (9 Crosby Street).

There's an outdoor seating area for when the weather is warmer, which is really nice. Who doesn't like dining al fresco?

Inside, the decor is understated and simple. There are beautiful glass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, a glass roof which lets in tons of light, pretty greenery, and elegant seating. I can imagine it might be quite loud in here when it rains though. And on particularly sunny days, you might need to wear a pair of shades.

The hostess let me hang out in the lounge while I waited for my brunch companion. One of the servers brought me a cup of water, which was really kind.

Once my friend arrived, we were seated at a little wooden table for two and handed menus. We each got a grapefruit juice to start.

The lighting in there makes everyone look gorgeous. After our quick photoshoot, the waitress took our order and we chatted while we waited for our food to be served.

D got the poached eggs with an asparagus hollandaise (which is why it's green) and a pancetta biscuit. She gave me a little bite of the biscuit and it was so good. I need to start putting pancetta in my biscuits.

I went for the lemon ricotta pancakes with macerated berries and candied pistachios. They were delicious. The cakes themselves were dense yet fluffy, slightly chewy, and the crisp edges were so good.

Obviously, I loved the pancakes.

I thoroughly enjoyed our meal, the staff were attentive and helpful, and the dining area was so beautiful. The prices are a bit steep for the amount of food but it's delicious and you're paying for the ambiance. If you're looking for a nice brunch spot before you head out for an afternoon of shopping, I'd definitely recommend Isola.

If you want to read about our visit to the Volta Show, head over to my travels blog.

Cheers.