On Saturday morning (well, a bit more on the side of noon), Kendrick told me to get dressed to go out for the day, but refused to tell me where we were headed. Three trains later, we were wandering around the Village on a perfect autumn afternoon.
Our destination: brunch at August, which is everything Frank Bruni promised: rustic, surprisingly unpretentious (we loved our waiter), and oh-my-god-delicious. The restaurant, which features a cozy interior and a stunning greenhouse seating area in the back, specializes in dishes served in cast-iron pans taken straight from their wood-burning oven.
I had the Eggs en Cocotte “Alsatian-style” (with bacon, caramelized onion, and creme fraiche), and Kendrick had a burger topped with a fried egg (even better than the one at Essex). We paired brunch with two awesome beers: Cisco Whale Tale Ale (a smooth pale ale from a small Nantucket brewery), and Saison Dupont Vielle Provision (an unfiltered Belgian ale with a ton of fruit and a champagne-y fizz to it).
August isn’t super-cheap (although I think it’s fairly reasonable for the area/atmosphere/food quality), and there seem to still be some kinks in the system (we were charged for a few things we hadn’t ordered, and the couple next to us was served the wrong order after waiting for nearly an hour)…but the food and the atmosphere are unbeatable. Loved it!
After lunch we did a little more walking and window-shopping. Two items filed under wanted-but-did-not-buy: that insane Alexis Bittar necklace (I’d never wear the thing, lest I accidentally maim someone, but very much enjoyed the view), and this cuff, which I most certainly would not kick out of bed.
We also stopped into the Village Apothecary, where I discovered Caswell-Massey Avocado Oil, which smells like fresh, light heaven. I couldn’t find the stuff online, but lots of other Caswell-Massey products can be purchased here (including the Rose Signature Scent, $30, which I also tried out at the VA and loved).
As the sun began to set, we headed West, toward the water…
…and ended up at The Rusty Knot for a pickleback or two.
The Rusty Knot encourages name-carving in the tables (I asked), so we did a little personalizing of our space.
If you ever go, our table is the one against the far wall, closest to the window. Look for the J + K.
Saturday night was spent snuggling with Lucy and Virgil and watching Cloverfield (SO good!) and the entirety of IT (the Stephen King miniseries)…
…while eating a little pistachio-flavored concoction called Sex In A Pan straight from the pan.
This is one of those desserts that is not meant to be looked at – it’s meant to be eaten, with a spoon, and preferably while in bed. Recipe (really more of an “assembly”) coming up!
We finished off our lovely weekend with brunch ramen at Ippudo (update: I mean Naruto – whoops, and thank you Jane :)), which is not quite as amazing as Men Kui Tei, but which also has a location a mere five blocks from our front door and thus wins the lazy-morning brunch spot competition.
