Brunching at Hundred Acres

Poached Eggs with Goat Cheese Thyme Bread Pudding

So after professing my aversion to all things brunch, Hundred Acres COMPLETELY altered these  staunch feelings. This alteration primarily due to the fact that my boyfriend and I were happily strolling through west Soho one Sunday afternoon and passed by Hundred Acres. The poached eggs and thin cut french fries glistened through the wooden windows with such a Wintry appeal that I was suddenly drawn. That week, all I could think about was how I needed to have brunch the following Sunday. I needed those eggs! And french fries! How is it that one beautifully presented plate of poached eggs served in a rustic and Wintry atmosphere could SUCK out all my negative feelings and send me through anxiety driven loops of brunch needs that needed immediate satisfaction?!

And so, I officially caved. And now, am an avid brunch goer, brunch lover, brunch dreamer. You name it, I'm there.

The Food at Hundred Acres

It's like a Bubby's type but A LOT better and with more options. There are peanut butter tartines, poached eggs with brioche bread pudding toasts, huevos rancheros, french fries seasoned with herbs, waffles and bloody mary's. All of the brunch options are sophisticated and quite tasteful. Listen, this isn't the best brunch in the world, but I'd go back any day. There are loads of options that can satisfy the vegetarians, meat lovers, kids and parents. It's a large restaurant and can accomodate large parties which is tough to find downtown.

Huevos Rancheros

Bloody Mary

Peanut Butter, Banana & Raisin Tartines 

Peanut Butter & Banana Tartines, Kale Salad with Warm Goat Cheese 

Corn Bread (which was just like a corn muffin with an added crunch) & Poached Eggs

The Atmosphere

It's a tad noisy and overcrowded with customers waiting to be seated even though it is quite a large space.

The Bar

Back Area of Hundred Acres

The Wait & Resos

Funnily enough, no one makes reservations on Open Table, they just show up and then wait 45 minutes to be seated. We arrived, put our names down at 1pm for a 45 min - 1 hour wait and then logged into Open Table on my phone only to discover that there were available reservations for 1:15pm. How interesting, no? Now you know the secret to beating the system! MAKE A RESERVATION and you won't have to wait behind an hour's worth of walk-ins!

Good For: Large parties, small parties, brunch with friends or family

Hundred Acres

38 MacDougal St. 

http://hundredacresnyc.com/

212-475-7500

Menu changes a bit each Sunday

Shakshuka Travels

Firstly, a confession is in order.

I am a pathological liar because I've claimed I hate eggs but, honestly, I don't.

I have a serious aversion to omelets of all kinds and to scrambled eggs if they are too heavy and runny. But honestly, a good old fashioned soft boiled egg or a sunny side up in any form will keep me pleased until the days end.

Sunny Side Up Omelet
Sides (counter clockwise): Tehine, Chive Cream Cheese, Eggplant Spread, Guac, Labneh
Cafe Tapuz in Rannana, Israel 

Therefore, it would make absolute sense for me to have a profound love for Shakshuka. 

Pair three sunny side up eggs with loads of fresh tomato sauce, cooked onions, peppers and garlic, and I am in absolute heaven.

Shakshuka is normally served for breakfast or brunch, the biggest meal of the day, and eaten with bread that is dipped into the runny eggs and used to scoop up the surrounding sauce.

Surprisingly, Shakshuka is quite dynamic in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and, really, all over Israel. Three days of traveling, three cities of visiting and every single menu afforded two categories of Shashuka. The traditional and a second. The latter usually with a green theme, but the color green proving to be the only similarity from one variety to the next. 

Cream sauce with spring onion (green Shakshuka as it's commonly called), shakshuka with spinach and eggplant as its base and completely without tomato sauce, Shakshuka with various types of cheeses, Shashuka made of green tomatoes are some of the many types to appear from restaurant to restaurant.

Below are two types of Shakshuka's I've sampled along with their restaurant name, city and whether I'd recommend the eatery or not.

If you plan on traveling to Israel anytime soon, hit them up...

Green Shakshuka (Shakshuka Yeruka) with Spinach, Eggplant and Feta Cheese

Delicatessen, Tel Aviv

**Recommended Spot 

Traditional Shakshuka with Bulgarian cheese and sunflower seeds

Cafe Tapuz, Rannana

**Recommended Spot

Both Restaurants are Good For:

Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Date, Family, Friends