So I have finally dined outside of Manhattan and found a place worth mentioning.
Moto Cafe. Sadly, the website tells you nothing about the place, but it is definitely a hidden gem in Brooklyn. Right outside of the Hewes Street Station off of the J line, Moto Cafe is hardly noticeable. There are no lights or signs really, and the name Moto is scribbled on the outside of its door in chalk.
The industrial exterior doesn’t grab your attention, but entering is another experience. There’s only one word to describe it (and yes, I know it’s cheesy): Vintage. I kid you not, it’s almost exactly like the pictures they have on the website, albeit the tables have changed.
A friend of my tried to take me here once, but it was packed. Which isn’t surprising, seeing how there are only like 12 tiny tables available + the bar. But as luck would have it I was in Brooklyn with the same friends this past Saturday and Moto Cafe is open on weekends for brunch.
That Saturday was absolutely gorgeous, the way the sun was up. Although, the weather was a bit chilly, the sun lit up Moto so beautifully. I wish I took more pictures of the place, but I only took pictures of the food.
I had a cup of steamed milk with honey to go with the nostalgic feeling of the place.
And for brunch, I settled on the House Eggs with a special tomato sauce served with grilled toast and salad. I didn’t expect a creamy tomato sauce and it fit well with the perfectly cooked eggs (fully cooked with slightly runny yolk) and toast.
And mon ami over there got a panini. I forget what was in it: tomato, pesto sauce, gruyere cheese, something similar but not quite like prosciutto. It was very tasty, especially the cheese.
And finally, the pièce de résistance: the Date Cake. I can’t accurately describe what’s in the cake. My friend ordered it for dessert without looking at the menu. (He used to frequent Moto every week just for the cake). As charming as it sounds, the date cake is actually made of dates and that’s about all I know. It comes bathed in a caramel-like sauce with a side of crème fraîche. Ironically, it actually is a perfect cake if you’re on a date: it definitely needs to be shared. It’s not overpoweringly sweet, but it is a bit much for one person. Otherwise, it is pure bliss my friends: unadulterated bliss. The best parts are the toasted bits that was touching the pan, which gives it a subtle crust. Oh man, I could go for some right now…
All in all, it was one of the best brunches I’ve ever had. Although, I haven’t really had too many brunches before, so I don’t know how reliable my opinion is on that. Nevertheless, I’m going to be taking special trips out to Brooklyn for this place. And the price is VERY reasonable and dare I say a Manhattan quality brunch with a Brooklyn price?
2 Comments
December 4, 2007 at 8:17 pm
reasonable prices? seems too good to be true.
December 13, 2007 at 1:41 am
My goodness! The date cake! I am still drooling allllll over the keyboard, hehe