New York: B. Café West

B. Café has (apparently) been known for some time as a great brasserie with a Belgian flavour on the upper east side (75th between 2nd and 3rd). We found ourselves looking for Sunday brunch across Central Park, and stumbled across the new twin version on the west side (566, between 87th and 88th - take the 1 train to 86th St).

B. Café West is what a brasserie ought to be - the beers and the food are complementary and a good deal of care is taken with both. Brunch itself was not radically different from what one might have found in a hundred New York venues, but with a few tweaks that gave a Belgian feel. Eggs Benedict and similar assemblages sat alongside burgers and sandwiches like a Croque Monsieur. Frites were given a special emphasis in presentation and deservedly so - the paper cone set in a silver stand held a parcel of hot, crisp fries that could distract from the rest.

In my case the rest was a good house burger, done medium rare as requested. My companions had, respectively, the Eggs Benedict and a carefully-prepared and well-presented special order of dairy-free scrambled eggs, with greens and frites.

The beers were outstanding. There was an impressive range - I think close to 40 - beers across the range of different makers and types, grouped as Trappist, Lambic, Kriek etc. In proper Belgian fashion each had its uniquely-shaped branded glass. I had a Chimay Rouge to start, and for dessert a Leffe bruin. One companion had a Kriek Lindemans but stuck to food for dessert and had a Belgian waffle, which was (authentically I suspect) a crisper affair than the usual American breakfast species.

B. Café is an unusually good place to indulge in this American after-Church institution. If you're looking for a Church for the first course, try St Ignatius of Antioch at 87th and West End Ave. Tell them I sent you.