Prune

(It's been so long since I've had enough time to blog my food escapades that I've almost forgotten what to do. Here goes...)

Ever since watching an episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations in which he visited his pal chef Gabrielle Hamilton at her restaurant Prune, I've been aching to try the place. Located on 1st street and between 1st and 2nd avenue, it's long been a popular place for both lunch and dinner - having been named one of NY Magazine's best lunch restaurants in the past.

A few months ago - before my schedule exploded, I dragged my friend/former neighbor/fellow food-lover Niu Niu with me to brunch at Prune. It's a tiny space with just a handful of tables but with a bright and sunny atmosphere (both from the country home-like decor as well as from the huge front window).

Niu Niu ordered the Scottish salmon with lemon rice, scallions, and peas. She loved her dish, saying that the rice was creamy and the salmon perfectly done - soft and moist. I can't offer any personal opinion though, seeing as how I didn't taste it. Call me odd, but I've never been in the habit of trying other people's dishes - even if they ordered something that I wanted and a taste is offered to me. Not sure I can even explain why. Sometimes you just can't rationalize craziness...

I ordered the fried oyster omelette with remoulade sauce. Remoulade sauce is a french sauce that is usually aioli- or mayonnaise- based, that tasted a lot like tartar sauce - making it a perfect match for the fried oyster. The egg of my omelette was amazingly fluffy. On the side was an unidentified red sauce that was the consistency of water, mildly spicy in nature, and with a hint of sweetness as well as a hint of tartness.

The omelette was one of the best that I've had - but what else would I expect from a place recommended by Mr. Bourdain?

Overall rating: 8.5/10