A Late Brunch at Jack’s Wife Freda, NYC
It took me some time, but I finally made it back to the Soho district of Manhattan since moving to Brooklyn. I was there on business, but had to take advantage of my surroundings.
I obviously needed to have brunch while I was there, so Chris and I went for a very late brunch at Jack’s Wife Freda. It’s been around since 2011 and I’ve always wanted to go based on the menu – Mediterranean with unexpected flavor combinations like beet hollandaise and rosewater waffles. Its cute exterior lead to a simpler interior than I expected, but nonetheless charming,
The table setting fit the overall aesthetic, simple with an eclectic single page menu. The attention to detail was evident on their sugar packets, stamped with phrases like, “gimme some sugar.”
The second our waitress mentioned fresh watermelon juice Chris was on board – he loves watermelon. It was a refreshing way to begin the meal – considering we had been running around the city in the warm summer rain.
I was eager to order and knew what I wanted instantly. Whenever I see haloumi on a menu my eyes light up. I love salty foods, it’s something I need to work on. With that said, I ordered poached eggs with grilled tomatoes and haloumi. What’s haloumi? It’s a semi firm cheese, salty like feta, and is capable of being grilled without melting due to its high melting point.
The dish also came with a thick slice of toast and pesto.
Chris went the more indulgent route with the Madame Freda. Ready for this? It’s basically a grilled cheese with duck prosciutto, gruyere cheese, cheddar béchamel, and a fried egg on top. I had a bite and it was, OH it was good.
It was a solid brunch, but I found it a little overpriced, but (and that’s a big BUT) you’re in Manhattan so that’s just how it goes. I do recommend! XX EM
OH WAIT. One more thing. Ya girl was craving a chocolate chip cookie, and since we were in the neighborhood I had to stop at By Chloe for their massive vegan chocolate chip. I HIGHLY recommend.
