Brunch at ilili may be the heartiest and fanciest way to spend your Saturday or Sunday morning, and I think we could all use a hearty and fancy weekend sometimes! I was invited to sample their brunch, seeing as they are new to the brunch scene. The brunch was so fantastic ilili deserves a home in the NYC brunch community.
Brunch is $25 prix fixe. You might be thinking that your ideal prix fixe comes in at about $14.99, and this is over budget. Yes, $25 is more than $15 (look at me and my math skills). But, you get a lot for $25. So if you think about the money you usually spend on brunch, plus the snacks or takeout you get for dinner, that adds up. With brunch at ilili, this is your main meal for the day. You will feel so full and satisfied, it is all you need!
ilili brunch basically consists of 4 things - 2 drinks and 2 dishes. One drink is juice, and the other has alcohol, a mimosa, bellini, or pomegranate cava (like a red wine). The orange juice, as you can see above, looks like a poolside cocktail. So cute! The actual cocktails are also delicious! I don't know about you readers, but when I show up at brunch, I am so thirsty. Based on what you did the night before brunch, dehydration is very possible. So is sluggishness. Water (which the waiters fill up before you can even blink), a hearty glass of rejuvenating juice, and a touch of alcohol is really the perfect liquid combination to cure the Sunday morning blues.
There are two sections of the prix fixe menu and you get to select one from each section. At first, it kind of seems like entrees and side dishes. But the second section of dishes sound pretty hearty, so maybe it more like entrees and appetizers? When you get the food, you will realize it is simply entrees and mini-entrees. Basically, don't grab a bagel earlier that morning. You will want to eat all of this food.
To sum up the first portion of the menu - lamb, eggs, sweet stuff. My boyfriend got the braised lamb shank sandwich. It was delicious. The vegetables on top were such a nice touch, and the feta cheese was perfectly creamy. The nuts on the side were fun to crunch on in between bites of this melt in your mouth goodness. It is one of three lamb type sandwiches! ilili is a Lebanese restaurant, so lamb is a pretty great choice.
I went for eggs. You know what I say sometimes - I like to test a brunch place with its eggs benedict. I like eggs benedict most of the time. But every now and then it either disappoints, or it blows my mind. These eggs benedict were pretty mind blowing. When it was placed in front of me, I almost asked the waiter if I could please see the person who placed the proscuitto on my eggs so that I could hug him. Look at that prosciutto. How are you not in love with it? Those little balls that look like hush puppies are actually hash brown dumplings!
Again - the best way to impress me at brunch is to take a regular brunch dish and make it your own. Chef Massoud of ilili is a brunch genius! You know how when you go to a dive bar, and you order a burger, you think to yourself "boy I don't want to know what is going on in that kitchen" because the food is so greasy and the restaurant looks like a dorm room, so you just can't imagine what they are cooking your food in. Gross. At a fancy restaurant, like ilili, I feel the opposite. To me, the Chef is like the Wizard of Oz! As I gushed over the eggs and popped those dumplings into my mouth, I wondered who the genius was behind the curtain (or rather, the kitchen door). Luckily, I met Chef Massoud, and he truly is a genius, and a very passionate chef. Tasting passion in your food is a great experience.
Ok so on to those side entrees. We ordered hommus and Batata Hara (aka looks like home fries, taste like garlic fries, and who cares because they are just plain good). Hmmmm look at the hommus. Delightful! And there is an action shot of me diving in to the Batata Hara. When I felt full, I still could not stop eating them. They were zesty, but soft, very flavorful, but not overpowering.
Please note that the $25 includes the 2 drinks and 2 dishes, as well as impeccable decor, a delightfully charming Chef, great service, all in a beautiful dining room in the Flatiron District. You will feel like royalty, which is how everyone should feel on the weekend.
Overall, this food is perfectly cooked, and somehow, manages to make you feel full without making you feel like you overindulged. You just indulged. And we should all indulge sometimes.
Have a delicious day!
NYC Menu Girl
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