Park Slope Brunch Beat: Henri On Fifth

With so many places in the neighborhood to grab a mimosa and a plate of eggs on the weekend, how can you decide which is the best spot to take your visiting in-laws or where you’ll want to sit quietly for a couple hours with the hair of the dog? The Park Slope Brunch Beat aims to guide you through the choices — we’ll break down the basics, share some special tips, and provide a quick scorecard to help you pick the best place for what you need next Saturday and Sunday.

A newcomer to the neighborhood, Henri on Fifth opened on the corner of 5th Avenue and 1st Street in January, and so far has been getting some pretty good reviews for its drinks and dinnertime bites. This past weekend, though, they added what their predecessor in that space, Aperitivo, was fairly popular for: a brunch service.

Much like their dinner menu, the brunch menu is a playful selection of items that offer a bit of a twist on the traditional brunch — an egg and cheese bao, a version of “egg in a basket,” a basket of cream-cheese-stuffed bagel balls. And, much like the bar itself, the focus on drinks is also key.

There are some fun breakfast cocktail items, and if you come looking for a boozy brunch you will not leave disappointed. Choices include a bottle of sparkling wine with two mixers for $25, a pitcher of rose sangria for $27, and the expected mimosa and bloody Mary at $6 each. We went with the latter, and it was a really nice version — spicy but not to chunky with horseradish as some can be, and the garnish of pickled vegetables were a nice addition.

The food was a little less stellar, unfortunately. We opted for the croque madame ($11) and the two eggs any style ($9), which were both pretty tasty, but probably could use some tweaking after that opening brunch weekend.

The croque madame is one of the fun twists on a traditional, with Swiss cheese, duck prosciutto, shallots, and a fried duck egg on top. But sadly, that’s all you’re getting for your $11 — and while it was pretty filling, we would have been willing to pay, say, $12 and get some potatoes or salad on the side. It was rich with the prosciutto, and the egg was cooked well, but the cheese wasn’t melted, and the shallots, while sweetly caramelized, were only in one pocket of the sandwich. It came so close to being the kind of thing you’d wake up craving on a weekend morning, and if they can get it perfected, we think you will.

As for the plate of eggs, which we ordered over easy, they come with rosemary home fries, sautéed kale, and toast. A perfectly fine plate of food, priced about on par with similar dishes at other local brunch spots, the eggs were cooked well, the potatoes were well-seasoned and great if you’re a fan of crispy, almost French-fry-like ones, and the kale, while a bit oily, was a nice alternative where you might normally see a simple salad. The toast became a bit of an issue, though — we waited an absurdly long time for it to arrive, wondering what, with so many staffers working that morning and not too many diners, could possibly take so long to heat up from bread.

We’re hoping these hiccups were just to blame on the first brunch weekend, and that they’ll iron some things out. The staff is very friendly and it’s clear the owners have their heart in it, and we’d be willing to try them again to see how things are in the future. It’s a nice space, and seems like a fun spot to linger over cocktails after you’ve finished brunch, playing one of the board games they’ve got in stock, or watching a game on one of the TVs over the bar.

Park Slope Brunch Beat Rundown: HENRI ON FIFTH
Where: 279 5th Avenue, on the corner of 1st Street
Phone: 347-294-4631
Brunch Hours: Saturdays & Sundays 11am-4pm
Reservations: No
Outdoor Seating: Yes, there will be a few tables available on the sidewalk.
Who To Bring:Your BFF who you need to catch up with over a pitcher of cocktails; might be a comfy spot for kids — especially with the board games! — but if you can’t get a spot at the tables on the side, children might not do well on the bar stool seating in the middle.
Best Time To Visit: The brunch menu just launched, so since not too many people knew about it yet, the first weekend wasn’t too crowded, which may change as more folks see it’s available.
Best Bites: The croque madame ($11) is a fun twist on the traditional version of the sandwich, though it could stand to come with something on the side; you’ll probably want to walk to get here, because after the first bloody Mary ($6), you may want a couple more.