Park Slope Brunch Beat: Miriam
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.
The Israeli restaurant Miriam has been a Park Slope staple for a decade. Located on the corner of 5th Avenue and Prospect Place, it’s known for Passover feasts, helping out kids in the community, and, of course, its tasty menu — of which its brunch service has become a pretty significant part.
While there are a lot of things to love about brunch at Miriam, the best aspect might be that you can have it every single day. Don’t work regular office hours? Got the day off and looking to indulge? Then Miriam is a great choice for sitting down with friends for eggs and coffee and early drinks.
On the weekends, things get a little more hectic, but the fairly spacious spot has a pretty decent turnover, and you may not have to wait long for a table. While you’re there, you’ll see that just about everyone enjoys brunch at Miriam — from families with kids to hungover 20-somethings, from visiting parents to young couples on dates. And if you’re on your own, a seat at the bar is a nice spot for dining over a copy of the newspaper.
The extensive brunch menu can be ordered by the $15 prix fixe, which comes with American (as opposed to Turkish) coffee, or a la carte. There’s something to please just about every diner, whether you’re looking for the traditional brunch fare of eggs benedict or blueberry pancakes, or one of their Israeli specialties, which is really the best way to go — shakshuka eggs, poached in a pepper and tomato sauce; a platter with some of the best falafel in the neighborhood; eggs scrambled with parsley, cilantro, and scallions and served with labneh cheese.
One our favorites along those lines is the Israeli breakfast, a plate that comes heaped with two eggs cooked to your liking, salty labneh cheese with a drizzle of herbed olive oil, home fries, an Isreali salad, and pita bread. It’s a vegetarian’s dream breakfast, and sure to please (and stuff) even the brunch bacon-lovers out there. A friend has declared these her favorite home fries in the area — just a bit crisp on some sides, but still plenty soft. We can overlook the sometimes drab, out-of-season tomatoes in the salad, which is otherwise a crunchy, bright accompaniment to the meal.
Another specialty that’s worth trying is the Mediterranean crispy dough, which comes with two eggs however you want them, spicy harissa, and a tomatoey sauce. It’s indulgent for sure, with a croissant-like dough that’s crunchy at the edges and oily (but not overly), the sort of wonderful gut-bomb that hangovers seem to demand, and the perfect thing to dip in an over-easy yolk.
If a little hair of the dog is required, try the Bloody Miriam — it’s made with sake, which creates a smooth, subtle drink where the tomato juice comes out front and center. And despite a buzzing brunch service, coffee refills come frequently, while pressure to pay your check does not (at least not from the servers — those hungry neighbors staring at you from the doorway may be another story).
Park Slope Brunch Beat Rundown: MIRIAM
Where: 79 5th Avenue, on the corner of Prospect Place
Phone: 718-622-2250
Brunch Hours: Every day, 10am-4pm
Reservations: No (reservations are only accepted for dinner)
Outdoor Seating: No
Who To Bring: Your parents when they visit from out of town; your family for a special (but casual) occasion; a friend you want to catch up with over cocktails; a date who’s down for a brunch meet-up.
Best Time To Visit: Weekdays (yay!), or right when then open on the weekends, otherwise you may have to wait — though turnover is fairly quick.
Best Bites: The prix fixe menu ($15, includes American coffee) has traditional American brunch items, but you’d be remiss not to try some Israeli specialties. To indulge, go with the Mediterranean crispy dough and add on a Bloody Miriam, which is made with sake. Feeling lighter, but still famished? We’d recommend the Isreali breakfast, shaksuka eggs, or the falafel platter.