Park Slope Brunch Beat: Palo Santo

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.

“Palo Santo” loosely translate to “holy wood” in Spanish. The tree is native to regions in both Central and South America, and in some folk traditions, it is said that palo santo is able to cure stomach ailments and inflammation.

In that case, Palo Santo (652 Union Street between 4th and 5th Avenues) is appropriately named, as both the food and atmosphere have a calming effect. The dishes are influenced by both Latin America and the Caribbean. The ingredients are locally sourced, often from the nearby Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket. Whether or not you’ve tasted these dishes before, there is a feeling of warmth and familiarity that comes from the delicate preparation clearly visible from the open kitchen area in the front room.

As you pass by the prepared dishes ready to be served, you will enter a larger room backed by a window with a small garden. This large room still feels intimate and comforting. And if you’re lucky enough to sit in the garden area, you’d be hard-pressed to recall the traffic on nearby 4th Avenue.

Chef Jacques Gauthier — who you may man also know from Taco Santo, the taqueria that he opened in early 2014 on the same block — walked through the restaurant during brunch, greeting a few customers and checking in with the served plates.

We recommend that you order the Prix Fixe Brunch. At a fairly priced $21, you can choose from one of seven current dishes available, as well as two drinks — a coffee or tea and either a mimosa, sangria, or juice. A nice bonus here is that after your first brunch cocktail, each additional mimosa or sangria is just a buck.

You can taste both the fruit and the wine in the sangria, which is subtly sweetened, and pairs very well with the savory main brunch dishes. If you’re not going with the prix fixe option, we highly recommend the Michelada ($9), a combination of chile paste, lime, and beer (Negro Modelo, in this case). The lip of the glass is sprinkled with chile pepper, which adds up to a spiciness that, unto itself, is worth the return.

Complimentary warm coconut bread is served in fluffy cubes that whet your palate, but then the main courses are ideal in their size — satisfying without leaving you a bit too stuffed to get on with the rest of your day.

The Bean & Cheese Pupusa (part of the prix fixe menu) is a simple dish balanced with a crunchy slaw that works well with the soft and tangy guacamole. A pupusa is a dish from El Salvador, consisting of a thick corn tortilla, soft and circular — you may be familiar with the similar Mexican gordita.

If you have a youngin’ along with you, ask the waitstaff for a few plain pupusas. They will please most kids’ palettes.

If you choose to order from the à la carte menu, you’ll find a great variety of options. The Pato en Mole Verde ($16) is a braised duck leg with rice and beans — the duck meat is silky and falls off the bone, covered in mole verde sauce with just the right amount of heat.

If you haven’t made it over to have this comforting experience, you should make plans to do so soon. And if you’ve been before, the menu is always changing with the seasons and ingredients available.

¡Salud! to Palo Santo. We’ll be back soon.

Park Slope Brunch Beat Rundown: Palo Santo
Where: 652 Union Street (between 4th and 5th Avenues)
Phone: 718-636-6311
Brunch Hours: Saturdays & Sundays, 10am-3pm
Reservations: No reservations are taken for brunch.
Outdoor Seating: Yes, has a very small outdoor garden. Best to arrive early to snag it.
Who To Bring: This space is great for couples, as well as parties of up to six people, since the room in the back can hold larger groups — just keep in mind reservations are not accepted.
Kid Friendly? Yes. High chairs are available, and a plain pupusa will please a lot of the little ones.
Best Time To Visit: Getting there early is always a good plan, as it’s a pretty tight space that can fill up quickly.
Best Bites: You’ll get served coconut bread to start you out (no cost). Then order a sangria ($9) or Michelada ($9), or the Agua Fresca is also a great option ($4). The brunch prix fixe menu is recommended ($21). Each additional mimosa or sangria with the prix fixe is $1. Go for the traditional Bean & Cheese Pupusas ($11 if ordering à la carte) or the Chilaques de Pollo ($11 if ordering à la carte). The Pato en Mole Verde ($16) is recommended on the à la carte menu (braised duck leg with rick and beans).