The Prospect Park Brunch Club

Today the Brunch Club visited Cheryl’s Global Soul (website available at http://cherylsglobalsoul.com).

The garden looked really pretty, although seating there was tight and we would have had to wait a while.  The interior was pleasant though, made cozy by panels of 2×4’s along one side wall and part of the ceiling. The art on the wall was an interesting choice, given that it depicted images of children with warheads that seemed to clash with the rest of the relaxing and quiet interior.  The “pre fix” (note to menu author, a prefix is a grammatical term.  The words you’re looking for are “prix fixe”) menu was a pleasant combination of tried and true standards complimented by presentation that, although minimalistic, did not sacrifice form for function.

The prix fixe also included coffee and choice of mimosa (a little weak, but still refreshing) or a bloody mary (which was strong, and seemed to be homemade rather than derived from a mix). The coffee was brewed strong, just the way I like it, although we were never offered a refill. We were pleased to see apple cider on the menu as well. It was very thick and fresh. For cold cider, it could have been diluted a bit, but served hot it would have been perfect.

Micaela, the vegan of the group, was nonplussed to find there were no vegan options on the brunch menu, but easily modified one of the sandwiches by asking for no cheese. The sandwich itself was comprised of grilled onions, portobellos, tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini with a small side of greens and vinaigrette. The bread was some sort of delicious multigrain-rye-thing, the same that was served toasted with breakfast. Micaela reports that, with the exception of slightly overcooked eggplant, the huge sandwich was delicious. It was so big that she used her fork to eat it, but seemed very happy to do so!

Kate, the vegetarian, was able to get her protein with a three-egg breakfast but passed on the options of bacon, pork sausage, or chicken sausage (nice for non-pork eaters). I, the picky picky omnivore (omelette whore) also ordered the three-egg breakfast, although in retrospect would like to have tried the poached eggs with smoked trout hash. The eggs were served with well-seasoned sauteed red potatoes, that yummy multigrain ryeish type toast, and the meat option. The portion sizes were actually pretty good; I couldn’t finish everything, but if I’d been hungrier I might have.

Overall we liked Cheryl’s, but as a sucker for diner kitsch and classic breakfasts I’m not sure it would be my first choice for brunch with friends. It would, however, be an excellent choice for a brunch date. The atmosphere is definitely romantic but not overtly so: a gorgeous, sun-dappled garden in the warm months and the cozy cabin feel of the interior for the cool months. The menu is comfortable but elegant and the price, averaging $13 for each of us, is more than reasonable for the ambiance.