HOTEL CHANTELLE

I have so many wonderful notes about the brunch at Hotel Chantelle, the question becomes, where to start?! The beginning feels right. Walking past a grey painted door decorated with graffiti styled skeleton and through two red velvet ropes, I entered the doors of Hotel Chantelle. It's no ordinary hotel, in fact, it's not a hotel at all! It's a three story building in the East Village where the basement is a club and the first floor and rooftop are bars and restaurants. For brunch, I'm telling you, it's all about the rooftop!

So, up the twenty-nine steps I went! (We counted on the way back down because a woman paused while panting midway up half-joked about how the walk up was her workout for the day. Hehe! Love her!) The rooftop is closed in, much like a green house, by a windowed ceiling. On a day like I went, where snow feels like wet gnats attacking you from every angle, this is much appreciated.  On beautiful summery days, it's entirely unnecessary, so they open it up. For that alone, I must go back.

Dining there, I felt transported. Winter was entirely gone. Perhaps, that feeling comes from the incredibly kind staff. Often, in the grey slushy NYC winters you find people to be a bit more glum and abrasive. Nope, no gorgeous bitchy hostesses here!  Still modelesque and gorgeous but also super kind and I say that after standing there and chatting with them for quite a bit! Then, there was the server who seemed to be covering half of the tables and yet made me feel like I was sitting at his only one. Yes, Carlos, I'm taking about you! You were fantastic! Thank you again. So far, I'm painting a great vibe here, so let's add a bit more detail to it! Picture it with me. Brightly lit warm space on a cold snowy winter's day with happy people.

Add in the awesome memory box tabletops filled with botanicals, the Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast At Tiffany's decorated menus, the incredibly talented live jazz band—which I hear is typically the Danny Wellington Band whom I've met at other great events and this time was The Ladybugs Jazz Band whom were also really fantastic!

Let's not forget that growling stomach that got me out of bed and onto a train during this a blustery snowy day! The food is awesome! I fell in love with the overflowing "Lobster Benedict" dish upon first sight. There's never too much lobster and far more often than not there's too little. This dish had the perfect amount! There was enough juicy lobster to satiate every delicious bite. The next time I go back, I'm going to have a very difficult time not ordering it again! You'll see what I mean.

Then there's the, wait for it,  "how can you possibly sell drinks that delicious that cheaply? I must be reading something wrong here" cocktails. FYI, you're not reading anything wrong. Yes, you can get a "Strawberry Lime Rickey & Easy Passage" for 92 cents! And, if you are a tried and true mimosa lover, like me, they're only $3.92 each! I'm so serious! And, they're delish! I know, I know, you're reserving your table right now. Seriously, insider's tip, do! They fill up with reservations about two weeks in advance. So, get a-plannin' this awesome brunch, stat!