Brunching Behind Barn Doors

We admit it. We’re stuck in a Sunday brunch rut. We tend to go to fantastic, rustic American/French spots tucked away behind distressed wood and subway tile. But you have to admit, we’ve been to some great places, with delectable eggs, chic atmosphere, addicting mimosas, and tons of flair.

This week, we went to another beautiful location on Elizabeth St., Jo’s. This romantic yet fun retreat in Nolita was a great dinner location a few weeks ago, so a few friends and I checked it out for brunch.  We were amazed at the zero wait time, and were greeted immediately by our server, who brought our coffee and overpriced mimosas quickly. The dining room is located past the bar in a cozy room dimly lit (no windows!) with soft yellow light. The most interesting part of the interior is the giant barn doors on one wall, the front painted with chalkboard paint to showcase the featured items on the menu. I took the rustic atmosphere as motivation to order the steak and eggs, a meal I’m usually not particularly fond of, but was pleasantly surprised. Other dishes, including the cheeseburger and an omelette, were greeted with the same reaction.

The other brunchers were mainly older patrons who seemed like locals, so we were disappointed with the style inspiration in the room. For this meal though, we recommend going preppy and pretty, with pieces of Jil Sander’s Spring 2011 +J Collection for Uniqlo, available January 26. These simple and low-cost pieces will help you look prepared without stuffy (unlike the table next to you…)

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