Goat Town 02-19-2011

Location: 511 E. 5th St.
Time: 1pm
People: RB, CK and myself

Feelings: I planned on trying the new Japanese joint, Ichibantei in East Village, but upon arrival, I was disappointed to realized they had absolutely no vegetarian option. It was an especially windy and brisk afternoon, and the hungry family of three needed a brunch spot immediately. Then, I remember Sekita's post about the new American eatery, Goat Town conveniently nearby.

This cozy spot is modern and rustic with chic decor, and I especially enjoyed their tiled booth seats. The staff was cheery and attentive, and they were very kind to us who could easily be seen as annoying customers with a baby in a stroller. I appreciated that they were cool without a hint of pretentiousness, which is extremely difficult to find in Manhattan nowadays.

I ordered the Fried Egg Sandwich ($11, two organic eggs, shaved country ham, which I ordered without and Gruyere cheese on a buttered roll with fries and a salad), which was quite a great deal with a lot of food. The eggs were fresh and perfectly cooked, and as I bit into them, the yolks got harmoniously mixed with cheese that created a delicious texture. The fries were thickly cut and heavenly crispy without being overly greasy. I would highly recommend their fries.

RB's "Hungry Goat" ($18, two eggs any style, Yukon potato pancakes, toast and choice of two sides-sausage and salad) sounds like a lot of food, but from the look of it, my $11 dish came with more food. He enjoyed the flavorful dish, but he was slightly underwhelmed and said it was a bit unmemorable. (This could be because he had a heck of a sinus cold.) There are many restaurants such as Goat Town especially in Brooklyn, so he might have a hard time remembering this place. Perhaps he should check my blog more often.

Despite RB's food memory issue, I enjoyed their overall grown-up atmosphere and fresh ingredients. I am looking forward to having another brunch at their backyard space when the weather gets warmer.