Rainy Day Brunch in Brooklyn

View of the Brooklyn Bridge from the Promenade

The second day of my weekend in NYC was not nearly as pretty as the first: it was chilly, rainy, and foggy for most of the afternoon and evening. But that didn't stop us from venturing out. We visited a church that Anne was interested in, then stopped for brunch at Le Gamin Cafe on Vanderbilt Avenue (recommended by blogger Jessica of What I Wore).

It might not look like much from the outside, but this little place is adorable. French posters and advertisements adorn the walls; the water is served in elegant blue and green glass bottles; and, there's a shaded courtyard out back that would've been perfect in better weather. The small wooden tables and plastic wicker chairs are packed in pretty close together, but we didn't really mind. We were too busy enjoying the delicious meal.

Oddly we were both in the mood for goat cheese and ratatouille - maybe the weather made us want something rich, savory, and filling. But whatever the reason, after perusing the menu we were eying the same two dishes, so we decided to order one of each and split them. But we ordered our own mimosas - no sharing there.

Afterwards we wandered around Park Slope for a while, poking around in Unnameable Books and finally landing at Heights Coffee Lounge for a much-needed afternoon hot cup o' joe.

What We Ate:

• Oeuf Gamin - poached egg on a goat cheese potato cake, served with homemade ratatouille
• Vegetarien Gamin - herbed polenta stuffed with goat cheese and smothered with ratatouille
• To drink: coffee and mimosas

The Scoop:
Le Gamin Cafe is located at 556 Vanderbilt Avenue (between Atlantic Ave & Pacific St) in Brooklyn, NY 11238. They're open for breakfast, lunch, & dinner; reservations are not needed. You can reach them at 718-789-5171.