Feed The Hangry: Best Brunch Bites in LA & NY

BLU JAM CAFE

Feed the hangry! Blu Jam Café Founder/Executive Chef, Kamil Majer, emigrated from former Czechoslovakia, where he developed his strong passion for the culinary arts at a young age.

Upon arriving in Los Angeles in 1983, Kamil started out in kitchens and dining rooms at the famed Century Plaza Hotel, and quickly worked his way up. It wasn’t long before Kamil was chosen to be part of the team tasked with opening The Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. Kamil took jobs in several high-end restaurants throughout Los Angeles and Tokyo before opening the original Blu Jam Café on Melrose in 2006.

At Blu Jam Café they have no freezers at any of their locations, so everything is fresh and made-to-order. Many of their ingredients are organic. Whenever possible, they source locally from farmer’s markets and ranches.

Chef Kamil believes that food does not have to be complicated to be amazing. Simple and good quality ingredients can create stunning dishes, and presentation is paramount to an incredible a dining experience. The LEFAIR Magazine team highly recommends the French toast churros, bites of which are commonly handed out to guests waiting in line at the Melrose location. #FeedTheHangry

7371 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046 – blujamcafe.com

FARMSHOP

Farmshop will help you remember why Sunday is the best day of the week. Located in Brentwood amongst some of the finest shopping (Warning: There is an Intermix next door), The Farm Shop is the perfect destination for a lazy Sunday outing. Half
 farmer’s market-half restaurant: since shopping on an empty stomach is dangerous (especially here), we recommend eating and then perusing the fine selection of organic produce and cheeses. Our favorite Mainer and restaurant manager, Kyle Jones, made the day even more of a delight with his spot-on recommendations. Some of our favorites include the avocado hummus, gluten-free blueberry muffins (superior to the gluten-ridden muffins) from the pastry basket, house made pastrami and poached eggs, the egg frittata with shishito peppers, and the white peach bellini!

225 26th Street, Suite 25, Santa Monica, CA 90402 – http://farmshopca.com

BEAUTY & ESSEX

The brunch at Beauty and Essex Los Angeles can be summed up in one word: decadent. It’s a plus that our waiter had the charm and looks of one of our favorite rappers, J. Cole. Be warned. It’s a food coma waiting to happen. “I have a wheelbarrow in the back if you need help to the car,” said Collin (AKA J. Cole). Entering on a melodic note — the entryway to Beauty and Essex is a pawn-inspired gift/ guitar shop with a beautifully curated selection of electric Fenders, Gibsons, and some lesser known guitar brands like Cindy’s lining the wall. Seated outside in the ivy covered courtyard, the LEFAIR Magazine team ordered tuna poke tacos, grilled cheese tomato soup dumplings, avocado latke Benedict, and lobster BLT rolls. We also drank enough Berries and Bubbles, Wake Up Calls, and Bloody Marys with bacon to make several liquid confidence-induced trips to the bathroom’s selfie station (yes, this is real). With the Bee Gee’s “Love You Inside and Out” playing over the speakers, things were turning up. Finally dessert was served — a layered chocolate cake with a crumble garnish and vanilla ice cream and a sundae with drizzled dark chocolate, whipped cream, and toffee sauce.

146 Essex Street, New York, NY 10002 & 1615 Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 – http://beautyandessex.com

 CAFE FIORELLO

Cafe Fiorello is an institution across the street from Lincoln Center serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch on weekends. Brunch offers an array of options including omelets and frittatas, eggs Benedict, Tony Bennett’s French toast, fluffy pancakes and smoked fish. Other tasty items such as their signature thin crust pizzas topped with eggs, house made pastas, chicken parmesan, salads and an elaborate vegetable antipasto bar are also available.

1900 Broadway, New York, NY 10023 – cafefiorello.com