JoeDoe 10-20-2012

Location: 45 E. 1st St.
Time: 12pm
People: RB, CK and myself

Feelings: Yes, we are just like everyone else-- we walked over to the legendary brunch spot, Prune in East Village and were defeated by the long wait. Seeing an alley of young women with big sunglasses and beachy waves sipping on bloody marys was a big turn off as well. "Like OH MY GOD, that kid is like super cute," pointing to CK with severe vocal fry. No thanks.

As we walked down the street, we stumbled upon JoeDoe, a quaint spot with more tough exterior and even more tough looking waitstaff in black T-shirts. With an atmosphere of pub mixed with the modern flair of exposed brick, antiques and wood floor, this is an ideal place for real dudes and tough ladies who prefer  a less pretentious brunch.

The brunch menu offers an interesting take on Eastern Jewish fare like "The Conflicted Jew" sandwich ($15, liver, bacon, onion and challah) and JoeMatzo Brei ($12, with cilantro, cotija, sambal honey). It was full of RB's favorite foods, and he was sincerely conflicted with multiple cravings.

We started with biscuits, which were supposed to be two, but our lovely server brought us three with tasty honey infused butter. If I no longer cared about my weight or health, I would literally eat spoonfuls of this butter everyday. My vegetarian "No Choice Omelet" ($11) came as a surprise. The vegetable of the day was brussel sprouts, and as I cut into the omelet, voila-- I indeed saw the un-chopped brussel sprouts inside! The texture combination of smooth eggs and the brussel sprouts was excellent, and I can only hope this interesting invention of omelet will be more widely available.

RB was surprised by his pork and beans. He expected a modern take of hot dogs and beans on toast, but  he was pleasantly surprised by the spicy pulled pork and baked beans on challah bread. Very delicious and decadent.

The ingredients were fresh, and the portions run close to enormous. While a place like Prune is a "safe" dining spot, JoeDoe brings elements of surprises and new ideas. With inspiring and quirky menu with bold flavors, this cozy spot is certainly a neighborhood staple.