The decor, ambiance and menu of Reynard reminds me of the hotel restaurant where we brunched in The Gladstone Hotel (Toronto). Very trendy, with exposed brick and metal fixtures, a clean color scheme and a rustic bar, Reynard is at once inviting and intimidating. It is located in the Wythe Hotel, an old factory building dating back to 1901. The fact that the restaurant is in a hotel makes it more homey and allows it to exude a sense of comfort and belonging. It’s totally Brooklyn-trendy, yes, but surely there are tourists eating next you since it’s a hotel, which means they aren’t totally at home here; that fact put me at ease, since I am not a tourist but I am also not a hipster-y Williamsburg resident. Williamsburg really has become trendy almost to the point of cliché, and I find it overpriced and underwhelming. But, as someone interested in the hospitality industry, I’d read a lot of good things about the Wythe Hotel. So last weekend Kiyo and I drove down from Queens for Sunday brunch. We sat at the bar since we didn’t want to have to wait half an hour for a table. Our bartender was friendly and casual, and apologized when our food took a long time. I had the eggs Benedict with kale and ham, on a homemade English muffin. It was very good but I always prefer bacon over ham. I’ve never had kale on a Benedict before, and it was delicious with the eggs and Hollandaise.
Kiyo is more of a lunch than brunch or breakfast person, so he ordered the burger. Topped with cheese and caramelized onions, he enjoyed it a lot. I snagged quite a few of his fries, which came with a tangy aioli. The menu is a bit off-beat while still offering traditional brunch food; for instance, the “corned beef” breakfast sandwich says on the menu that it includes egg and pickles on rye, but when I asked the bartender about it he informed us it also has cow tongue. The menu actually fits right in with what I was saying about the decor and ambiance: it’s cozy yet trendy. It’s just enough weird to remind you you’re in Williamsburg, but not enough to make you uncomfortable.
Kiyo had a coffee (I had a sip and it was very rich and deep, with caramel-y hints) and I had a salty dog, or grapefruit juice with vodka. The salted rim was great to balance the super sweet juice, and although it was small it was strong, so I felt like I got my money’s worth (side note: it was a regular size for NYC, but to me that’s small for $12-16). This is a great restaurant for visitors and locals alike, and I would definitely go back.
(Another side note: look at that guy on his bike with a raccoon hat! I didn’t even notice him until just now. I told you Williamsburg is full of cliché hipsters! And to anyone reading who might take offense to that: today is my birthday so go easy on me)
Reynard (in the Wythe Hotel)
Open: Monday – Friday 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m., Saturday & Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Tagged: aioli, beverages, breakfast and brunch, Brooklyn, brunch, burger, caramelized onion, cheeseburger, cocktail, coffee, eggs, eggs benedict, english muffin, french fries, fries, grapefruit juice, ham, hipsters, hollandaise, hotel, kale, ketchup, Kiyo Egashira, lime, New York, restaurant, Reynard, salt, salty dog, Sunday Brunch, vodka, weekend, Williamsburg, Wythe Hotel
