Jane – The Best French Toast in NYC

If you head to Jane for brunch, you need a reservation. I am not joking, this is not a test. You must have reservations, and even if you do, you might wait a little bit. Not long, just about 10 minutes. Not going to lie, the wait got under my skin, but it was handled pretty well, considering the throngs of people both in the restaurant and outside it. If you don’t have a reservation, have fun with your 2 hour wait.

The restaurant itself seemed casual, but to be honest, it was hard to tell. There were hip 20-something Soho-type beautiful people everywhere – standing at the bar, crammed 6 to a table, swinging from the rafters. Well, maybe not really, but considering that each of the brunch entrees comes with a complimentary cocktail, it isn’t hard to imagine. Bottom line – this place is crowded and caters to a young crowd. 

Not really my scene. But you know what is?

Farmer’s Omelette – Ham, Caramelized Onions, and Gruyere Cheese

A huge portion of scrambled eggs – creamy and done to a medium consistency. Onions caramelized so sweet that they were almost like sugar, nutty Gruyere cheese, and soft, salty bites of ham. It was so delicious and nuanced that it didn’t even need hot sauce – a first for me. Try as I might, I actually couldn’t finish the large serving – I like getting my money’s worth! Served with lightly dressed mesclun greens, it was a perfect brunch dish. Well, almost perfect:

Cheddar Grits

These made it perfect. An egg dish just needs a carby side, and these were fantastic. Creamy and thick enough to be eaten with a fork, the taste was smoky rather than tangy – it must have been smoked cheddar. There was heavy cream in there, and a light hand with the salt. These are a must order. 

Creme Brulee French Toast

Oh. My. Gawd. I am not into sweets in the morning, but this may become my exception. The bread was amazingly custardy and soft – it really tasted like cake more than French toast. The taste was more rich than sweet – eggy, creamy, heavily scented with vanilla but with only a light dusting of powdered sugar to bring out the sweetness. The crust was crunchy and golden, and dipped in real maple syrup, it is good enough for dessert. Absolutely my favorite sweet breakfast in NYC.

Jane is a scene. It is loud, it is crowded, and you might even have to wait for reservations. However, the portions are huge, they are very reasonably priced, and the food is just delicious. The eggs are savory, the grits are creamy, and the French toast is the stuff dreams are made of. So let me revise my first sentence: WHEN you go to Jane, you need reservations. Because there really is no IF.