Jack's Wife Freda: a funny name for a restaurant, isn't it?
Freda and her husband, if I understand the concept right, have a cafe that is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And interestingly enough, the word "Lebanese" is used twice on their menu.
Breakfast, all day cafe, lunch, brunch and dinner is what they do. On their menu you find Lebanese yogurt, grilled halloumi and Mediterranean breakfast... names that lead back to our lands.
The place, which looks like a small house, is in fact a square restaurant with one long communal table, a bar and several small tables set around it. Lights are suspended from the low ceiling, there are paintings on the walls and a bar loaded with bottles. While I enjoyed the background music, I waited to be served. It feels like a cafe in Paris. Fresh with positive vibes - the place feels warm like home.
We ordered the "Rosewater waffles" served with Lebanese yogurt; Madame Freda pressed sandwich with duck prosciutto, cheddar béchamel, gruyère and sunny side up eggs. Green shakshuka and two baked eggs with challah toast and tomatillo. And a simple toasted baguette with butter and jam.
While we waited, the line started building up, there were already ten people waiting to be seated.
Breakfast is served:
- Mme. Freda is a sandwich like the ones I eat at home. Tender pain-de-mie topped with a fried egg and stuffed with cheese and slices of duck. It's aromatic, tasty enough but I didn't feel any magic in it. Expected the bread to be toasted on the side, taste more pepper, more life!
- The shakshouka feels like two fried eggs in a jalapeños sauce. Good enough but again not exceptional enough to wait in line for breakfast for. Bread on the other hand is soft, buttery and tasty. This plate leaves an interesting note in the mouth.
- The waffles... euh! My mum does it better! Chewy, not crunchy, no added value and no special taste. Round waffle made in a machine they got from China town topped with something they call "Lebanese" yogurt! Come on, it's not close to being Lebanese. I would call this an "unethical marketing technique".
- The bread baguette with butter is not fresh, is chewy and not served warm. There is nothing exceptional about this plate which you should not even consider ordering.
I honestly feel I was deceived. There is really nothing exceptional about this place, neither the service nor the food. It is definitely not one of the best breakfasts in New York like the Internet claims.
