Les Bananas: Chanel Espadrilles + Malawach Brunch @ Cafe Orlin

Espadrilles are super cute, simple, comfy, and they go with almost every outfit depending on it's color. Espadrilles were hot and in season for spring/summer of 2013, and all of the cutest bloggers were stomping all over town in their favorite pair.

'So I am a tad bit late but, a working girl like me must save her dollas/shop smart, and so I waited a bit longer than everyone else to get my Chanel baby. Once it arrived, I took precious out to brunch with me & Allan to Café Orlin in the East Village.

Every time Allan and I walk by Cafe Orlin, there's always a long line with people waiting up to 30 minutes for a table. I wanted to know what the hype was all about, so Allan and I finally decided to go and try it out over the weekend. We ignored our grumbling stomachs until about 2 pm so we could have a later brunch, hoping we would miss the crowd. It was good thinkin' because we only waited for a bout 5 minutes to be seated inside.

Profile via NY Mag

It’s easy to dismiss this East Village café from the outside, but step inside and you’ll discover that Café Orlin does all it needs to, and more. The menu is pretty straightforward: salads, burgers, some Middle Eastern dishes like a falafel platter, but also a solid roast chicken, an inventive gazpacho livened by sliced radishes and dabs of guacamole, and a strawberry tart that is just that: a lovely berry mash in a simple pastry cup. Lingering over a cup of coffee is fine with the tall, skinny, and cute wait staff.
— Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld

Brunch

Sat.—Sun., 8:30 a.m.—4 p.m.

Note

Reservations are only accepted Mon.—Fri.

To be honest, the decor wasn't all that at Cafe Orlin. It was a cozy little joint but, there was nothing to ooh or ah about. Why is this place always so crowded? I thought...

Allan and I decided to order a drink and peruse at the menu while assessing the situation.

I ordered the French 75 for myself, and a Pomegranate Sparkle for Allan to start.

I liked Allan's drink so much more than my own. My drink (French 75) was gin based and gave me a bit of a hangover after brunch. Hangover before dinnertime is not fun on a weekend.

Allan ordered Steak & Eggs.

I ordered the Malawach! I was curious to see what it would be like :) I wikipedia'ed the word before I ordered it and liked what I read:

"Malawach or malawah (Hebrew: מלאווח or מלווח‎) is a fried bread that is a staple of the Jews of Yemen.

Malawach resembles a thick pancake, and it consists of thin layers of puff pastry brushed with oil or fat and cooked flat in a frying pan.^[1] It is traditionally served with a crushed or grated tomato dip, hard boiled eggs and skhug, or for a sweet taste, it is often served with honey" -wiki

OMG it was heavenly. The bread was soft, warm, chewy, a little sweet, a little salty and it just made me smile from ear to ear. I dipped a piece of bread and soaked it with egg yoke and fresh crushed tomatoes before sharing it with my lucky taste buds.

Allan was quite pleased with his meal as well. He barely spoke to me because he was shoveling his plate down his throat.

I took a selfie while he ate like a caveman.

But he immediately started judging me.

Until the dessert came. Nothing mattered but this angelic slice of heaven.

I love the fall because everything is pumpkin flavored.

Say Ahhh, he wants to share with you.

The food was delish! But the ambiance was meh. It was nice but just not as pretty as I thought it would be. Brunch is too much of a shit show, so maybe you want to try Cafe Orlin for dinner on a weeknight. I give them 3 out of 5 stars :)