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Categories: American (New), Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Morningside HeightsCathedral Pkwy (1)
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They were out for a long time after a fire, so we decided to show some support and try them again. I really wanted to like them more but the food is just good, sometimes not quite that. The zucchini-scallion pancakes didn't have much flavor and the vinegar dip was way too salty. The rice bowl with Salmon was nice, but tasted pretty much like a bowl of rice with some things thrown into it -- no little song of coherence making your belly happy. And the noise level in there was just TOO LOUD, not helped by the neighbors on both sides talking about their collegiate lives I didn't really want to share.
So...decent food for the area but not really worth the prices and noise.
Opening night for dinner tonight, definitely working out the kinks. But the food (ingredients and… Read more »
CF&J definitely fills a need for classy contemporary restaurants north of 72nd street, but it still needs work. The menus are slightly overpriced (come on...it's still Morningside!) and though the front room and bar area are well styled, the back room where I was seated, was seriously lacking any kind of personality. It was definitely an afterthought and was designed by the general contractor (seriously - home depot molding and a random plywood sheet poorly painted to match the wall?)
Most of the food was well seasoned though I found the scallion pancakes to be far too oily and overfried and though the house salad had good flavor the avocado had obviously been sitting out since it was turning brown and had that mushy look. The pumpkin ravioli was really delicious and the portion they served up was more than I could eat - and I can really put it away. The pumpkin creme brulee had a nice crust but as in most places the bottom was slightly colder than room temp - yuck.
The bartender was ok - pretty inattentive, but our waitress was great! I'll be back because it's the only good option by Columbia, but I would not go out of my way to eat here.
Community has finally reopened and I'm happy to say, the burger is still fabulous. What has unfortunately also continued is the stinginess I noticed when the restaurant first opened (three stars...), but had eventually gone away (four stars!).
What I mean is, if I want the carrot hash browns instead of the french fries, don't try to charge me $2 more for the substitution. And, seriously, you want to charge $1.25 for extra syrup and maple butter? That's just not cool Community.
You might have the best burger in the neighborhood and always be full, but there's such a thing as being fair to your patrons.
Oh my god, their current French toast with lemon curd and fresh berries makes me start salivating… Read more »
A friend and I went here for dinner on a Thursday night. I'd looked at the menu online before so I wasn't surprised be the slight priciness of it (a good way to avoid sticker shock, folks!). Having now eaten here, I'd say the quality of the food was worth the extra few dollars.
The theme of the meal seemed to be freshness... I guess buying from local vendors really does help. I started off with the soup special, butternut squash soup... it was fresh, thick and tasty, but managed to not be overwhelmingly creamy and dairy-laden. I then had the grilled tofu brown rice bowl, which was much more flavorful than I was expecting. I'm not a super-healthy eater, but eating this made me feel like skipping the gym for a night was okay while still being a satisfying meal. There was a subtle kick to it -perhaps mint, or the peanut sauce - that combined nicely with the fresh carrots, sprouts, and other vegetabley goodness. My friend ordered a veggie bowl, which while small was quite tasty.
For dessert we ordered the chocolate chunk cookie plate (thus negating the healthy meals beforehand). The cookies were good, but not the best we'd had. I could've skipped dessert (though I'd also been verrrry tempted by the molten chocolate cake. Mmm molten chocolate).
Decor was clean and modern, service was relatively fast and friendly. Bathrooms were clean, well-lit and spacious. A pleasant experience in a neighborhood I don't get up to too often overall! I'd want to try brunch there, if getting there wouldn't take an hour on the weekends.
Finally, this phoenix of gastronomic delights has arisen from the ashes (of the mysterious kitchen fire).
CFJ, welcome back! Your half-year hiatus forced your fans to scramble around to find a substitute for your charms, to no avail. It's great to have you back. I've missed your eggs benedict, biscuits, cheeseburgers, ribeye steaks, coffee, and (most of all) butterscotch pudding.
[My wife and I had brunch at CFJ today and it was just like old times. The eggs benedict, veggie scramble, coffee and OJ were delicious and fresh. While we did not have to wait for a table, service was a bit slow -- forgivable and expected during CFJ's first weekend back in operation. For those who enjoy the Clinton Street Bakery brunch, you'll also love brunch at CFJ -- lots of the same menu items (including its pancakes, egg dishes, and biscuits (a whole wheat version)), but far shorter or virtually non-existent wait times.]
It doesn't get much better than CFJ for food on the Upper Westside. Since my initial post, the… Read more »
I've had Community's breakfast/brunch which was good..
Yesterday though, my girlfriend and I went in for lunch. But they don't do lunch, they have "Snacks." The gentleman that greeted us at the door had all the charm of rusted nail and seemed annoyed. He was older than the rest of the staff, I assume a manager but he wasn't very hospitable. The way he explained the snacks made my gf and i want to leave right then but we stayed.
We sat for the duration of 4 songs and no one had attended us. We had looked at the menu with the lame host guy and decided then and there what we wanted, so that was a bit frustrating to have to wait to order our snacks.
I ordered the burger, my girlfriend had the Chop salad and Edamame Hummus. The food took 30mins to come out. When our server delivered he claimed they were going through a "changing of the guard.." but my bottom bun of the burger was soaked with grease, seemed to me that it had been sitting a while.
I ordered the burger medium, but it was charred black outside and as gray as a newspaper inside. The salad was small but tasty and same with the edamame hummus.
My gf and I are thirsty foodies, our waters were filled twice, which was tough for me with my overcooked burger. The pita chips that came with the edamame hummus also have some heat so a little more water would have been nice. We had our empty glasses sitting on the edge of the table for a while.
The floor and kitchen staff seemed incompetent and a little rude, it wasn't busy at all yesterday, so its not like they were flooded. While waiting to order a server came to the station directly behind us and then called over the rusty nail guy to ask "where's the clock out button??"
Other guests seemed thrown off and unsure of who worked there. While I was looking for the unmarked bathrooms an older lady seated at a table was handing me her credit card assuming that I could close out her transaction. I should have taken it and brought to the rusty nail.
Minor things that bothered me as well.. a lady who sat next to us was seated after us.. but she got her meal before us. Additionally, but this is just me, I ordered chamomile tea, but they serve the tea in a mug with the bag. I hate leaving the bag in my mug for the duration of my drink, they didn't have a dish or anything to dispose of it. But that's just me.
Really? Is the Upper UWS that starved for a "green" restaurant that they need to sacrifice taste. Our table split the scallion pancakes that i hoped would be more latke like and less chinese restaurant, but they were deeply fried and greasy. For a place touting themselves as "healthy", this should not be on the menu. Three of us got the rice bowl which was aptly described by our waiter was "you know, like healthy rice, the brown kind, with some vegtables" It was fine, a underflavored Dragon Bowl........making us yearn for Bimibap. It wasn't overpriced, I just could have made most of the dishes better myself. If I did the night over I would have gone more out of the way and back into the 70s on the UWS to Kefi or Dovetail. The brunch looks interesting, I think their dinner menu is an afterthought.
Couldn't wait for the re-opening of one of my favorite breakfast hangouts on the west side. I think the staff will need a little more training. I ate there this week with a few friends from Columbia and was disappointed in the Farmer's Plate. the soft scrambled eggs were overcooked. my roasted tomatoes were also over cooked and dry, and the baguette stale. I will probable wait a few more weeks before I return.
Went for dinner soon after it opened. Enjoyed a delicious Bourbon drink called an Apple Cobbler I think. Shared the breads and spreads with a friend. Very delish vegetarian options - brussels sprouts, sweet potato fries...left full and had a great service experience.
Oh, and my friends and I thought the bathrooms were the cutest in the whole city. :-)
Glad they're reopening, can't wait to go back.
Food is good, but overpriced. They get away with it because of the touted sustainability and no competition in the neighborhood. I undersdand that Community has to pay for the renovations required by the fire, BUT, don't rip me off. Bacon, thin and fried to a crisp is $4.50. Oatmeal (steelcut) is $8.50. No way!!!
WORST SERVICE EXPERIENCE EVER TONIGHT
Let me first say that if I come back, it is for the wonderful quality of the food. A+ especially for the salmon rice bowl. YUM! And the beet salad!!!
But, tonight the hostess was incredibly rude. You'd think that with the economy in shambles and businesses closing left and right, you'd know better than to screw up and lose customers.
Tonight I arrived at Community and wanted to be seated while waiting for my friend. She wasn't eating, so I wanted to save time and go ahead and order...we were both in a hurry.
It wasn't crowded at all, 9 pm. But the hostess wouldn't seat us till we were both present. BUT, when my friend arrived 15 minutes later, she made us continue to wait (after telling us she had a table ready!) and when a group of 4 came in she sat them right away!
SO we left......
It's also annoying that they don't do take out.
Welcome back, Community Food and Juice. It's been a long few months without you.
Local is as local does.
Last time I was here, with my friend who studies food ethics/local agriculture type stuff, she decided to take them up on the little note on the menu that says something like "ask if you want to know where our food comes from." Very politely, she asked - and the waitress gave her HUGE attitude! It was like she was really offended that we had the nerve to question their local-ness (which we are totally down with - we just wanted to know the details!).
30 minutes later, after our food had been rudely slammed down on our table by said waitress without a word, she produced a laminated piece of paper with a list of local farms that supply the restaurant. It didn't say which foods, or how much, came from each farm.
The food itself was pretty good, which is why I'm not giving it one star, but our meals were quite pricey ($13 for a burger), which I assume they justify with the fact that they buy from small farmers. If that's the case, they should be less rude when people want to take them up on their offer to explain where the food comes from.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Their brunch is amazing. I had the french toast with caramelized bananas and pecans, and it comes with this amazing maple butter that Clinton St Baking Co also has... which is just simply HEAVEN. SOOOOO good.
For dinner, you can never go wrong with the rice bowl. Also had the burger, which was deelish. I can't give this place enough stars. They rock my world.
They had a kitchen fire about 6 weeks ago and still haven't re-opened, sadly. Cant wait until they're open again!
Did you know about the $9 breakfast special?
Blueberry Pancakes and coffee. Not awesome but not bad.
Community offers a simple, elegant and thoughtful menu.
I've had most everything on the menu and haven't come across anything I didn't like.
So why the 4 stars? They stubbornly won't take reservations and they almost seem proud of their 1 hour 45 minute weekend waitlist. The food here is great but not divine.
I'm a big fan of places I feel good about - you know, those goodie two shoes places that serve free range organic non-farmed free trade stuff. Not only does it keep my halo shiny, the food just tastes yummy.
Community Food and Juice is like that. Highlights include most salads (love those roasted beets), matzo ball soup (although the matzo ball is not quite as light as one would hope for - still yummy chicken and fresh veggies) and those little spreads they serve - although you never EVER get enough bread with them.
I like to go in the afternoon and get some spreads and drink some wine.....I mean, come on, who doesn't like that (except frat boys. Or recovering alcoholics)?
Community is one of my favorite upper west side spots. I've been there about five times and I'm always happy. (I can't leave out, though, that one time I went there at 9:30 PM on a weeknight with a friend and they weren't serving dinner. I thought that VERY strange for a NYC restaurant in a fairly hopping part of town...also, I believe the website said they served 'til 10, so it was very surprising).
Regardless, their food is terrific. I've had the grilled chicken rice bowl, the salmon rice bowl, the breads & spreads; I've also been there for brunch - which I'm not normally a fan of - but it was totally fantastic. I had a waffle with some sort of apple compote. Not boring AT ALL. Nice wine list, good cappucino, eclectic menu. Friends have gotten the BLT and have been very happy. Good service! Oh, and great cookie dessert plate if you're feeling extra naughty and decadent.
Just meh. You want to like it, but with that kind of attitude... Really, service and management ruins any kind of good experience you could have here. They act like they are running an exclusive club and not a neighborhood restaurant. Plus it's like $14 for eggs with a piece of bread and some tomatoes on the side. I think the best way to describe the vibe this place gives you is organic-food-with-corporate-slickness...as others have commented it's not really about the principles but more about using what's trendy to promote itself.
BEST.FRENCH.TOAST.
ever!
I love French toast, and out of all the brunch places I've ever tried, this one wins out by a ton. I'm drooling just thinking about it... mmmMMMmm... if I lived nearby, I'd probably eat here every week at least. So either I've been trying the wrong places, or this place really is that good!
Service was alright - could have been better - but I was so absorbed in my food, I don't really remember much else. My friend got the omelet, which was just OK.
Let me confirm: Yes, this place was started by the same guy who started Clinton Street Baking Company.
I have passed by this place a dozen times and never bothered to go in or even look. What I would have seen was what I saw this morning for brunch: clean lines, simple, chic, and relaxing. It was a bit crowded, so we sat at the bar, and I'm very glad for that. The bartender saved what would have been an hour or more of awkward conversing over a meal that deserved good conversation, joking (dear God, let him be joking) about how much he loved Denny's and philosophizing about what it means to brunch and what it has come to symbolize in New York (more on that, sometime in the future).
I had the special, which everyone should try having when it's offered, which are the chocolate chip pancakes. They aren't chips, as much as they chunks of decadent chocolate scattered throughout the pancake, dusted with powdered sugar and served with homemade maple butter. My friend had the the brioche french toast which was gargantuan, but delicious (for all the soggy french toast naysayers: that is the way of the french toast!). I had one of their whole wheat biscuits which were fluffy on the inside and crisp on the outside. Also tasty are their hot buttered ciders (but if you have the means, make it yourself. It's way too easy to spend $4 on a small cup of it).
I was a little disappointed that they didn't know off the tops of their heads which farm their cider came from, or where their maple syrup was sourced from, because I feel like people who tout their loca-vore tendencies should know immediately WHAT locale they get their produce, etc, but they were more than happy to look up where those things came from. I guess that makes them semi-authentic? Their milk is one of the only things that isn't locally sourced since apparently NYC has some really strict rules about milk. Eh.
I'd come back here for sure.
I have to say that I am sorry that Olga didn't like her steak & eggs, because I thought they were outstanding. Community Food & Juice is like a brunch spot from heaven. Very classy decor, and the atmosphere is upbeat and awakening. The food was just outstanding. My sister and I were in a curious, exploratory mood; so we decided to order three main courses for lunch instead of two. Steak & eggs as stated before, the Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict and the Chocolate Chip Pancakes. No no we didn't eat them all, but we tasted everything and I thought I was in paradise (as cliche as that sounds). I also got the Hot apple cider with honey which was incredible.
The staff was also very nice and attentive, and the restaurant has the nicest espresso machine I have ever seen. Can't wait to go back to NYC so I can try the rest of the menu!
I had an amazing experience here. A rainy Sunday brunch indoors with eggs benedict, brioche french toast and chocolate chip pancakes, good company, and hot coffee.
Let me just say this: the chocolate chip pancakes are AMAZING. Honestly, they were the closest thing to perfect pancakes I've ever had, and everyone agreed. The chocolate was integrated perfectly into the pancake mix, just enough semi-sweetness coupled with a light fluffyness that literally melted in my mouth. Top that off with the butter infused syrup, and you've got a perfect chocolate chip pancake.
The eggs benedict was just so-so. Maybe it was my dish (because everyone else's biscuits were okay), but my biscuit was too dry and toasted. The eggs and the canadian bacon were great, and the sauce was blended well into the dish, but I just couldn't handle the overly toasted biscuits.
The brioche french toast was pretty well made as well. I felt that the walnut and the banana was a little too overpowering as that's all I could taste - and the mushiness of the whole thing was a little distracting.
But just the chocolate chip pancakes are enough to keep me coming here. I had a little bit of everyone else's dishes (omlette, eggs and bacon), but I kept coming back to my pancakes. I'll definitely give the benedict another shot and from what I hear, the french toast is way better when berries are in season. I will definitely come back here.
LEGIT pancakes.
Not much to add to the reviews- we've been there for the burger specials on weeknight'sand they're great. We've had brunch with a group and everybody loved it. They sometimes have quirky hours so call ahead if you're not nearby. They don't take reservations so have a backup plan if you get there and they say it'll be an hour or more.
I feel like that Yogi Berra quote sums it up: "It's too crowded, nobody goes there any more." But it's definitely worth a wait and they manage the crowds well. The decour is really neat and the food is delicious. It ain't cheap, but what is around here?
So we had heard that this was the place to go for brunch. Yes, it is pricey, and yes the wait is long-- just like everyone else says. We got there early enough that there was only a ten minute wait, but the prices remain a little high but not ridiculously high (clearly I have lived in NYC too long).
I had the farmer's plate which was amazing and really big. I probably should have split it with my hubbie but I clearly am not the smart. My husband got the french toast and our friend got the pancakes. I was hoping they would have the chocolate chip pancakes that everyone talks about but all they had was blueberry. All of our food was really good but our waitress forgot to bring the canadian bacon our friend ordered and then brought regular bacon when we reminded her.
All in all I give this place 3.5 stars, but rounded up because our waitress was really nice and the hostess pretty helpful.
God was I hungover today... I didn't think I wanted to eat a thing. As we waited 40 minutes for a table however, my stomach gradually warmed up to the idea of food. My taste buds were pleased with my decision.
Community is a great place for brunch. It has a pleasant minimalist design and some nice street-side outdoor seating. Community's real strength however is the food. Fresh, organic, ingredients provide the basis for a simple yet ample brunch menu. The real stars of this place are the blueberry pancakes (honestly some of the best I have ever had) and the french toast with lemon curd. I found myself stealing bites off the plates of the people who ordered these delights.
I had the country breakfast and was not disappointed.. although it was not as "mind blowing" as the aforementioned items. They did manage to do my eggs over-medium perfectly and I find a lot of places mess this up.
All and all a really yummy brunch and I enjoyed the ambience outside and the service. Will be back.
I could eat every meal at Community. My boyfriend and I come here at least once a week.
The experience is reminiscent of my favorite places in San Francisco- Chow, Cafe Gratitude, etc.
Check out the breakfast special: from 8-9:30, you can get blueberry pancakes, coffee and juice all for $9 (the pancakes are regularly $12, so it's quite a deal!).
A very contemporary space, with open windows, a sleek bar, an open kitchen, and lots of orange-colored accents. Concept-wise, the restaurant wins, boasting fresh, seasonal, local produce along with certification of being green. Unfortunately, the food doesn't always live up to Clinton St. Bakery expectations and the menu is somewhat pricey for the portion size. Juice bar is also very pricey. I stopped in on my way to class and coughed up $7 for a regular smoothie. Still, although the price point definitely puts it out of range for most students, it hasn't stopped the place from being packed every night thus far.
I suppose Community would be better if they had better service. The first hosts/hostesses were awfully rude and unaccommodating, which was kind of understandable during its opening hijinks but not so much now. Months later, hostesses are still rude and waiters remain nonchalant and inattentive with little knowledge of what's on the menu. I've been about three or four times since and while the food has gotten better (at times, even crave-worthy), the entire dining experience is always a little sour.
Chicken dishes, lamb, beets, ravioli, sweet potato fries . . . what isn't scrumptuous at CF&J? Clinton Street Baking Co. owners gave their uptown sister a more refined, lighter menu with higher ceilings and more elbow room to boot. Just like Clinton Street, Community keeps its customers full and happy, and they do it with a smile and a wink. Kleinbergs know what's up.
Not that great. Had to wait about 45 minutes for dinner because of the hype this place has gotten recently, but over all I felt like this place was overrated.
The service: very good, nice waitress
The food: so-so. I got the fish and while the fish was seared nicely with crispy edges, there were a few bones and the fish itself was under-seasoned. On the other hand, the vegetables it was served with were completely over-salted. The lobster bisque was also extremely salty. The chanterelles were flavorful, however. The combination overall didn't make sense and was definitely not balanced.
In short, I probably won't go back to this place.
Went here on a Monday during lunch time. No wait, score! And we just happen to stumble across this place.
The french toast is a MUST. Butter maple syrup, fresh fruit and lemon curd - you will not be disappointed. Actually now that I think about it, this was the best french toast I've ever had. And I've had many a french toasts.
The bf had the burger - he was impressed by the juicy burger. He says it's hard for restaurants to get burgers right if they're not all about burgers.
Service was good, orange juice was freshly squeezed. Atmosphere was great, except the tight seating is one thing I wasn't too crazy about. We had to sit right next to the people next to us, and it was like being in the middle of their convo.
I love it here! The food is clean, healthy, and delicious. No matter what you order - it's going to be great. I like the seating arrangement because you might end up sitting next to a stranger - great opportunity for chit chat (if you're socially anxious give it a go - food is a great conversation starter).
Get the Rice bowl with King Salmon and various veggies on top. It's the perfect meal and so satisfying. A great appetizer are the zucchine scallion pancakes.
The breads are deliious. They serve them with a freshly made spread, such as sweet garlic confit or white bean hummus. Just enough to tease your tongue and to leave room for your main dish.
Great hangout in the summer when you can sit outside and people watch or smell the Korean food from next door :-)
We just came from this place for brunch...it was late and we were the last table they were going to sit for brunch time...all the tables outside were wet because it had just rained so we waited for an inside table. The host told us after 10 minutes that we HAD to sit outiside or else we would not be able to place our order before the kitchen closed. We were sat by ourselves in one of the outside tables that was still semi-damp and when our waiter came he said "wow! you guys were brave sitting out here!"
um, yeah, not our choice, douchebag! he sensed that we were upset being forced to sit outside until a table cleared inside (however long that might take) and instantly became really cold and rude, instead of nicer.
the only redeeming quality about this place is the food. while i thought the coffee was not that great, the french toast was good and the syrup it came with was delish. All in all, don't come when it's raining or when it's busy...if the stars align you might just be able to get some decent service, though i don't advise you hold your breath. Come with the right expectation and you might have an OK time.
I have to say that of all the restaurants close to Columbia University, this has to one of the few I can say have really good food.
All ingredients are either fresh, local, or organic. They have everything from simple and comforting matzo ball soup, a variety of salads, fresh-made pasta (the house ravioli with butternut squash is realllyyyy good), make-it-yourself bowls, and fish/meat/poultry. Their burgers look really good too (haven't tried one yet...)
The desserts don't sound like much out of the ordinary but the butterscotch pudding and fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies are definitely worth a try.
All three meals are fantastic but I would definitely recommend trying their brunch (pancakes and french toast with warm butter maple syrup!) if you can only try it once.
O and the service is decent albeit a little slow when busy
Great brunch!
Both times I've been I've had the brioche french toast. Apparently it changes seasonally.
The first time, in the the summer, the two huge slices of tender brioche were served with berries, maple butter and lemon curd. The lemon curd was just sweet enough and nicely tart.
In the fall/winter, the french toast was served with caramelized bananas, walnuts and maple butter. The bananas were just sweet enough, unlike many sweet breakfast dishes, which are far too sweet.
The coffee was dark and rich. I keep meaning to ask if they sell their beans, since it is by far my favorite coffee in the neighborhood. The orange juice is freshly squeezed and you can tell by the dark, intensely orange color.
From what I've seen, the brunch wait can be lengthy. I waited about 20 minutes on a Saturday around noon. Sometimes I've seen the line spilling out onto the sidewalk.
There is no comparing this place to any of the other Broadway restaurants around Columbia. Most of the dishes are pricier, part of that being the "green" surcharge, but brunch prices fit in with the rest of the area but the meals are far more satisfying. French toast and the veggie scrambles are my favorite for breakfast.
The dinner dishes are a bit pricey compared to its local competition, but there's no comparing the quality or taste of the food. I'd always rather pay 3 dollars for better food. As far as the main menu goes, both the ravioli and burgers are delicious, as well as scallion pancakes and lentil cakes.
My favorite item on the menu is the rice bowls, either chicken or salmon. It's healthy and tasty , great for lunch or dinner, and pretty reasonably priced and filling.
The first time I ever came here I was really sick and feeling like death, but a friend was visiting from out of town and I was obligated to take him out for brunch. The crowd and the long wait were NOT helpful to my condition, and by the time our food arrived I'll admit that I was in a pretty foul mood. All that changed when I took the first bite of food. Oh, heaven on a plate! Maybe my tastebuds were acting a little strange that day, but I swear, every forkful of my garlicky, blue-cheesy mashed potatoes lit off every single pleasure sensor in my brain at once. Yuuuummmmm.
I've been back a few times since then and have always enjoyed it, though the price and the super-long wait for seating and for food is certainly a deterrant. At least you know they're not lacking business!
When I saw this place opening up, looking all organic and sleek, I had really high hopes. Too high, perhaps. After all, the motto around Morningside seems to be, "Make it look nice and worry about the food later ... if at all." So, maybe I need to try again, but my first experience here was rather underwhelming.
To start things off, the 'tangy' sourdough bread with sweet garlic confit was rather tasty, thus elevating my hopes for the main course. Sadly, I recall my $19 pork tenderloin entree being dry and reminiscent of marginally above average cafeteria food. Dang! Our waitress wasn't much better. She seemed a bit fickle and ultimately insincere. One minute she was all smiles and the next she had better things to do. It's as if she had a 5 minute "friendly window" outside of which she is ... unfriendly.
Anyway, I hear/read good things about this place from others (e.g., Sam P. re: burgers), so there must be something I'm missing. To be fair, I certainly plan to try again, several times if necessary. I really want CF & J to be better than my first impression. In my dreamworld, if they managed to lower prices a bit, while improving the food a notch or two, this place would be a total score!
To be continued ...
Five stars for trying to create a chill, downtown dining experience in upper Manhattan (this is basically "Clinton St. Baking Company Uptown"). Five stars for having a slow-food approved, seasonally-driven, farmer's market type menu with free-range and antibiotic-free everything. Minus 1 for slow and inattentive service, but I assume that's a kink to be worked out over time?
Some other reviewers say that it's really out of character for the neighborhood, but having lived across the street for 6 years, I think it's the logical extension of the rapid bobo gentrification - and much more welcome than American Apparel and Chipotle.
A great concept that unfortunately doesn't live up to its potential...
In my several visits, the food has been inconsistent (very good to mediocre) and the service touch and go. The organic coffee has a strange aftertaste. If your party is small, I recommend sitting at the bar, as you'll skip the enormous wait, but be prepared to be constantly bumped by careless servers passing behind you.
There's always an element of disbelief when the bill arrives...(how could that REALLY cost this much?!!) Considering the quality, terribly overpriced.
I want to like it, I really do. I like what it says it is. I like what it's about. I like the vibe. I love the location (3 blocks from my house).
But, just like a personal ad where we should be in love by now, CFJ and I just didn't click that well in person.
CFJ - your food is organic, sustainably produced, green. Your space is hip (for the nabe), but still academic and smart. Your crowd is mixed - nice - intellectual - slightly pretentious. I like all of that. But there are some problems, some quirks, maybe they'll get ironed out someday...
Some of the food is excellent, some has been just fine. It's a little precious, a little needy. Never enough. I have never left feeling completely wowed by dining there. I've had you for weekend brunch, I've had you for dinner. Never a wow. No sparks.
I also have never ever ever had a good experience with the hostess(es). They've forgotten me a few times. Passed right by me, claiming they called my name. At least twice this happened. And I had been standing in front of them the whole time.
I'm willing to overlook this, as well as the waitstaff's mispronunciation of food items ("boo-jo-lay" for beaujolais, "yakima" for jicama). You want to be smarter than you are. The beer list seems nice, but the wine list seems dull and lacking - you're not as sophisticated as you could be or want to be. You've run out of the good wines, forced me to drink the boo-jo-lay.
You're very popular - always packed, I like your vibe, I like the quality of your food. I will keep trying until I am swayed one way or another.
I want to like you, I really do. Until then, though, we'll just be friends.
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