EATING NOT EATING:
STONEFRUIT ESPRESSO + KITCHEN
ICYMI, WNW Member #2245 Lauren Hom's project Will Letter For Lunch has inspired a new Free Range series of restaurant reviews. First Lauren reviewed Souvlaki GR then headed over to Chickpea & Olive. A month later, we decided we were still hungry. This time Lauren headed to Stonefruit Espresso + Kitchen for some classic (albeit vegetarian), brunch. In Lauren's words, "Here you go. Some drool-worthy Brooklyn food porn."
Stonefruit Espresso + Kitchen is a brand new cafe tucked right in between Bed Stuy and Clinton Hill. The bright and cozy space looks straight out of your favorite Pinterest board, and they’re serving up equally delightful fare: delicious coffee, house baked goods, and simple breakfasts and lunches that nourish your body and soul. I had the loveliest time chatting with the owner, Laura, while I chalked up their new menu. And later that weekend, my girlfriends and I were treated to a dream brunch by the lovely folks at Stonefruit.
Brunch started out with a shared plate of vibrant beet and feta dip served with fresh carrots, snap peas, and endive leaves. The dip, made from a blend of feta, roasted beets, lemon, and garlic, was creamy and sweet with a little kick from the cheese. It paired perfectly with the sweet and crunchy rainbow of raw vegetables on the plate. Seriously, this dip was so good that I went home and spent half an hour searching for similar recipes. It was just that good.
The rest of brunch was a dizzying, colorful storm of dishes being brought to the table; thick slices of sourdough toast with homemade raspberry chia jam, a beet and quinoa salad with mint and feta, sweet potato sandwiches with marinated kale and ricotta, and, of course, avocado toast. What Brooklyn brunch would be complete without AVOCADO TOAST? (And someone standing up on a chair to get a perfect aerial shot of the food.)
Now let me tell you, I’ve stuffed many an avocado toast into my mouth in my lifetime, but I’ve never had one as beautiful or delicious as the one from Stonefruit Espresso + Kitchen. A whole avocado is mashed on top of a thick, crusty slice of sourdough, sprinkled with watercress and spices, and then topped with a soft-boiled egg and a drizzle of olive oil. It was almost too pretty to eat. The key word being almost; we polished it off in six impressively large bites.
The quinoa salad was a beautiful, deep burgundy from the beets, and every bite was magic: sweet roasted beets, toasted walnuts, tangy feta, and a little burst of freshness from the mint. The sweet potato sandwich, though a little hard to eat, was also a winner: half of a roasted sweet potato nestled in between marinated kale leaves and a thick slathering of ricotta. To finish off the meal, we nibbled on some simple toast with salted butter and raspberry chia jam. After devouring our Sunday morning feast, we felt full and happy (as opposed to full and in agony, which is pretty standard for me). Go to Stonefruit Espresso + Kitchen to eat food that feels as good as it looks.