If you’re ever in this neck of the woods, which we happened to be Saturday morning for munchkin’s music class at TLB, then I’d highly recommend popping by the Mark Jean-Georges for brunch! I’d also endorse it for dinner (though Foursquare reminded me that I haven’t been here for dinner since November 2012, when I had my Met/Matisse date… so, well, there you go).
The space itself received a serious makeover nearly half a decade ago thanks to the French interior designer Jacques Grange, with an injection of funk and whimsy, something I find quite impressive for the Upper East Side. I personally dig the lobby with its clean, sleek, “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” meets Miami vibe.
The food? Well, Jean-Georges Vongerichten hardly ever disappoints, and the beauty of brunch is that it is inevitably less formal than its dinner counterpart (that’s a good thing!). The price point tends to be higher (then again, when in Rome…), but the cuisine overall is definitely solid! I heard that the truffle pizza was to die, but I couldn’t resist going for the Russ & Daughter version (with wasabi paste!!!). Just call it the ideal merging of LES and UES. Although I suppose if you're aiming for low-key, you can always head down to Gramercy and chill at ABC Cocina, sibling to Mr. Vongerichten's ABC Kitchen.
The great part is, this place is totally chic and completely baby-friendly (only thing lacking is a changing table, so if you want to shave some points off there I don’t blame you). Service was great, and we were able to make a mini-meal for the Nuke while chowing down on some oysters and mimosas (let’s not forget the lox)… my idea of a great start to the day!
Mini-fact: if you want to roll completely casual, I suggest just grabbing a latte and a slice of pastry and hang at the bar area next door rather than sitting in the full-on dining room. The gilded zebra motif is super fun, and you get to lounge on couches instead of sitting in formal chairs!! (Something we did the following day at the Tribeca Grand – totally dig). If the weather’s kind and there’s appetite… why not attempt to burn off some calories in Central Park immediately following? Let the magic of your environs immerse you, there’s a reason why those trend-setting prettykins all flocked uptown to the Mark, with Ms. Wintour herself blazing the trail, in the aftermath of Sandy.