Public

Public
210 Elizabeth St., New York, NY 10012
(212) 343-7011
Dinner: Mon.-Thur. 6pm-11pm, Fri.-Sat. 6pm-12am, Sun. 6pm-10:30pm

Brunch: Sat.-Sun. 11am-3:30pm
Bar: Mon.-Thur. until 1am, Fri.-Sat. until 2am, Sun. until 1am

I came here for dinner once last year.  I don't remember much about my experience, but it was fun coming back for brunch.  The layout of Public is very trendy and cute.  It has a sort of outdoor/indoor, garage feel to it with PO boxes lining a part of the wall, brick walls, lamps, and plants.

My friend ordered the Turkish eggs.  At first he was hesitant about his order - who wouldn't be? - especially when the description includes "poached Turkish eggs on top of yogurt".  His plate came with two slices of bread placed next to a large bowl that was filled 1/3 through with yogurt.  On top of the yogurt were the eggs, separated from the yogurt by a thin layer of reddish oil.  It was hilarious watching my friend try to figure out how to tear into his meal.  Should he: A) mix the oil and yogurt first, preserving the integrity of the eggs; B) mix the yogurt and oil, then pop the perfectly poached eggs;  C) just rip into the contents of the bowl and blend everything with a few swift vortex-like motions?  He ended taking option B, and then slowly moved onto option C.  Being the wonderful foodie friend he is, he ripped me a piece of bread, drizzled a generous dollop of yogurt mix, and dabbed a bit of eggs on top of his amuse-bouche creation.  In two bites, I devoured the poor thing.  The first bite I was shocked, adjusting to a personal new-found flavor combination.  The second bite sealed the deal.  Strangely enough, I enjoyed it.  The tangy touch from the yogurt flowed with the warm, buttery texture of the eggs.

I ordered the Coconut pancakes.  My plate came with two small pancakes (imagine a slightly larger, irregularly shaped english muffin), drizzled with milky ricotta topping, a few sugar-sized cubes of mango, in a thin pool of ginger lime syrup.  The pancakes had an interesting texture - there were shreds of coconut inside, the bottom of the pancakes were lightly seared, giving them a slight crispy texture.  The most prominent flavor in my dish was the lime syrup.  It was quite refreshing and a great contrast to the drier texture of the pancakes, and the milky flavor of the ricotta topping.  Overall, the flavors were fine - reminiscent of a short, uneventful tropical trip in your mouth.  I would not recommend this selection if you're feeling particularly ravenous.  It was good, but not good enough that I could ignore my unfulfilled craving for more food.  –9/5/09

OVERALL RATING: * * *
FOOD: * * *
SERVICE: * * 1/2
AMBIANCE: * * * *
VALUE: * * 1/2

PROS:

• Trendy decor and ambiance
• Large, spacious dining area
  
• Unique flavor combination and ingredients
  

CONS:

• Small portions