We should have known better- arriving at the Sunburnt Cow at prime brunch time on a Sunday… What were we thinking? After learning of the over 1 1/2 hour wait to partake in the biggest Sunday Funday all-you-can-drink brunches/parties in town, we decided to go elsewhere. We were intrigued by the french/chill/islandy music and the very budget friendly brunch menu at Arcane, a French-Caribbean restaurant at 111 Ave. C between 7th and 8th Street, so we decided to take a risk and give it a try. Arcane’s vibe, music, and lack of an hour (or longer) wait beckoned us inside. The waiters and the bartender were incredibly friendly- all with strong French accents, trendy East Village garb, and big smiles.  We were sat immediately underneath a colorful (mobile-like) hanging of voodoo dolls. The space had nice modern lighting, tropical plants, lighted candles, and a big wooden bar. The music was great and almost had Andy rocking out on the air bongo. Our waiter was sure to close the door so we were not cold at our table by the entrance- without us even asking.  More about our low expectations-high results brunch after the jump…

The menu featured brunch items all around $10 that came with a brunch cocktail + coffee or tea. It was cash only and we certainly had to ask what some dishes were (remember, French-Caribbean brunch). I had the omelet of the day (swiss cheese and mushrooms accompanied by flavorful potatoes and a little salad with mustard vinaigrette). Andy had the baked eggs (a casserole dish filled with baked eggs, a zucchini-like vegetable, ham) which he loved. I was amazed at how good my simple omelet was- fresh herbs, marinated mushrooms, and a healthy portion of hot, melted cheese. It certainly exceeded my expectations. I also was impressed by the “rasberrini” brunch cocktail (champagne with raspberry puree), and the mango version of the champagne cocktail was also tropical and delicious. Andy had a bloody mary, but asked for hot sauce to kick it up a notch. He was given traditional tabasco, but also a home-made hot sauce that beat any bottled sauce I ever tried. It had serious heat and was made from yellow peppers (it looked like a yellow pepper relish, but it surely was more spicy than sweet). I had to devour a couple of pieces of the steaming hot french bread after a fork full of the hot sauce. Even though Arcane is not an all-you-can-drink brunch spot (drawing a packed house like Sunburt Cow), you could make your own boozy brunch at Arcane for a very reasonable price. My under $10 omelet included one brunch cocktail and all additional cocktails were only $4.

We were so impressed with Arcane’s food that we asked to see a dinner menu. We will certainly be back for the conch stew (reminding us of our days in Turks & Caicos) and the jasmine rice. I love a taste of the islands as the New York brisk fall/winter weather sets in, so I am very much looking forward to my next meal at Arcane.

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