Brunch at Papacitos

I recently gathered a few Greenpoint ladies to help me test Papacitos’ new brunch menu. Close to ten of us strolled into the backyard on a hot weekend afternoon and in the next couple hours we filled the table with food and chatter. I requested everyone order something different so I could dig my fork into their plate and there was little disappointment as I circled the table and tasted pickled cactus, spiced tilapia fillet, mesca cake, soyrizo, and stuffed peppers. Each plate was specific in taste and presentation with portions too generous for a person to finish without belching out a food baby.

I chatted with owner and chef Cody about his inspirations behind the menu and he mentions it’s Mexican food with a twist, playing with ingredients as wide and varied as cinnamon-almond milk syrup and vegan crème while staying true to Mexican cuisine. With brunch a popular means to celebrate the morning after, these wholesome dishes will have you leaving with a satisfied grin and a belly filled to the brim. Now on with the delicious details:

I tried the Mole ‘n Eggs which comprises of eggs that were poached to perfection (a slight stab with the fork gets the yolk bleeding) in mole sauce with shredded beef and pickled cactus salad that ended up being a bit too sour for me to adjust. As a whole it was a pleasurable mixture of gooey, chewy and crunchy sour that when accompanied by crispy chalupas makes for a colorful and tasty combo.

My favorite (although I only had one bite) would have to be the poached eggs with white corn polenta, which incorporates shredded pork with green chili sauce and roasted peppers. It’s rich and saucy and there’s something about mixing runny yolk and grits that hits a warm and comforting spot.

Next in the favorites line is the vegan tamale with Soyrizo, which despite being a tad too spicy for my low tolerance reverted my skepticism of anything deemed imitation meat. The roasted eggplant-tahini chile sauce was a beautiful shade of orange and the tamale was balanced between crisp and thick. The single bite I took was flavorful and inspiring enough for me to go buy a pack of soyrizo and try making this at home.

The thought of eating fish as the first meal was off putting but the two people who ordered fish taco salad nearly finished the plate and both agreed it was a damn good meal. I took a hesitant bite of the fish, which had a crispy and salty skin and I can only imagine it blended well with the pickled cabbage and cheese. The dish also includes black beans and sliced jalapenos, which cannot be tolerated on my end but seems to be a winner for others.

With this in note, test the brunch menu, especially with a group of fabulous kick ass Greenpoint ladies and return with a report (I’ve officially pseudo-mockingly christened a new Facebook group called Greenpoint Girls Group, which will meet for monthly brunches. Look for us and join if you so care.)