Eat Records- More Than Vinyl to Chew On

The neighborhood brunch scene can be hectic to say the least. Brunch spots along Franklin, McCarren Park, and up along Metropolitan Avenue are often crowded with long waits for a table. In recent years, I have become something of a grump about brunch, all too willing to rant about it to anyone who will listen, and the above factors provide some of the reasons I avoid taking this meal during the weekend.
I was lured out of my hole of brunch refusal this past weekend to try the menu at Eat Records on Meserole Avenue in Greenpoint. I have passed this unassuming storefront on numerous occasions and had yet to step inside. The front of the café is a record store with a few tables for seating, and if you sidle through the kitchen there is a backyard patio with two wooden banquet tables and benches.
The store was founded by Casey Block, first as a backdrop for an amazing record collection and live music venue with in house café. In recent years there has been a shift to a restaurant set-up with more of the space converted to an eatery with décor and menu in keeping with other neighborhood cafes.
The menu is simple and a little on the pricey side. It includes yogurt with fruit and jam ($4.50), toast with fresh strawberry cream cheese ($4.50), hard-boiled egg banh mi ($6), Napa cabbage salad with bacon, egg and toast ($9), and strawberry pancakes with rhubarb jam ($9). Ingredients are fresh and seasonal.
The hard-boiled egg banh mi was the first thing I tried from the menu. Egg is a classic filler for the Vietnamese/French hybrid sandwich, but they have a different take on it at Eat. The sandwich was served on tradition, crusty French bread with egg, homemade carrot and red radish pickles (not the daikon radish one might expect), a sprig of dill, and homemade hot sauce. I must say that there was a flavor explosion in my mouth, but it was more overwhelming than a dynamic melding of taste. The sauce, I was told was hotter than usually and the flavor of the dill of much too overpowering. The pickles were delicious though, and I am happy to see more and more restaurants making their own.
I also tried the strawberry pancakes served with rhubarb jam. This early summer fruit combination is always a winner, remains so in pancake form, and is something I will try to repeat at home.
My experience at Eat was a pleasant one over all. The café is just far enough off the beaten path to provide some respite from the droves at other popular brunch locales, and the backyard seating under dappled shade quiet and relaxing. Am I moved towards a more favorable view of brunch? Not really. I can’t help but look at menus like these and think how I could produce this food at home to the same effect, and that is certainly not the impression a menu or food item should make.