Peachy Picks Oscar's Brasserie at The Waldorf=Astoria Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
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And The Waldorf=Astoria Hit Parade continues on Whom You Know!!! Oscar's Brasserie is named for Oscar Tschirky, the maitre d' who defined the concept of epicurean public dining. Oscar's is the place to start the day off right, and it has been a staple of The Waldorf=Astoria for generations. How many restaurants in New York can honestly employ the world generational in terms of their history!?! We suspect even Lady Mary, Lady Edith and Lady Sybil would have ventured here when visiting their grandmother in New York in the days of Downton Abbey...The venue is open for breakfast and lunch and engages diners with absolutely everything one's heart could desire for breakfast, and Peachy Deegan believes she tried one of everything successfully! It is buffet-style with a quintessential omelette station you absolutely need to include-see our pal above!
Oscar's Brasserie was first featured in Tasty Tidbits:
and we are glad to say it has hit a home run into Peachy's Picks.
The full American buffet even contains cereal with multiple milk choices for even the fussiest of clientele who must have their Frosted Flakes.
Smoothies await!
The fruit options are just divine, beginning with the bananas in light syrup.
Options, options, options! We suggest not eating dinner the night (unless you have reservations at Peacock Alley or the Bull & Bear!) before so you are absolutely ravenous upon arrival.
As you make your way through the buffet you will discover your eyes are bigger than your stomach, but with some dialogue between your brain and stomach, said stomach is happy to comply! Oscar's is culinary heaven for those that just woke up, and note that this is our first ever breakfast review. We have not seen any other breakfast in Manhattan that is anywhere near as competitive as the offering we encountered at Oscar's Brasserie of The Waldorf=Astoria!
The mixed fresh fruit was among the top three favorites of Peachy...especially in the winter, it is a treat to enjoy such luscious fresh fruits in a salad. Less is more!
That's Peachy's first plate. We're not going to tell you how many plates there were....the scrambled eggs were perfection and the potatoes were tender and ideal.
The Signature Thick-Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon was among Peachy's top three as well, and if she smelled that from her bed in the morning she would awake with much more vigor! The only solution she can see is that she must move to The Waldorf=Astoria...what do you think?
The atmosphere is classy and casual, and every area of the buffet fit for royalty is well-organized. We know you, our readers, are royalty, and if not, should be treated that way!
The pastry options will blow you away. Every carbohydrate you will want to befriend is there ready, waiting for you. Don't worry, indulge! You can walk all around New York in this brisk winter air after and walk it off, while you're shopping of course!
Muffins and sweet rolls and bagels oh my!
And what is better for bagels than Smoked Salmon! So fresh, so thin, so much flavor! Bagels with the salmon cream cheese was the third component of Peachy's top three.
Another plate by Peachy:
Even more fun comes when you have the opportunity to design your own bespoke omelette, with zero work by you other than the design idea.
Again, every option on earth for an omelette is presented to you! Peachy chose mozzarella, mushrooms, chives, onion and spinach.
The omelette chef is superb and very cordial too:
And the result is exactly what you wanted!!!
Finally, don't forget the cheese! The orange juice fresh-squeezed is tops and the coffee is amazing.
So, now you know where to go to breakfast when you come to Manhattan, or better yet, if you live here, make your reservation for tomorrow! And the next day, and the next day...
Our esteemed panelist adds:
I love breakfast! It is the perfect start to a weekend or any day. There is nothing like a Saturday morning where you go to your favorite local restaurant and have all of the wonderful breakfast standards. But what happens during the week? Most weekdays require me to be at the office, but what about vacation days? What is a New Yorker to do? Well I now know that the perfect solution is there everyday of the week at Oscar's in the Waldorf =Astoria.
After being whisked to our table we were presented with fresh orange juice and a lovely cup of coffee – although I went the iced route which was a good option! The service was delightful and we were instructed about the numerous options of the buffet. Where to start? There were so many possibilities. Well I went the traditional route with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and fruit. One is never sure of what the buffet eggs will provide. These were fluffy and soft and full of flavor. It was as if they were made just for me. This is an art and I loved it. The bacon was thick cut and Applewood smoked. It was a good combination of smoky and juicy. The pork sausage was so so good. I wished I had gone for more. Lastly there was the egg casserole. That was the treat of the whole meal for me! I adored it. It was cheesy deliciousness with sausage that was slightly spiced and a myriad of vegetables! It reminded me of a dish one would have in New Orleans. I am still thinking about how good this dish was and how soon I can return for it!
So what next? Was there room for more? Well I was going to do my best to try. In the middle of the room was a large station of pastries and all the possible accompaniments a breakfast attendee could want! I decided to go the traditional New York bagel route with scallion cream cheese and smoked salmon. The cream cheese was light and airy with the right amount of scallion. The salmon was smoked properly and was just salty enough. One was able to toast their own bagel which I prefer.
I would rather a slightly toasted bagel, and it always pleases me when I have the control of the toasting! Also included in the table was a variety of cheeses and meat. The swiss cheese was fantastic, and a nice addition to my bagel.
I am swimming in amazing breakfast foods. What a morning this had been so far! But it wasn’t over. The last and perhaps most alluring area that was left to conquer was the made to order omelette station. What a glorious idea and there were numerous options for one to choose from. I didn’t know where to start!
In the end I picked my favorite ingredients onions, American cheese and bacon. I stood there waiting for my omelet in eager anticipation. And when the time came to dig in, I was overwhelmed with how good my omelette was! I love my eggs to be soft and a little runny. With the make your own idea you are in the breakfast driver seat communicating directly with the chef. The bacon added a level of salty nicely coupled with a slight crunch of the onions and gooey cheese. I was sold at the first bite!
So in the end Oscar's is a winner. They know who their audience is and what there are looking for in a meal. I always say a restaurant should focus on what they do and do it well. There is nothing worse than a restaurant that tries to go in too many directions. Oscars is well-planned and well-stocked. I say to all New Yorkers, play hooky one morning, grab your preferred paper and run to Oscars for a fabulous breakfast!
Peachy Picks Oscar's Brasserie at The Waldorf=Astoria.
Oscar's Brasserie has earned our Highest Recommendation.
Take a stroll through the lobby too, because it is gorgeous!
