The House

I always wondered what this mid-19th-century carriage house was doing in the middle of East 17th Street. Was it an inn? A nautical museum? Today, I found out that it was an excellent place to have brunch.

An amiable host sat me at a white marble table and I looked over the menu. The brunch menu included a prosciutto, fig and gorgonzola panino, a lobster club with pancetta, a scrambled egg sandwich, and my choice, a cheery little frittata loaded with bright red and yellow cherry tomatoes, baby zucchini, mushrooms and red onions, served with pressed sourdough toast. I couldn't resist an order of the well-salted roasted fingerlings peppered with black truffles... these were among the best brunch potatoes I've eaten. (However, the advertised Mocha Joe's coffee was much weaker and more bitter than I remembered from my trip to Brattleboro.)

I had no room left for the Key lime pie, triple chocolate mousse cake or gelato, but I'll make sure to leave some when I head over for dinner. I'm thinking about going on a Friday, when the rotisserie special is organic Amish chicken with ginger lemongrass honey.

The House: 121 East 17th St., (212) 353-2121.