A deliveryman
cradling three crates of farm fresh eggs passes my table. It’s brunch rush at
the Iris Café – a coffee shop located on a cobblestoned side street in Brooklyn
Heights.
A medical quote
comes to mind as I examine the Iris menu, “first do no harm.” The food comes from
small farms within 500 miles. The meats are from Dickson’s Farmstand, a New
York supplier of meats from local, sustainable farms. The coffee is fair trade;
they use Stumptown, roasted in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn. Some of
the farm-fresh fare, such as dairy and eggs, is even available for purchase in
a small “grocery” case by the Café’s cashier.
The vibe of Iris
is more carefree and dare I say it – prettier
– than the average hipster coffee joint. The glass door has a cluster of purple
and blue iris flowers painted on it – a design also stamped lovingly on each
to-go cup. Chalkboard menus in ornate golden frames hang against an exposed
brick wall. Each small square table is freshened with roses in recycled glass. (Mine
was a Sanbittèr bottle – an aromatic bitters once produced by the San
Pellegrino Company.) The beige muffin pouches are made of silky lightweight craft
paper.
The brief and not-too-varied
menu is divided equally into food and drink items, and the coffee options are
many. Baristas swirl heart-shapes and leaves into foamy espresso drinks.
My
brunch date ordered the French dip ($10) and I went with the Ploughman ($9), a
sandwich with a tangy Surryano ham — a domestic version of the Spanish Serrano
– apple slices, pickles, sharp cheddar and Dijon-mayo, all packed into a
baked-onsite baguette. Delicious.
The
French dip differs from the LA area original. The tender roast beef is served
pink not well done and is accompanied by Blue Brie and Dijon mayo. The au jus
is an earthy brew of beef broth and coffee. Purists might frown. I enjoyed the embellishments
as a charming nod towards the French side of things. In the northern region of
France where Brie originated they dunk wedges of the cheese into their café au
lait.
The food might
be big on quality, but don’t expect giant servings. Sandwiches arrive solo on
craft paper – only the French Dip gets a plate (that au jus can get messy!). Sides
are ordered separately.
My
baguette devoured, I ordered biscuits with berry jam to go along with a second
round of coffee. They had a soft and airy texture, and the jam tasted homemade
good (it’s made from scratch at the café).
Owner Rachel
Graville apprenticed at Slow Food USA, an organization dedicated to defending
food biodiversity, and previously worked at Edible Brooklyn, a magazine
covering the local food movement.
