NYC Bunch - Aurora in SoHo

This past weekend I was lucky enough to head to New York City for a mini reunion with some of my oldest friends - some from high school, and others from even earlier than that!  CAC actually lives in the city and was nice enough to arrange reservations for all our meals, which can be difficult!  I will say now that she did an amazing job with her selection.  Each of the restaurants were a bit different but all laid back.  The main point: the food was DELICIOUS everywhere!

On Saturday morning we has our brunch in SoHo at Aurora Ristorante.  The exposed brick walls and wide plank floors were especially warm and welcoming on such a cold and windy day.  While we all got coffee, which was delicious, we also got complementary cocktails with a brunch order!  Some opted for the Bloody Mary, which was VERY spicy.  I know a lot of people who really love that, but for this crowd it was just a bit too much.  Not being a Bloody Mary person myself, I got a Frizzante, which had champagne and guava juice.

Frizzante

For me, this totally hit the spot.  The juice was really light so that you could taste the champagne (my favorite part).

Most of us stuck with the breakfast menu,  but AK was too tempted by the avocado burger combination.  The burger also came with tomato, caramelized onions, handcut fries, bacon, cheese, and mushrooms.

The burger

While not the best burger we've tasted, it was still tasty and juicy, especially for the price of $12.  CAC went for her standby of Eggs Florentine, which is basically Eggs Benedict but with spinach.

Eggs Florentine

Again, this dish was nice and tasty.  The Hollandaise was flavorful and creamy.  RS followed suit and got regular Eggs Benedict.

Eggs Benedict

Again, the Hollandaise was great and the ham, along with the rest of the dish, was cooked well.

Being a huge fan of Portobello mushrooms, I was immediately drawn to the smoked bacon, mushrooms and two eggs any way you want them.

Mushroom Breakfast

The dish was delicious and perfectly satisfying, but it seemed a bit lonely on the plate.  I think the dish needed a bit more juice from the mushrooms or something.  Some greens on the side would have been nice - there was just no real color interest.  However, it was all cooked well, especially the eggs, which goes a long way in my book.

Aurora let us sit for a while, even when the place started to get really busy (with a wait).  At no point did they really rush us out the door.  Also, we actually left a Bloody Mary on the table because it was too spicy and they gave us another drink for the refill price, which they did not have to do.  Overall the food was tasty and the atmosphere was inviting, allowing the four of us to catch up.  Aurora is a great brunch spot, and I definitely want to try their dinner the next time I am in NYC.