Norma's

Catchy name, n'est-ce pas? 

Norma's is one of my all-time, can't fail, kinda-splurgey-but-worth-it spots. It's in the lobby of Le Parker Meridien Hotel, just a short walk from Central Park. I met up with M, one of my college roommates, for a weekday breakfast there. I only go here on special occasions, and this was definitely one!
Every visitor to Norma's gets a complimentary mini-smoothie. This day's was kiwi, pineapple, strawberry & banana (I may be forgetting something). Delicious and just enough of a sweet kick to start!

I HIGHLY recommend making a reservation here (which I did). Then you can breezily saunter (smiling, of course) past the tourists who didn't know such insider info. The wait can be long at Norma's. Trust me-- OpenTable this business!

M is a pancake fan, so I recommended the banana-macadamia nut pancakes. I had a bite of these from a friend's leftovers and knew I had to get to this place. That's how good these are. That drizzle on top? Oh, just some banana brown sugar butter. You won't need syrup with these babies.

Pancake Apology

M gave me a generous bite of her pancakes, and I can tell you these are damn good. I can also tell you they are better the next day, but M was going to be on the move all weekend and couldn't take the leftovers. I snapped a funny picture of her "apologizing" to the pancakes for being unable to take them. Kind of an 'It's not you, it's me' moment for food. I dig her sense of humor... cuz we're funny like that. :)

I have tried a few different dishes at Norma's, but the past few times I've gone I've stuck to my favorite: huevos rancheros. These are a bit different--a light fluffy cooked omelette on top a thin smear of refried beans, tiny quesadilla triangles tucked in around it, and a fabulous topping of pico de gallo and guacamole. This is savory breakfast nirvana for me. Can I get a YUM up in here???

Coffee at Norma's comes in a French press, and we did some considerable damage to both of ours. Did I mention I got up pretty early? This coffee is strong and powerful, and I was so grateful for it. I might have been feeling a bit buzzy the rest of the day, too--worth it!

Entrées at Norma's start around 20 bucks, so it's definitely not a Cheap Eats place, but it is worth every delicious bite. Tourists, locals, and everyone in between will find something to savor here!

Norma's
119 West 56th Street (inside Le Parker Meridien Hotel)
New York, NY 10019
212-245-5000

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