Bacon Brunch, Long Island City

Take a look at the menu above and then stop reading this post if you’re averse to bacon.

Kiyo and I are both “true bacon lovers,” so when I heard of this special pre-fixe brunch, I just knew we had to try it. It’s also BYOB, which is a huge plus, but we knew we’d be bacon-drunk so alcohol was unnecessary.

Sage General Store, is located in Long Island City, an industrial area of Queens that is gaining momentum and popularity faster than arguably any other area of New York. There are so many great restaurants, bars, parks and even museums to visit in LIC, but it’s not yet overrun (although I think it will be soon, so hurry up and visit now!).

The restaurant is tiny yet seems bright and open (especially since we were seated at one of the few tables right up next to the front window). The bright walls, vintage decorations, fresh flowers and no-nonsense napkins and crockery all made it feel very cheerful and almost farm-like. They strive to create an ambiance that is “warm and friendly,” like an “old-fashioned country store,” and they truly succeed.

The brunch begins with a biscuit, three different slices of bacon, and a bacon marmalade made in Brooklyn (be sure to eat the fruit garnishes on each dish; the acidity helps cut through all the fat from the bacon). All three slices of bacon were amazing, but the marmalade didn’t taste much like bacon (considering how much bacon was still in our future, I was A-OK with that). The biscuit mediocre, definitely not the star of the show, but then again, it wasn’t meant to be.

Picking an entrée was difficult (they all sounded so good!) but I settled on the BLT because at least the “L” and “T” would add some veggies to the mix. Served with home fries, the sandwich was made with super soft, grilled, fresh bread, excellent mayo and crispy lettuce.

Kiyo had the bacon pizza with caramelized onion, goat cheese and crème fraîche. Of course, we shared both entrees, and both were delicious. The pizza was super simple but wonderful. If ordered alone, without the appetizer and dessert, a fried egg would be great on top.

Can you even believe we made it through to dessert? I hardly can! Dessert was a bacon brownie with Jack Daniels whipped cream. You couldn’t really taste the whiskey, or the bacon, until you got a big chunk in one of the chocolate-y bites. I think I’d prefer my brownies without bacon or whiskey, but it fit in with the concept and it wasn’t bad at all.

I also appreciated the fun designs drawn on the plate in chocolate syrup. In conclusion, I wouldn’t need to do bacon brunch again, but it was really fun and turned brunch into a true adventure / activity.

Even the bill arrived in an adorable, American farm-life fashion.

Kiyo and I were eyeing the other [non-bacon] offerings the whole time; of particular interest were the roast chicken and mac & cheese. We will be back!