Recently, we had a very good brunch Upland. This place would appeal to everyone from the carnivore to the salad lovers; a meal with the parents to coworkers; power lunches to having brunch with friends. The atmosphere is spacious, inviting in its casual-chic way, and the back wall of shelves filled with what looks like large jars of preserved lemons that give a golden glow is pretty striking.
The food is by Justin Smillie, the former chef of Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria that brought national attention, does not disappoint. It is fresh, vegetable-forward, and packed with packed with intense flavors.
We started out with the burrata ($19). Our version was topped with shavings of salty, umami packed mojama, tangy artichoke hearts, sunflower seeds, Arbequina olive oil. When you have a bite of each ingredient, the creamy, neutral burrata is a wonderful vehicle of flavors.
My friend had the oblong sausage and kale pizza ($19) topped with young pecorino cheese, stracciatella and Parmigiano. I know you’re thinking by now, “Another kale dish?” But going beyond the fact it is a trendy vegetable, it does give the creamy pizza a certain kind of bitterness that give the pizza some character. The trio of cheeses acted as a sparse, creamy, slightly funky sauce to the not too thin, nicely charred pizza crust.
I opted for the porchetta and egg sandwich ($18) since I love my roast pork. The toasted ciabatta roll was probably a bit too thick for my liking and wish I had a few more slices of that delectable pork roasted in herbs but it was a great sandwich. The pickled guindilla chillies gave it a vinegary twang to the sandwich and the slightly runny egg added a layer of lusciousness.
Overall, it’s a great place to eat out and make the trip down to Park Avenue South. Service is good and pretty attentive.
To view photos of this visit, please CLICK HERE for the full photo set or view the gallery below:
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Information:
Upland
Website
345 Park Ave South
New York, NY 10010
Phone: (212) 686-1006
