Two Restaurant Reviews

North Square (103 Waverly Place, New York , NY 10011)

Verlaine (110 Rivington Street, New York, NY 10012)

Not even a malfunctioning L train, hideous Chinatown gridlock or a sudden snowstorm could stop Jorge, J-La and Cafe Drake from our Sunday jazz brunch at the Washington Square Hotel's North Square, discretely located on one of Greenwich Village's more picturesque blocks. Guitarist Roni Ben Hur and vocalist Amy London gave a floor show of classics, jazz standards and even a reconfigured arrangement of a Joni Mitchell folk song a mere foot from our table. Besides the best seats in the house, we enjoyed dense fruit and nut bread, Bloody Marys ($7) and three satisfying entrees; Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes with Candied Pistachios and Chicken Sausage ($10) got a good review from Jorge, while J-La savored her omelette of chorizo and cheddar (sided with predictable salad and home fries). Cafe Drake had a non-slimming Chicken Club ($10) with red pepper mayo and fresh mozzarella in addition to the typical bacon and tomato adornment.

Verlaine has a small problem. Wait. Make that a BIG problem with their menu of "small plates". Devoted exclusively to the Fusion Disaster known as "Asian Tapas", Verlaine's tiny kitchen does very little with very little space: uniformly disappointing were Sake Shrimp Skewers ($11), unenlivened by a syrupy soy dipping sauce. Tooth-ache inducing coconut rice sat upon two dismal plates already far too sweet - Flounder Cooked with Butter and Sake ($12) and Glazed Soy Salmon ($11). Both petite hunks of fish, while cooked proficiently enough to retain a modicum of moisture, were bland exercises in soy and sugar. Diabetics have further reason to reach for the insulin if sipping from the (Un)Happy Hour cocktail menu of Lychee Martinis (yuck! gross! ewwwww!) and White Sangria (better known as circus lemonade). Best of all yet best described as pedestrian at best, a lone (small!) plate of fried calamari ($8) was made servicable especially by a garlicy mayo dip. Not to worry as the evening was saved by strong after-dinner drinks at Lotus, that bar's early-70s garage rock and ska soundtrack, delightful company and 2 3:00AM sauerkraut and mustard crowned hot dogs ($1 each) at Papaya King.