Norma's: Breakfast with the Family in Manhattan

The Big Picture
Norma's is a beloved New York restaurant that serves breakfast all day and lunch in the afternoons. With a sleek décor, the restaurant matches the hotel it's housed in - the Le Parker Meridien. Our family felt welcome there with babies and kids lounging in the waiting area, although the closely packed tables were mostly full of adult tourists and those having business meetings.

The Food (Breakfast – but of course!)
The food was the star here and the portions are large (matching the prices). My husband, son and I shared the Blueberry Pancakes with thick buttery Devonshire cream (TIP: request the blueberry compote and cream on the side to avoid soggy pancakes), Eggs Benedict with ham charmingly positioned on top of two tiny pancakes, and a rather large side of Bacon lightly dusted with fresh black pepper (we counted nine pieces). The beverages are also outstanding - free shots of fruit smoothies, the freshly squeezed Orange Juice in "nice tall glasses" with free refills! The coffee was equally good, dispensed by a French press. The service was frustrating, with long waits to order our food, receive the food, and get the check. (The bill for the two entrees, bacon, juices, and coffee was about $85. Our beverages were comped because of the long wait.)2 Quick Tips:
1. Make reservations weeks in advance for weekends, it's very crowded. (Le Parker Meridien guests receive reservations' preference.) The best time to go seems to be during the week, we got a table for three on a Thursday morning without reservations.
2. Plan to share entrees - don't order one entree for each adult, the portions are too large for almost any adult to eat by themselves.

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