When I read about Doma, it promised all the good things that a great West Village café should: cozy space, restaurant-enough to stay but casual-enough to linger, mismatched furniture that give it a homey vibe and handmade artwork to boot. But after trying Doma for brunch, I realized that perhaps this place is better for a lingering cup of coffee or tea rather than an actual breakfast.
What’s in it for you: Guacamole omelette served with greens, Doma palacinka (crepe with nutella, granola, strawberries, banana and whipped cream), Murray’s bagel, tartine with butter or jam, organic oatmeal
What’s in it for them: Organic egg sandwich with ham or turkey sausage and bagel with smoked bluefish pate (that’s it in terms of meat for breakfast; check out their full menu for more meat options)
My friend and I both got the organic granola with yogurt (instead of steamed milk) and berries:
Organic granola
Not trying to toot my own horn or anything, but I make better granola than this. There was nothing wrong with it, except for the fact that it was totally bland. (Check back in a few days for a kick-butt recipe for a homemade granola I make all the time.)
Our other friend got the Babicka, which Doma touts as “grandma’s comfort food!” Comfort, indeed. It’s filled with cream cheese and served with maple syrup. Overwhelming? Yes. Comforting? Perhaps. Unfinishable? Most likely.
Babicka (French toast with cream cheese filling)
So as you can guess, I’m not in love with their morning nosh, but if you still want to do breakfast, which Doma serves all day, I would get a beverage and some small sides like walnut raisin toast, fruit salad or a cheese plate, and just enjoy it as a café, not a brunch spot in the New York sense of the word.
But I’m willing to give Doma another shot and maybe pick from their lunch menu, which offers amazing-sounding paninis served on Balthazaar ciabatta or whole grain roles (i.e. vegetable and goat cheese) and soups. Or better yet, I may keep Doma in my coffee shop hall of fame, meaning spots that are cozy, relatively quiet and are conducive to whipping out your laptop and acting like you’re super cool because you just got a Macbook Pro. Or is that just me?
Doma
17 Perry St. (at 7th Ave.)
212.929.4339
1 to Christopher St.-Sheridan Sq.