Order the French toast!

The place: Le Gamin Cafe

The wait: Le Gamin is a buzzing brunch spot, but surprisingly, waltzing in at noon—the height of Brooklyn brunch time—yielded a table immediately.

The deal: If you’re craving a true brunch, order off the “breakfast” menu, served from 8am until 3:45pm daily. Though this café is French owned, and supposedly authentic, its breakfast consists of much more than a croissant or a hunk of baguette slathered with butter and jam. Simply put: If French women ate here, they’d get fat. There’s no prix fixe, but the entrées (ranging from complicated egg dishes to sweet and savory crêpes and an unforgettable French toast) are reasonably priced, most between $8 and $12.

Delicious? Just order the French toast, okay? If you don’t—and your date does—you will end up reaching across the table and stealing half of his or her meal. And he (or she) won’t she pleased about it. Ask my fiancé; he knows from experience. He ordered the perfectly tasty oeuf Gamin (a poached egg on a creamy goat-cheese potato pancake, served atop a heap of homemade, tomato-y ratatouille), but still craved my dish. What makes the French toast (or, on this menu, “Pain Perdu Avec Fruits Frais”) so amazing is the bread. They don’t overwhelm it with egg, but rather lightly coat it. The result is a sweet, orange-infused treat with an ever-so-crunchy crust. The pain is plated with fresh fruit, a slice of middling ham (though they get points for free protein!) and bite-size oven-baked potatoes. The homemade lemonade, served in an old-fashioned milk-shake glass, is a refreshing, tart treat. It arrives at the table with a self-serve bottle of liquid sugar—pour generously. Or caffeinate with a café au lait: The small ($3.25) is actually bigger than most restos’ cups of coffee.

The service: Borders on slow—but not when it matters. We sat with empty plates for quite a while before they were cleared.  But menus, drinks and food arrived promptly.

The verdict: Pairs will find seats here more easily than larger parties, so save the double date for another venue. If you’re okay with waiting, hold out for the outdoor garden. And let me reiterate: Order the French toast.—Julia Israel