The 3 P.M. Brunch With the 4 A.M. Vibe By BEN DETRICKNOV. 16, 2011 Continue reading the main story Share This Page Share Tweet Pin Email More Save Photo An enthusiastic reveler parties to a performance by Roxy Cottontail, a promoter, at Eat Yo Brunch at Yotel on 10th Avenue, where the $35 brunch allows patrons to eat and drink for two hours. Credit Deidre Schoo for The New York Times BRUNCH, an occasion for flapjacks, Bloody Marys and meandering conversation, is traditionally the most sluggish of meals. But a smorgasbord of clubby New York restaurants have transformed lazy midday gatherings into orgies of overindulgence with blaring music, jiggling go-go dancers and bar tabs that mushroom into five figures. No, boozy brunches aren’t new. Inspired by the daytime debauchery on Pampelonne Beach in St.-Tropez, where jet-setters arrive by Ferrari and yacht, early iterations began at Le Bilboquet on the Upper East Side in the early ’90s, and spread to meatpacking district flashpoints like Bagatelle and Merkato 55 in 2008. But more recently, these brunches have been supersized, moving from smaller lounges to brassy nightclubs like Lavo and Ajna. The party blog Guest of a Guest has taken to calling it the “Battle of the Brunches.” “Not everyone gets to run to the beach or jump on a plane,” said Noah Tepperberg, an owner of Lavo in Midtown, which started its brunch party a year ago. “If you want to leave your house on the weekend, brunch fills that void.” On a recent Saturday, Mr. Tepperberg stood in Lavo’s basement kitchen, surrounded by meat slicers and employees readying confectionary “poison apples” for a Halloween party for a pre-split Kim Kardashian. Upstairs, patrons in costumes danced atop tables and chairs, bobbing to the carnival syncopation of Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “Paris.” Confetti and blasts of fog filled the air. Continue reading the main story Related Coverage slideshow The Brunch Party Takes Over Clubs NOV. 16, 2011 Advertisement Continue reading the main story It was 3 p.m. “People walk in and say, ‘I can’t believe this is going on right now,’ ” Mr. Tepperberg said. The brunch bacchanalia shows no sign of running dry. The Mondrian SoHo is starting Scene Sundays this month at its Imperial No. Nine restaurant. In Las Vegas, the original Lavo started a Champagne brunch a few weeks ago. Similar affairs have bubbled up in Boston, Los Angeles and Washington. For those looking to replicate the formula, here’s a guide to some of New York’s frothiest. Day and Night Ajna Bar (25 Little West 12th Street, dayandnightnyc.com); Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. This extravagant French-themed party landed in October at Ajna Bar in the meatpacking district, after dousing the Hamptons, Art Basel in Miami and the Oak Room in the Plaza Hotel with rosé. Beneath an industrial skylight and fluttering flags from the United Kingdom, France and Israel, well-heeled patrons pumped their fists and posed for purse-lipped Facebook photos, racking up huge tabs every Saturday. “I understand there’s a lot of people out there going through hard times,” said Daniel Koch, the promoter who helped start the Day and Night parties at Merkato 55. “But what you want to do with your money is your business.” SIGNAL TO DANCE ON TABLES “If you’ve been sprayed with Champagne, make some noise!” a hype man will shout between piercing dance tracks from Robyn, Calvin Harris and Oasis. Dancers in orange bathing suits will emerge; pipes will blast jets of fog. In a dangerously drunken take on a bar mitzvah ritual, a man spooning dessert out of a giant bowl will be seated on a chair and lifted high into the air by his cronies. BRUNCH SET Club-savvy guests seem piped in from Miami, Monaco and Merrill Lynch. “I’m from the South, so drinking during the day is not new to me,” said a woman who wore a Diane Von Furstenberg dress but not the necessary wristband to enter the V.I.P. area. Outside, near a black Aston Martin coupe, a young man wearing paint on his face and sunglasses delved into socioeconomics. “We’re the 1 percent,” he said to a woman, matter of factly. THE BUFFET The Nutella-stuffed croissants ($12) cater to Europeans, while a gimmicky $2,500 ostrich egg omelet (with foie gras, lobster, truffle, caviar and a magnum of Dom Perignon) is for aspiring Marie Antoinettes. Champagne bottles start at $500; packages with several bottles of liquor and mixers for mojitos or bellinis are $1,000. The check can be sobering. “You didn’t look at the price of the Dom bottle!” a man barked into his iPhone, to a friend who apparently ditched before paying. “It’s $700!” STILL-HOT ACCESSORY Slatted “shutter shades” live on at Day and Night. DID THE D.J. PLAY “WELCOME TO ST.-TROPEZ”? Yes. Lavo Champagne Brunch Lavo (39 East 58th Street, lavony.com); Saturday, 2 to 6:30 p.m. Smog guns. Confetti cannons. Piñatas. Masked masseuses. Dancers in Daisy Duke shorts (some on stilts, obviously). Since last November, this Italian restaurant has roiled with the energy and pageantry of Mardi Gras. At the recent Halloween party, Slick Rick, an old-school rapper with an eye patch and glinting ropes of jewelry, lethargically performed several ’80s hits. Some of the younger “Black Swans” in attendance were unsure of his identity. “Is he big in London?” asked an Australian woman wearing a top hat. SIGNAL TO DANCE ON TABLES Caffeinated anthems like Pitbull’s “Hey Baby” and Roscoe Dash’s “All the Way Turnt Up” are accentuated by processions of bouncers carrying women above them in tubs, like Cleopatra on a palanquin. Polenta pancakes taking up precious square footage? Just kick them aside with your stilettos. Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Open Thread Newsletter A look from across the New York Times at the forces that shape the dress codes we share, with Vanessa Friedman as your personal shopper. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. See Sample Privacy Policy Opt out or contact us anytime BRUNCH SET Share Champagne spritzers with willowy model types and inheritors of wealth. The scrum on an October afternoon included the son of a Mongolian dignitary, six scions of Mexican plutocracy wearing novelty somberos, and at least one supermodel. “She’s everywhere,” said Mr. Tepperberg, as the nymph, whose name he couldn’t remember, disappeared into the jungle of merriment. THE BUFFET With the emphasis on tabletop dancing, Italian trattoria offerings (margherita pizzas for $21, and lemon ricotta waffles for $19) are often abandoned underfoot and sprinkled with confetti. Proving alcohol reigns supreme here, ice buckets are carefully shielded with napkins. Bottle service rules: Moët Brut is $195 and liquor starts at $295. Balthazar and Nebuchadnezzar sizes surge toward the $10,000 mark. RISKY ROSé Alcohol and high-altitude dancing can be perilous: there was a brief hullabaloo in one corner when several women took a tumble. DID THE D.J. PLAY “WELCOME TO ST.-TROPEZ”? Yes. Eat Yo Brunch Yotel (570 10th Avenue, yotel.com); Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. If spending thousands of dollars makes your stomach turn, this newish party at Yotel is more easily digested. This affably cartoonish affair, held at the space-age hotel in Hell’s Kitchen with the design aesthetics of a Pokémon, draws a gay-friendly crowd lured northward by Patrick Duffy, a promoter. “There’s a lot of pressure in night life,” Mr. Duffy said. “But I feel like Sunday is a comedown. It doesn’t have to be perfect.” SIGNAL TO DANCE ON TABLES These connoisseurs of brunch wear designer shoes too stylish for tromping atop omelets. With a D.J. spinning dance tracks from LeLe and Earth, Wind & Fire, guests sip bellinis at the bar or banter at long communal tables. The performers are looser. One afternoon, Roxy Cottontail, a pink-haired promoter, vamped around the sunken dining area with a microphone. “Don’t make kitty pounce,” she rapped, before climbing atop a table. BRUNCH SET Clusters of trim men wear leather motorcycle jackets or shroud themselves in patterned scarves. “It’s an eclectic, downtown vibe,” Ms. Cottontail said. “We have the most fabulous gays in New York City.” When a platinum-blond waiter in skintight jeans pranced in front of a wall decorated with pictures of sumo wrestlers riding Japanese carp, it seemed straight from an anime cell. THE BUFFET For an egalitarian $35, patrons receive unlimited grub — options include chilaquiles, halibut sliders and seaweed salad — and a two-hour window of boozing. “It’s not bougie,” said Mr. Duffy, who bounded across the room hugging guests and hand-delivering shots. “You could be a poor, starving artist or someone that doesn’t take a client for under $20 million.” COLOR CODE Wear purple if you hope to be camouflaged by the staff outfits, chairs and ceilings. DID THE D.J. PLAY “WELCOME TO ST.-TROPEZ”? No. Sunset Saturdays PH-D Rooftop Lounge at Dream Downtown (355 West 16th Street, dreamdowntown.com); Saturday, 5:30 to 10 p.m. Despite a happy hour time slot, this sunset party atop the Dream Downtown hotel is not for pre-gaming. After funneling in brunch crowds from elsewhere, 8 p.m. has the frenzied atmosphere and intoxication of 2 a.m. The offbeat timing may deter conventional weekend warriors. “No matter how cool the place, some people feel Friday and Saturday nights are for amateurs,” said Matt Strauss, a manager of PH-D. “We’re not for amateurs.” SIGNAL TO DANCE ON TABLES The D.J. rapid-fires through tracks from C+C Music Factory, LMFAO and Rick Ross, but booze-lubricated guests scramble on couches with little hesitation. Those grappling with bursts of existential angst after six hours of brunch can gaze pensively at the spectacular views of Midtown Manhattan. BRUNCH SET Attractive women and affluent men knot around tables; hotel guests gawk from the bar. On a recent Saturday, Mark Wahlberg danced with a few friends, and David Lee, a former New York Knick, enjoyed downtime provided by the N.B.A. lockout. “We saw an angle,” said Matt Assante, a promoter. “People spend more money than at nighttime.” THE BUFFET Brunch is thankfully over, but crispy calamari ($17) and guacamole ($12) could constitute a light dinner. A bottle of Veuve Clicquot is $475. Cîroc vodka is $450. Cocktails like the Cloud Nine (Beefeater gin, Campari, grapefruit) are $18; a Bud Light is $10. WINDING DOWN After the rigors of daylong gorging, relax with the help of an on-site masseuse. DID THE D.J. PLAY “WELCOME TO ST.-TROPEZ”? Obviously.

CHICKEN SATEE € 12.80: L'exceptionnelle qualité d'un blanc de poulet moelleux
rehausse de toute sa saveur cette délicate préparation marinée, embrochée puis grillée. 
ROULEAUX DE PRINTEMPS € 12.80: Fine crêpe de riz fourrée de vermicelles, de poulet
et de légumes. 
TOD MAN PLA € 13.50: Préparation de poisson Thaï au curry et à la citronnelle, servit frit
; l’Entrée préférée des thaïs. 
DIM SIM MOO € 12.00: Chaussons à la crevette et au porc, cuits à la vapeur dans un
panier de bambou. 
KISS DU GOLF DU SIAM € 13.80: Délicieuses crevettes enveloppées dans un voile de
riz, frites et servies croustillantes 
PETITES BOUCHEES NARAI € 13.50: Recette créée par notre Chef Chang de Londres.
Bouchées légèrement croustillantes aux crevettes, calamar et poulet. 
SALADE DE VERMICELLES € 11.00: Agrémentée de poulet émincé et de
crevettes. Epicée mais tellement rafraîchissante. 
YAM POMELO € 15.00: Du palais Royal Souan Jit Laon… Salade fraîche de pomelo
mélangé aux crevettes, blanc de poulet, menthe et coriandre. Un Délice ! 

KUNG PAW € 17.00: Crevettes géantes grillées et légumes en beignets, sauce piquante,

à part. 

YAM HUA PLEE € 15.00: Salade de fleur de bananier et crevettes roses, noix de coco

rôtie râpée, agrémentée d'une sauce au tamarin. 

DIM SIM € 13.50: Chaussons au poulet, au crabe et au gingembre cuits à la vapeur dans

un panier de bambou. 

YAANG TAKRAI € 14.00: Filet de saumon mariné à la citronnelle puis grillé, sauce à la

menthe fraîche. 

SOUPES EXOTIQUES TOM KAA KAI € 11.00: Bouillon de poulet relevé, à la pulpe de noix de coco, parfumé de

citronnelle, galanga et feuilles de combawa: pour être au comble de l’exotisme. 

TOM YAM KHUNG € 12.50: Potage très relevé aux crevettes, citronnelle, galanga et

feuilles de combawa. Un classique incontournable ! 

KAENG JUD YAO € 9.50: Potage traditionnel de légumes frais et tofu. 

Plats MASSAMAN D'AGNEAU € 23.00: Spécialité par excellence du Sud musulman. Tendres

dés d'agneau mijotés patiemment dans une sauce riche et douce. 

SPARE RIBS € 19.00: Travers de porc marinés à notre façon puis grillés et caramélisés. 

CHIANG RAI € 17.00: De l'extrême Nord. Spécialité de porc sauté au poivre vert et basilic

thaï importés directement de Bangkok par avion. Un plat très relevé sans concession!!! 

PORC SUKOTHAI € 18.00: Filet de porc sauté à l'ail, parfumé à la coriandre et au poivre

vert frais en grappe pour des saveurs exceptionnelles 

BŒUF PANENG € 23.00: Superbe rumsteck relevé au curry et cuisiné au lait de coco. 

SALADE DE BŒUF € 24.00: Plat populaire de Thaïlande. Filet de bœufgrillé puis émincé,

assaisonné d'herbes, citron et piments. 

BOEUF AU CHILI € 24.00: Coeur de Rumsteck sauté au wok avec des petits piments,

des makue et des aubergines naines thaïes. Notre plat le plus relevé. 

COCO CABANE € 27.00: De Phuket, spécialité au curry vert, servi dans une noix de coco

fraîche, accompagné de nouilles à la vapeur. Choisissez au boeuf ou aux crevettes pour

un plaisir très relevé 

NEUA NAM TOC € 31.00: Délicieux filet de boeuf grillé accompagné d'une sauce relevée

servie à part. Une spécialité du Nord Est de la Thaïlande. 

POULET AUX NOIX DE CAJOU € 22.00: Présenté dans un demi-ananas frais. Emincé

de poulet sauté avec des maïs nains et de l’ananas frais. Plat aussi joli que raffiné. 

CUISSES D'EMERAUDE € 16.00: Dés de jeune coq marinés puis enveloppés dans

une feuille de "bai toey" fraîche, avant d’être cuit. 

LAAB KAI € 15.00: Salade d’émincé de poulet parfumée de citron vert de citronnelle,

échalotes, petits légumes. Un thaï sans concession à ne pas manquer ! 

POULET AU CURRY A LA THAILANDAISE € 21.00: Notre fameux poulet sauté au curry

vert, au lait de coco et pousses de bambou. 

HOMOK PATHONG € 19.50: Surprenant soufflé de poulet farci aux crevettes

et enveloppé dans une feuille de bananier avant d’être grillé. 

PED NAM MAKARM € 24.50: La richesse de la sauce aigre-douce au tamarin rehausse à

merveille la saveur de ces magrets de canard délicatement cuisinés. 

CANARD SIAMOIS € 23.00: Emincé de filet de canard au curry rouge agrémenté de

raisin, et d’ananas un superbe curry au lait de coco, relevé et doux. 

PED NAM TOC € 24.00: Fines tranches de magrets de canard grillés, accompagnés

d'une sauce piquante riche en saveurs. 

PLA NEUNG MANAO € 26.00: Bar entier poché au citron vert et citronnelle. Un plat

populaire du Nord-est de la Thaïlande. 

HOMOK PLA € 22.00: Une grande spécialité de saumon mariné aux herbes thaïes et cuit

à la vapeur en papillote de feuille de bananier. 

CREVETTES GEANTES € 23.00: Superbes crevettes en fins beignets au sésame, sauce

légèrement relevée proposée à part. 

ELEGANTES DE MANORA € 24.00: Belles crevettes dans un curry jaune, au lait de

coco, doux et relevé. Un plat typique du Sud musulman. 

FRUITS DE MER PHUKET € 23.00: Notre sélection de fruits de mer sautés au wok avec

de la pâte de piment frit et du basilic Thaï fraîchement livré de Thaïlande par nos soins. 

KHUNG PHAD NOR MAI FARANG € 26.00: Nos « superbes crevettes » sautées au

wok avec des asperges vertes et des champignons, achetées à Bangkok par nos équipes

en Thaïlande. 

CHU-CHI À LA VAPEUR € 23.00: Saumon frais préparé au curry thaï et lait de coco. 

ACCOMPAGNEMENTS RIZ BLUE ELEPHANT € 9.50: Riz sauté à la chair de crabe et aux oeufs. 

PHAD THAÏ AYUTHAYA € 11.00: Nouilles sautées, agrémentées de crevettes,

cacahuètes, oeufs et légumes. 

LEGUMES A LA THAILANDAISE € 9.00: Sélection de légumes croquants sautés au

Wok. 

KHAO NIAO € 4.00: Du nord-est de la Thaïlande... Riz gluant servi dans son panier

classique. 

RIZ BLANC PARFUME AU JASMIN € 3.00:

LAAB SAUMON € 15.00: Tartare de saumon aux épices et herbes thaïes. Subtil avec

beaucoup de caractère. 

HOY NEUNG MANAO € 16.00: Noix de saint Jacques pochées au citron vert et

parfumées à la citronnelle fraîche juste arrivée de Thaïlande par avion. 

CRABE MOU SAMOON PRAÏ € 17.00: Spécialité typique de crabe sans carapace, doré

et agrémentée d’herbes Thaïes croustillantes. 

Plats PLATEAU ROYAL BLUE ELEPHANT € 30.00: Découverte gastronomique à travers un

choix varié de nos plats principaux. Une allée royale empreinte du souvenir nostalgique

d'un passé enchanteur. 

TEMPURA DE LOTTE € 24.00: Jolis morceaux de lotte panés et frits, accompagnés de

deux sauces spéciales du chef dont une piquante. 

PLA SAMROD € 28.00: Daurade royale entière rissolée et servit nappée d’une sauce

authentique et très relevé « comme à Bangkok » 

BLACKPEPPER PRAWN € 26.00: Nos crevettes entières décortiquées, sautées au

poivre noir, ail et parfumées à la citronnelle.