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It's like Christmas
all year long at this place. I'm not sure why this is exactly, other
than the feeling of being surrounded by wreathes and whatnot. The
joint also tends to smell of cinnamon and coffee and syrup and toasty
things. Ducking in out of the cold in this semi-subterannean space
is both a warming and frustrating experience. There's something cozy
about the place--its sounds and smells and generally tight quarters--but
there's also the matter of standing there for what seems like years,
trying to avoid waitresses, hosts, patrons and busboys while your
name gets no closer to the top of the list. We stood there as we swore
they gave away our table for four several hundred times. Again, the
atmosphere was pleasant, if not somewhat chaotic, and we eventually
had our name called just as I was about to steal a pancake off some
unsuspecting Yuppie's plate. We whirled our way around the wood space,
passing tens of youngish women in long, dark coats and expensive hairdos,
and finally arrived at our funky, little table. THe brunch menu is
relatively limited, and considering I don't eat warm fruit or swine,
my choice was basically limited to the chocolate chip pancakes (twist
my arm). That's a hard one to mess up, honestly, and they didn't disappoint.
The rest of our time there was very nice and relaxing, and the others
in my party looked pretty well satisfied. Brunch places in Manhattan
can be treacherous on weekends, and Danal is no exception, but if
you're able to find a time where the whole of the 300K+-a-year crowd
hasn't decided to descend upon this place, you too will go back to
your one-bedroom box with the feeling of the holidays (and chocolate
chip pancakes) in your heart.[MF]
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