Café Mogador in the East Village, Saturday 2PM

Welcome to the Brunch Bunch, where we go to some of the city’s hottest brunch spots and ask the crowds outside why, exactly, they are waiting in line. Today, Café Mogador in the East Village.

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Over the last 28 years, Café Mogador has developed a strong brunch following of East Villagers and those from outside the nabe drawn in by the restaurant’s solid Moroccan fare, low, low prices and breezy European café vibe. This past Saturday at 2PM the crowds milling outside included a film editor, an out-of-work retail professional and a gaggle of hungover NYU students. Let’s meet them shall we?

Name: Kimberly and Ben
Ages: 28 and 25
Profession: TV commercial producer and video editor
Why are you waiting in line for brunch at Café Mogador? Kimberly: It’s one of our regular spots, we live in the East Village, it’s close by and we like the Mediterranean breakfast. Ben: The food’s good, the service is good and you always know what you’re going to get when you come here. Kimberly: One time my chili paste was in the shape of a heart.
How long have you been waiting? Kimberly: Ten minutes? We were quoted 15 but we’re still waiting.
How long would you have to wait before deciding to go somewhere else? Kimberly: Probably 40 minutes. Ben: If Kim said “Let’s go somewhere else,” I’d probably go somewhere else right now.
If the wait gets too long, do you have a back-up plan? Kimberly: Probably Yaffa Café. Ben: Really? Well, probably somewhere else on the same block.
Did you go out last night? Ben: Yeah, we went out to Williamsburg to the Brooklyn Bowl, and then to this bar called The Gibson, and then we got pizza at the place that’s right by there, and got on the L-Train and came back to Kim’s place. Kimberly: We had to wait a half an hour for the L-Train.
What are your plans for the rest of the day? Ben: We’re going to go to the Bowery Ballroom, there’s a CMJ thing there.

Name: Daniel
Age: 29
Profession: Retail professional, currently unemployed
Why are you waiting in line for brunch at Café Mogador? I’ve been coming here forever, since they opened, it’s great. I love their fresh-squeezed orange juice and their coffee. I usually get the hummus and falafel platter — it’s amazing.
How long have you been waiting? So far, like seven minutes? They told me the wait would be about 20 minutes.
How long would you have to wait before deciding to go somewhere else? Actually, I’m a regular, so I don’t mind waiting. The service is really good.
But if the wait does get too long, do you have a back-up plan? Yeah, probably the slice joint across the street.
Did you go out last night? I did not actually, I stayed home. No work, so, can’t go out.
What are your plans for the rest of the day? Actually I’m going to Central Park, going to walk around because it’s too nice. You’re not going to get many of these days.

Names: Jody and Dana
Ages: 21 and 22
Professions: Students, New York University
Why are you waiting in line for brunch at Café Mogador? Dana: We live around the corner on Fifth Street and the breakfast special is only $8 and you get coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice on a big plate.
How long have you been waiting? Dana: Ten Minutes? Jody: They told us the wait would be 15 to 20 minutes.
How long would you have to wait before deciding to go somewhere else? Dana: Half an hour.
If the wait gets too long, do you have a back-up plan? Jody: No. No plan B, we’re pretty flexible.
Did you go out last night? Dana: Uggh, yes. Jody: We went to a CMJ showcase, a bunch of DJs.
What are your plans for the rest of the day? Dana: I have to work at Stanton Social.

Name: Pushka
Age: 28
Profession: Product manager
Why are you waiting in line for brunch at Café Mogador? I was here once before and I really loved the food. The location’s really good, the food’s good, and I saw positive reviews online.
How long have you been waiting? Five minutes, but I think we have another ten minutes to go.
How long would you have to wait before deciding to go somewhere else? Maybe 20 minutes? But by then you’ve already been waiting 20 minutes, and you think you’re going to get in soon, so you don’t want to lose out on it.
If the wait gets too long, do you have a back-up plan? I don’t. I didn’t see anything else.
Did you go out last night? I just went out for a couple of drinks, I have some friends visiting from outside New York. We went to a couple of bars near Hell’s Kitchen, that’s where I live.
What are your plans for the rest of the day? Central Park, a play, and then clubbing in the night. We’re thinking 230 Fifth or maybe the Meatpacking?

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