Sunday Brunch is a beautiful thing. The wonderful leisure of a slow meal on a Sunday morning (or afternoon, rather). With plenty of tasty brunch places in my neighborhood of Astoria, my favorite for years has been Igloo, which serves good omelets and has a nice courtyard in the back. But I’ve found a new favorite: Fatty’s Cafe.

A unique brunch experience, Fatty’s Cafe is a Caribbean restaurant with brightly colored walls and lively music playing. There’s a bar and a courtyard (which I’ll have to check out when the weather warms up). The menu ranges from the traditional (pancakes and omelets) to Caribbean specialties like polenta cakes and mofongo. Most dishes are served with a mesculin salad. Brunch comes with your choice of mimosa or fruit beverage. I highly recommend getting the cafe con leche, which is deliciously smooth and tasty.

The first time I went to Fatty’s, I was impressed by not only the food, but the general vibe of the place and the people there. All along the bright blue walls hung colorful paintings by a local artist, which added to the joyful atmosphere. All the servers were very friendly and attentive. And this great music with a Caribbean beat was playing softly in the background.

As we enjoyed our meal, we heard one of the servers gasp and looked outside to see an elderly woman had fallen on the ice. Within seconds the server and a group of Fatty’s customers who had been leaving the restaurant rushed outside to help her. After a couple strong customers helped her onto her feet, the server helped her into the restaurant to rest for a minute. Another customer offered her a ride home. Such kindness reaffirmed my belief that we live in a city filled with good people. Good people and good brunches.