FUCK. i just deleted this wicked long post about prune and compass. i'm too annoyed to write the whole thing again. the short version is: prune for brunch was very good. compass was great. that's all you need to know. okay, i'll add a bit more: apparently compass (UWS, 208 w 70th st) has had a pretty tempestuous history since it opened in 2002. less than a year and a half ago the new york times wrote a scathing review of the restaurant, then under the reign of katy sparks. but in august, under john fraser, the times gave them a very positive review, with particularly enthusiastic raves for the avocado parfait. i agree that the parfait was the part of the meal that made you want to stand up and applaud (the tiny strawberries did indeed have a faint-inducing delectability, although i disagree w/ the reviewer's assement of the peanut butter crust: we found it to be almost brutally abrasive and domineering next to the beautiful scandinavian-esque smoothness of the parfait). the service was quite excellent, the ingredients were fantastic (wonderfully earthy beets, baby romaine that had real substance), and in everything the food was nicely executed and memorable. definitely one of the best meals i've had in a while.