EJC's Profile
Pok Pok NY...good, not great
Weekend waits, if you don't arrive before 6p, are pretty bad. Our party of 6, arriving at 630p on a Friday, had a 2.5hr wait. While it wasn't a big deal for us, (we just went down to B61, had a few beers, and caught up with friends) I can see how it'd be a deterrent for others. However, last Thursday we showed up at 630p, and were immediately seated. It doesn't seem like the kind of place where you worry to much about other tables food coming out a few minutes before yours, or accidentally getting the wrong plate - but those mishaps seem to also have gotten better. We noticed that the water was always refilled this last time w/o us having to ask.
Having worked through a lot of the menu, we seem to always order the catfish laap. It's really quite nice - great balance. The black salted crab addition to the papaya salad has serious heat. Unaware that it's solely a flavoring agent, and not meant to be eaten, I started sucking on the shells - what an endorphine rush of heat! The pork laap is a nice chopped collection of all parts of the pig - not just a standard gray ground pork. The chicken wings are a better version of korean fried chicken.
Finally - the cocktail list. It deserves mentioning. While I'd prefer a great Mosel spatlese with my spicy food - some of these cocktails are unreal in flavor and creativity. The coconut milk ones are also great for the taming the spice.
Catania - Ca-put?
Every morning when I walk by I get a bit more bummed that they're (likely) gone.
I really miss those almond/apricot pastries
Sue Perette -- Why did I wait so long?
We also went for the first time a few weeks ago, and quite enjoyed ourselves.
A short, but well-curated wine list; a delicious cassoulet that was perfect for the frigid evening; and an empty dining room. Hopefully they'll survive.
Somewhat unrelated, but we were blown away on Friday night across the street at Battersby. At the same price point, ~$125, we really had some exceptional food and great wines.
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Sue Perette
270 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Battersby
255 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
La Mancha on Atlantic, a return visit
A great bistro w/ interesting wines would actually fill a niche on our side of town. Fingers crossed that it's not awful.
I'm bummed about losing La Mancha. It was obvious that it was coming, but once you knew what to avoid on the menu - the restaurant was a reliable standby, and Jose was always good for conversation.
I still stopped by with some frequency- but the lack of blood sausage (and the inevitable hangovers) curbed my regular attendance.
La Mancha on Atlantic, a return visit
Steve, when I was there 2wks ago, Jose mentioned that his cousin or uncle would be taking over. Does that sound familiar?
New owner @ Waterfalls on Atlantic Ave?
Wafa is definitely gone this time.
She's been back in Syria for almost a year now. I ran into her a few months ago while she was in town for the last time finalizing some paperwork. The new owner used to be a waiter at Waterfalls a long time ago.
What Brooklyn dinner experience (tomorrow night!) will persuade my wife to move there with me?
Them's fighting words...
Red Hook brunch?
A third vote for Kevin's. Their seafood dishes are great.
It's also BYOB, so don't forget to bring along a bottle of cava or prosecco to drink.
Falafel - need lots for delivery - Sehadi's or Zaytoons Smith St?
In the immediate area, I don't mind the falafel at both Fountain and Fatoush. They fill a void when needed.
However, (and I realize that it's of no use for the OP), I now find myself calling my grandmother and having her freezing and fedexing falafel to me when the craving hits. Not perfect, but it tastes like home.
That being said, hers are very green inside, so perhaps I should check out Mazzat?
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Mazzat
208 Columbia Hts, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Falafel - need lots for delivery - Sehadi's or Zaytoons Smith St?
Waterfalls' new management has brought over their own recipes (some good, some terrible). The falafel falls into the terrible category. I loved Wafa's - but this new stuff is inedible IMO.
Pulque
You can usually find the cans at Tulcingo, on the taqueria side, on 10th Ave in Hell's Kitchen.
Carroll Gardens vs. Cobble Hill CSA (Brooklyn)
Unfortunately I have no "inside info" - just a longtime member. Once your check clears, you should get an email.
Looking at my inbox, I got an email from Jeff about 10 days after putting my check in the mail.
Shichimi Togarashi in cobble hill area?
Apologies! I somehow have 3 different shichimi togarashis in my spice cabinet, and was pretty sure that at least one container came from there. I don't have a doorman, but if you'd like for me to leave a jar with a bartender at Last Exit, let me know!
Shichimi Togarashi in cobble hill area?
You can find it at the Atlantic Fruit and Veg on Atlantic Ave bt Court and Clinton. Orange shaker, back left corner.
Pre-Mets Alternatives - Preferences or New Ideas?
Agreed, this is a pretty great list. Last year I introduced my brother to Korean Fried Chicken at Unidentified Flying Chicken, so that's where we returned after opening day.
I love baseball season, as it gives me an excuse to be in Queens much more often.
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Unidentified Flying Chickens
71-22 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11372
Carroll Gardens vs. Cobble Hill CSA (Brooklyn)
Cobble Hill just opened up to the public on Friday. They'll take down the contracts from the site once they've filled up.
For more of a sure thing, I recently read about a new CSA on Cadman Plaza that had plenty of room available?
Mail-order Gulf Shrimp?
Hey guys,
Does anyone have experience ordering gulf shrimp online? CajunGrocer.com (home of mail-order turducken fame) appears to have them, but I was hoping for some personal feedback.
Thx!
What Brooklyn dinner experience (tomorrow night!) will persuade my wife to move there with me?
Unfortunately it misses on the criteria of "great food" but....
My brother sold his wife on Brooklyn recently with a meal at Bar Tabac on Smith St. The food is only ok, but it's definitely hip and quite a scene.
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Bar Tabac
128 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Back to Ali's Kebab Cafe
While Chowhound (and Bourdain) raves about Ali, I've always avoided his shop due to price. As a (half) Arabic kid who loves great food though, I've decided that I've got to finally make my way out there sooner than later.
If the wife and I show up with a bottle or two of wine and $100 we should be ok?
We were at La Mancha last night, and he has his morcilla back - as you know, one of the best dishes in Brooklyn.
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La Mancha
135 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Taro sushi omakase?
If you were able to request a seat in front of Sano, I'm sure that you can also request the 2 at a time omakase?
Oooooo a PORK CSA in Brooklyn!
We just found ourselves enjoying the unprocessed meat significantly more. I've had much better sausages at places like Flying Pigs and the Meat Hook.
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The Meat Hook
100 Frost St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
near Cobble Hill, Brooklyn - Looking for a place for a wedding dinner
It's a tough one... we were hoping to get married in Cobble Hill Park, but lack of immediate venues for a reception made it impossible. Bocca Lupo said that they could probably accommodate up to fifty if we didn't mind sticking a few people at the bar...
A thought - Tripoli has a private party room that would work. It's a bit goofy, and the food is good but not transcendent ... but it fits the parameters?
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Bocca Lupo
391 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Oooooo a PORK CSA in Brooklyn!
The Piggery offered it over the winter with pickups at The Meat Hook in Williamsburg, and the inlaws purchased me a share for a Christmas gift.
Now that it's over, I have a few thoughts...
My share was weekly - every other week would help from the pork fatigue. Our small family of two has been successful making meat less of a priority, and despite my love of pork, had an impossible time trying to finish everything. We still have a ton of meat in the freezer.
The unprocessed meat - top notch, but a bit of a rarity.
You get a ton of processed stuff - deli meats, bacons, pates, terrines, rillettes, sausages, etc where the quality varies tremendously. It's all great meat, but some of the recipes seemed suspect.
I'm not sure that I'd participate again, but that's because between the Greenmarket vendors and great butchers in BK who know the origins of their meat, it seems unncessary for me.
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The Meat Hook
100 Frost St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Waterfall on Atlantic-
It's a different restaurant now. Wafa's mother is still around, but the menu is definitely different. While I appreciate the small touches (homemade bread, non-dry schwarma), some of our old standbys don't transition well with the new management.
It's hard to lose your go-to dish of string beans and buttery rice (so says the wife).
Seeking superb 'food oasis' for my wife's 40th birthday - - > details enclosed
we had several people with seafood only meals, even one vegetarian (however the veggie options looked a bit underwhelming)
Taro Sushi replacement?
I recently had a great omakase at Taro, (about a month ago). I always find the selection significantly better on the weekends. I'm not sure that I'm buying into the hype that Taro is over.
While it's not their highlight, Hibino in Cobble Hill actually also has amazing fish for very affordable prices. The $18 sushi plate is a steal. They usually have a more interesting selection on the weekends as well. Their blog lists the specials each day ~4p.
Taro sushi omakase?
Omakase seems to vary depending on who you are, any special requests made, and where you're sitting.
Walking in off the street, sitting at a table, you're getting a fancy sushi platter, all at once.
Calling in a reservation for bar-stools and indicating that you'll be ordering omakase, generally results in 3 different plates - two of nigiri, one with your rolls.
Occasionally, if they know you, and it's not slammed, it can result in the old-style of two at a time.
The Vanderbit ripping off The Wing Bar
That sounds more similar to the Momofuku fried Brussels, which are actually the best in NYC. :)
