Mike R.'s Profile
Are there any old-time soda parlor/candy shops still around?
You can venture eastward to Valley Stream (remember that Brooklyn is the western piece of Long island)...ITGEN's has the old-time flavor and ambience you're seeking. Fatty, French-style ice cream and more.
Googa Mooga Food Festival in Prospect Park
Already considered: Buy a dozen White Castle "Crave Cases"...and a gallon jug of Nestle water. You may even have a few cents to spare.
Madison WI for Graduation Weekend
Also had the "Sardine" experience during wonderful "accepted students weekend" in April. Always observe a "Where there's good bread, there's great food." phenomenon and here was no exception. We bucked up against a full house with reservations, but were able to score a perfectly acceptable table (with a floral centerpiece) in the bar area without one. All the dishes were well-executed, but the plentiful mussels were an absolute standout.
For a more casual and quintessential Wisconsin experience - craft beers on draft, artisanal brats and cheese curds, we headed straight for The Old-Fashioned. You cannot do better. Portions bordered on the obscene. Even though it was the night before UW's big Friday festivities, the place was packed but the wait was relatively mild.
One more recommendation: find your way to Ale Asylum ("Hop-A-Licious") in Madison and the New Glarus Brewery ("Spotted Cow", "Moon Man", etc.) for some seriously good beer.
Most Exciting 1 dish meals for single diner in Flushing $7 and under
I'll put my money on the lamb-cumin-noodle soup (think it's "D-2") at Xian Famous Foods - *downstairs* in the Golden Mall - 41st Road and Main Street.
Marinated Pork Knuckles by the backstretch?! Genteng at Aqueduct..VV review
Did some exploration the other day @ Genting...food stands quality looked pretty good, didn't get up to the finer restaurants...common theme is that they are somewhat pricey. There is an all-you-can-eat dim sum offer floating out there for $9.99 if you join the Genting Awards club.
ROBERTO'S. (Bx) .any recent reports?
Holy crow - missed the continent, but fondly recall my 2010 Cape Winelands drive around Stellenbosch (did 6 vineyards in one day, dinner at Bukhara)...and the luscious ostrich, warthog (more porky than cinghiale) and springbok triple-treat wood-oven fired dinner in Oudtshoorn.
There is Italian food aplenty in the Southern Hemisphere. But I've gotta get myself back up to Arthur Avenue in a hurry.
ROBERTO'S. (Bx) .any recent reports?
Putting (researched) 2 'n' 2 together, the terrain looks similar to that in old grainy 1960s episodes of "Skippy" (the Bush Kangaroo)...getting closer?
If Roberto's was adventurous and had a "game" menu, I bet they could work wonders with Italian adaptations of ostrich, venison and 'roo. Something I don't believe happens anywhere in the Arthur Avenue cluster.
authentic italian in BK
The real sleeper in the Slope is Piccoli Bistro on 6th Avenue & 14th Street, which turned a previously awkward and technicolored sludge Indian restaurant into a neighborhood gem.
Known for their risottos, I can also recommend the fresh-grilled calamari plate and hand-made pastas (think it was short rib ragou). Hosts are accommodating and prices reasonable. There is also a sister place on Prospect Park Southwest & Vanderbilt serving a "to-go" menu.
Looking for Red Velvet Cake
I spotted a red velvet pastry with some white creamy stuff on top at Villabate (Bensonhurst - 18th Avenue & 70th Street) this afternoon.
Call them for details...718-331-8430.
ROBERTO'S. (Bx) .any recent reports?
OK, here goes: Based on the profile, I initially wanted to say somewhere in Spain or Portugal (& BTW, just may get to Seville next spring so your posts will be quite valuable!)...however, that's a B&B/Hotel sign and this is a thread about Italian restaurants, pasta specials and CHEESE bureks, so I'm putting my $$$ on the Hotel Erica - Asiago, Italy.
Did Roberto's or Arthur Avenue goods remind you of anything you had there?
ROBERTO'S. (Bx) .any recent reports?
A solid thumbs-up to Tony & Tina's pumpkin burek...and to your "erica" signpost...trying to figure out where it is, guessing Puerto Rico.
BTW, did you need a reservation @ Roberto's?
brooklyn heights, carrol gardens, cobble hill area pizza crawl
For a break in the action, check out SBP's fantastic-looking PRETZELS...they're usually served as accompaniment to the Buschenshank brew options. Dough, salt...almost pizza.
Indian spices in Brooklyn
Specifically, per jen kalb post above: Church Avenue ("F" & "G"-train)...between McDonald Avenue and Dahill Road is a cluster of Bangladeshi shops, also another recently opened one near McDonald and Avenue C. "Sughanda" has respectable samosas, both veg & meat.
Also Coney Island Avenue between Newkirk Avenue and Avenue H (can take the "Q" to either) - intense Pakistani grocery and restaurant zone but with much the same items. Stop into "Bukhari" for some excellent kababs at $1 apiece.
South African trek
Don't leave Knysna without at least one breakfast or lunch at "Ile de Pain"...artisanal everything!
http://www.iledepain.co.za/
Check older postings from 2009 forward...more discussion occurred then due to the 2010 World Cup run-up.
Just a quick note about your route to PE - If you are going roundtrip, the topography and countryside along Route 1 and Route 62 and / or 620 thru Paarl, Montagu, Robertson, Ladysmith and Oudtshoorn is really special. Montagu has a large dried fruits factory and store, nice to walk around. Ladysmith has an extremely colorful cafe just as you pull into town - serves all the native dishes. I found the backroads far more intriguing than the "Garden Route".
OK!!!! Who has the BEST Hot Dogs in Coney Island...... and Knishes?????
FYI - This week's inserts in most NYC papers have Nathan's coupons: "second dog purchased for 5 cents"
Diverse Dim Sum Flushing Mall
I personally don't get them that often and my gold standard once upon a day was Joe's. I will say that the crab is crabbier at Diverse (right down to itty-bits of shell), overall didn't have the thrill factor some other posters get.
At $7.50 per 6, the price is quite reasonable.
Walking food tour of Brooklyn?
Take the "N" train to 8th Avenue / Brooklyn Chinatown.
There are huge Asian groceries, bakeries, seafood and produce markets between 61st Street and 50th Street.
Walk the route and make these stops:
-Pacificana at 55th Street - a Dim Sum palace
-Gia Lam at 48th Street - Vietnamese rice plates (squid or chicken with lemongrass) and at least one of their outstanding pork chops.
-Across the street from Gia Lam, there's a Malaysian-style steam table with rice plates for $4 with 4 items piled on top (select from about 50 different items).
-Dumplings (may also be Prosperity) at corner of 44th Street
-Ba Xuyen - Bahn Mi sandwiches at 43rd Street
There are additional dumpling and Lanzhou handpulled noodle places on the sidestreets just off of 8th Avenue...look closely.
Walk to 9th Avenue. Reboard the train ("D") at 39th Street at the recently restored out-of-doors station with copper roof and old-fashioned subway tiling for your ride back to Manhattan (or deeper into Brooklyn!).
Di Fara recommendations please!!
As long as you finish your beer and pies by sundown (when Passover begins), everything will be just fine (ha-ha)! The neighborhood will otherwise be real quiet.
Where can I buy Liver Knishes?
What a piece of priceless nostalgia! I actually get a wry smile from the crew when I ask for them every time I go to Knish Nosh on Queens Boulevard...although they haven't been made there for over 25 years. But when they were, they were the richest round hockey pucks you ever ate.
That said, can't help you...but you can likely make them yourself by coring out a potato knish and filling the skin with chopped liver, then re-bake to reduce the moisture content.
Di Fara recommendations please!!
That is right, on a thick crust.
Dom's pepperoni is popular...again, I wouldn't make the pie too complex.
Di Fara recommendations please!!
DiFara's Special, IMO, has way too much stuff on it, masking the flavor of Dom's best cheeses and San Marzano's. You're better off going for a whole straight-up Square pie...on the well-done side. Then get some additional regular slices and pick and choose single add-ons for each slice, douse them with the available hot oil for some kick-action.
If the wait drives you insane, run across the street and get some excellent roasted cashews and pistachios at "Oh Nuts!". I usually mix the salted and unsalted together in a 1:3 ratio.
-----
Di Fara Pizza
1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn, NY 11230
Oh! Nuts
1503 Avenue J, Brooklyn, NY 11230
Donuts
Must-haves:
Peter Pan - Autumn Spice and Chocolate (cake)
7th Avenue - Blueberry Jelly
-----
Seventh Avenue Donuts
324 7th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Peter Pan Donut & Pastry
727 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
OK!!!! Who has the BEST Hot Dogs in Coney Island...... and Knishes?????
Keep your eyes open for oft-published Nathan's coupons (99cent or 2-for-1 dogs) in your local Pennysaver-type papers. Although the timeframes are short for usage, it might get you down there - faster and oftener.
Williamsburg lunch thats close to subway
"Second Stop" near the "L" train Lorimer Street station for excellent coffee and atmo.
The "Oasis" falaffel place right upstairs from the "L" train Bedford Avenue stop (corner of Bedford) will come in well within your pricepoint...and on some days, Taim falaffel truck (a bit more expensive) is just around the corner.
-----
Oasis
161 N 7th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Second Stop Cafe
524 Lorimer St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
GOOD Jewish Bakery in Brooklyn???
Ominous sign if the Andre's folks have in fact changed. Come to think of it my last visit a few months ago for a prune danish (one of the all-timers, IMO) left me with an empty feeling bite after bite and, yes, the ol' lady wasn't behind the register. I guess it was time to go.
Another devastating nail in the bakery box.
GOOD Jewish Bakery in Brooklyn???
Correctly made buttery rugelach is becoming one of those "In Search Of..." adventures, especially in Brooklyn. The old-fashioned Jewish bakeries are on the verge of extinction and have been largely replaced by Orthodox-owned ones lacking dairy recipes. Maybe Teena's Cake Fair in Canarsie still has 'em...and Andre's Hungarian on Queens Boulevard / 67th Road if you want to travel.
-----
Andre's Hungarian Bakery
100-28 Queens Blvd, Queens, NY 11375
Teena's Cake Fair
1568 Ralph Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11236
GOOD Jewish Bakery in Brooklyn???
Likely that butter isn't in the equation at Ostrivitsky. Probably using a neutral Pareve fat.
Looking for Polish Food Tour
For a buck a pound, you'd miss a delectable piece of Polish blood sausage if you don't visit Polam Market on McGuiness Blvd. - near Greenpoint Avenue. Just another "tour" stop.
-----
Polam International
276 McGuinness Blvd, Brooklyn, NY 11222
matzah ball soup in Brooklyn
Knocked off a shmaltzy, well-executed matzoh ball last night from the new Second Avenue Deli branch on East 75th Street and First Avenue...alas, it's from the "Inner Borough".
