noodles's Profile
L'Espalier - Who's Been?
Confirmed, it is in fact ILLEGAL to bring wine for corkage per the State Liquor Authority. Boston takes another stab in the heart of diners everywhere. How lame.
L'Espalier - Who's Been?
While I do love a glass of vintage Champagne, it can be found in the obvious haunts. Being from NYC, DP both Blanc and Rose, are offered frequently BTG. We also enjoy the real gems, like vintage Krug and Ruinart BTG. I guess I dont find it a rarity. It is a great way to splurge without depleting the kitty.
top 3 restaurants iin williamsburg?
Amen to that. What happened to Diner's service??? It used to be fair to moderate at best. Which I thought was great for the 'burg.
Why has no one mentioned Baci Arabiaci??? Amazing northern Italian, with a garden that put's Aurora's to shame.
And Zippe Zappe rules the day, with smart, focused flavors. Fresh is the word here, with a great look at modern street food. Amazing.
Bonita in Ft. Greene
Thank you for finall calling this place what it is. I live in Billyburg, and the only reason that they are able to get away with it here, is well, b/c this is their turf, and that the Hipster-Dufus crowd does not know good eats, period. Over charging for bland, medicore at best food? I can go to Park Slope for that.
Bonita in Ft. Greene
Don't you mean, Partida? Try the Don Julio Blanco and the Don Julio 1942 if you like the Partida. Similar in style, both from 'single agave vineyard' Highland Pina's.
Just moved to Forest Hills--Looking for recommendations
Dont miss DB Wine Bar. I think it may be the most on point place in the Hills. The wines change out frequently, or seem to with the menus, which focus on seasonality, simple preparations and focused flavors. Welcome to the 'hood.
The Frost Restaurant Brooklyn
For posterity, I want to include what happened at Frost. The Calamari Friti. It comes with those little lard biscuits, which are wonderful and traditional. The calamari itself was so overcooked, that is could have been used for bicycle tires, or shoe treads. Really tough, and greasy. On the opposite end of the spectrum, my bucatini was undercooked. So much so, that I could not even cut most of the pasta with my knife.
The person who waited on us could not have been more rude, did nothing to make the sutiuation right. I know Im not a regular, which I am sure counts for something, but we did spend almost 100 bones on a nice bottle of wine, which should count for something. It didnt. Never again. On the flip side, service at S. Cono is always gracious, and timely. The red sauce is light, and fresh letting the San Marzano's shine through. Homemade pasta is always cooked right. Why go anywhere else? I know the two are joints different places, but if you can't get the calalmari right, c'mon. What 'ya gonna do?
Juliette in Williamsburg
oh yet another tale of fragility of service in this neighb. It is horrific at best, almost anywhere you go, with the exception to that being Baci Arrabiaci (sp), Cono and perhaps you can lump in Dressler. Everytime I go, the are on point. Friendly, knowledgable, and generally do a really adequate job.
The food at Juliette is with the exception of the chicken sandwich which is great if they give it to you, along with anything else that you order. the place is a flake. we gave it the old college try twice, and will never go back again. nothing that was wrong was made right, or even attempted to be made satisfactory. never again.
If I could eat at only 1 Italian Rest in Brooklyn . . .
Of all these posts, I cannot believe that no one has mentioned S. Cono O'Pescatore. The food is perfect. Homemade everything, and the sauce is on point. Naples all over again in Williamsburg.
The Frost Restaurant Brooklyn
Sorry to say, I think Frost is the least (read: worst) of the old school 'red-sauce' joints that Williamsburg has to offer. If you are going for bad service and poorly made food, then its the spot. I think S. Cono O' Pescatore is ten times the place, with attentive service, and really well made food, right down to the red sauce, which I feel is top hole. Not gritty, so if that is what you are looking for go to Frost.
Is Grimaldi's Brooklyn Pizzeria Overrated? A Post Below Says Yes.
Pepe's has the stuff. Grimaldi's (now) is a horrific excuse for pizza.
NYC Chowhounds need High-end French Lunch
After much deliberation, I thank you all for your timely responses. It is in fact sad that it seems my days of the leisure lunch, something that I quietly adopted funny enough from a close friend who hails from Lake Forrest, when we were in school together. It was the greatest of things to come up to the city, spend an afternoon over a meal, and a couple, perhaps more, bottles of terrific wine. Sitting there, smug in our finery, simply passing the time in the comfort of the moment. I love the Everest Room. Alas, no lunch service. And I am horrified to hear that Le Francais has closed, for good. A sadder day, I cannot recall. Nevertheless, we will choose something from this post, great work Chicago C'hounds!
Anyone know if Tavern in the Town is still around in Libertyville?
Cheers! -n
NYC Chowhounds need High-end French Lunch
We are two NYC foodies who have been to La Francais (when it was great) The Everest Room, Ambria, Tru, Trotters, Blackbird etc. We are looking for a great haute-French lunch spot and are having trouble finding a place that serves a great, relaxed three hour type lunch.
We are also after a stunning wine list to go along with it. Please help!!
Is Grimaldi's Brooklyn Pizzeria Overrated? A Post Below Says Yes.
Yes. Finally once and for all someone had the courage to call it out. It used to be fantastic. But after being sold, it has gone down the tubes, sadly.
Food in Williamsburg
Unfortunately it looks as though you have happened on the least of all the dining in the Burg. Try Baci Arrabiaci on Grand for incredible home cooked, contemporary Italian, with an incredible garden. DuMont Burger for all your burger needs. Dressler on Broadway for all your high-end wishes. Diner also on Brwy. used to be something to recken with, but has since 2006 been on what seems a steady decline in both consistency and quality, the standards on which their business was built. Marlow and Sons (also on Bwy.) is great for raw bar food. Really nice raw seafood, a decent seletion of wine and booze. Best slice is on Lorimer off Metropolitan at Sal's. Brunch is great at Grenouille on Roebling and S.1st. DuMont (proper) on Union St. off Metro. is a great choice for inovative fish specials and hearty old school choices like Mac and Cheese, and killer salads. Cheers!
Pioneer Bar B Q in Red Hook
Hands down, the worst attempt at making BBQ that has ever been. Strange considering that Al Harding is or was assoc. with this joint at one time.
Rose Water in Park Slope
Unfortunately it seems as though this once consistent quality and attention to detail have slipped after years of adornment. We used to love coming here, but a couple of off-putting situations like this have left us heading for other digs. A shame really, b/c they used to do such a great job.
BURGERS!!!
Boonies is great. But I think the oft overlooked DuMont Burger in Billyburg is a sure bet. Mean, c'mon, it has 'burger' in the name of the joint. Great stuff here.
Fette Sau to open in Williamsburg Fall 06
When I said 'old school BBQ' what I meant was that the proprietor of the joint is actually using a 'slow and low' cooking method over a wood and/or real hardwood charcoal fire. That is to say, SMOKE is being used, managed, and applied to given cuts of meat for cooking.
Pochetta last night (Watch yur step...it's a douzy)
So after much ado on this post and others, we went. Party of 4, 7pm. Upon arrival, greeted nicely, sat promptly. It was the Year of the Pig.
COCKTAILS: we generally do not ride trends in drinks, opting for the standard martini, Ketel rocks, Champagne, etc. to begin. However here, due to all the flap, I had the Cracklin' rimmed Anejo cocktail (I asked to be upgraded to Don Julio), and my wife had the Rye lemonade. My drink was as it has been told, smokey, savory, woody and just the right amount of acid-sugar balance from the agave and citrus juice...with just the slightest hint of spiciness from the Arbol chili garnish that was floating in the glass. Very tastey effort. The lemonade, I found too acidic. While the peach bitters added a beautiful floral quality, I felt it lacked balance. Mint garnish was the right touch, adding an herbal component, and some complexity.
FOOD: All around, mediocre. Not great. I opened with the Bucatini and chicken livers. While the livers were cooked to absolute perfection, nicely browned out and just slightly rosey pink in the center, the bucatini was UNDER cooked. Some pieces to the point of being hard and unchewable in spots, which would have been sent back had I been alone with my wife, and not with another couple. Bitter disappointment. Too bad, the dish itself had all the right things going for it, correct amount of condimento to pasta ratio, flavors were bold and balanced (black olives and pancetta against the livers). The pasta itself ruined the dish. Conversly, my wife had the gnocchi. Superb. Light as air. Beautifully executed main item. My only question was where were the black truffles that the menu alluded were a part of the dish??? There were tiny specks of black...clearly truffle peeling. ZERO truffle flavor to be had, anywhere in the dish. Another dissapointment. Sad.
I had duck. Horrible. Just do not do it to yourself or the duck. The breast is pan seared, and then 'blocked' or cut into a rectanglular shape, shearing off any of the ends, sides, etc. that could provide any crispy edges. And rare. RARE-rare. (I asked for Mid-rare). The fat, which was advertised by our server as being crisp, and rendered...not even close. Making matters that much worse, it was cut into relativly thick, straight slices resulting in, you guessed it, shoe leather duck. My wife had Tasmanian trout. It was cooked properly enough. Little to say here, the dish was clean in flavor. But not too much going on otherwise. Its enough that the fish was cooked properly, a rare (pun intended) happening no matter where you are.
SERVICE: I had heard about it being slow. I was unprepared to wait thirty minutes on entrees. I guess I had been warned. Twice I had to ask for utencils. That is to say, the food came out, was placed in front of me, without anything to eat it with. Moreover, I had to argue twice (read: ME: "No, that is NOT mine"...HIM: "YES THIS IS WHAT YOU ORDERED") with the food runner about which dish I had ordered!!! He insisted that I had ordered what he put in front of me both with the Primi and Secondi, ARGUED with me about it at the table, and then picked it up, the first time with the Gnocchi (which my wife ordered) and took it over to the waitress and verfied with her that I had NOT in fact ordered it, and that my wife had!!! It was laughable, but so rude. He brought it back, and apologized, but then did it again with the entree!!! Did the waitress write down the wrong seating assignment on the ticket? Who knows. But it was aweful to have to argue over what I had ordered, twice. Were they really busy??? No.
WINE: The list is high rent. We had a Barbaresco from the '01 vintage ($66), which was really quite good. Tortonian or Helvetian? As nebbiolo so often does, it treated us well. Floral, with hints of red flowers and violets, graham carckers and tar, some earth and pale red fruit in the mid palate, smacking sweet/soft tannin, feminine but nothing mind-altering. I felt the pricing was high, again for the lack of tiers...not much to choose from in the 30-50 range, in Reds. Unfortunate, as was the service. The first bottle was never even presented to me, not even to confirm that it was in fact what I had ordered. It was opend behind the bar, and decanted, as I had asked it be, but nevertheless, a bad move. Really unhappy about that. Four glasses were put down, and the wine proceeded to be poured around the table, without even having been tasted, by anyone. Really poor move. Thankfully, I know what Babaresco tastes/smells like...not that there was a hint of clandestine motives to bilk us out of the wine we ordered and give us something else/lesser...still, not cool. No matter what, I want to see that bottle opened and poured off in front of me. Fortunately, the wine was good. I wanted to tempt fate....I ordered a second bottle. By the grace of all things holy, someone, this time, either by mistake or having recognised the blunder, brought 'round the second bottle, presented it, and even went down the right road, by bringing a new glass over for me to taste it before pouring it off for everyone at the table. One down, one up. And so it went...
DESSERT: Panna Cotta (saffron), Chocolate cake (affogato), and Olive Oil cake (lavender ice cream, and pears with thyme). Panna cotta won outright. Nice...made WELL. Where so many gelatin desserts can be grainy or too firm. Flavors were focused and the schmear of bitter chocolate ganache on the plate was nice support. Choco. cake was good, not great, playing bitter coffee against sweet molton choc. cake. Nothing groundbreaking here.
In closing, I can only say that there are some severe issues. We spent 400.00 for four. Pasta cookery issues. I mean c'mon!! The service I thought, obviously, was atrocious. My problem is I find myself secretly loving this place. Our server's personality beat everything that went wrong. Emily, and I am going to spot her out here, b/c she deserves it, was not only knowledgeable, but food heavy as well. She showed off, much to the dismay of my wife, her savvy at my request. She gave us a momentary tutorial on the sunchoke, its orgins, flavor profile and why we should order the soup on the menu. We bantered, (I being a former chef d'cuisine turned cork-dork), about the ancient sunchoke, and although we disagreed about it being related at all to the sunflower (which in fact it is) she was trying. Some blunders? Sure. Recomending the duck, unforgivable. But we will come back, sometime, and hopefully, Emily will be there...minus one very lame duck.
Hopefully the year of the Pig will find Porchetta getting its act together.
DB Wine Bar - report from last night
Its a major contender that could stand up to the likes of 5th Ave. in the Slope, much less Metro Ave. in FH. Very welcome addition indeed. And we travel to come here!
Saul or Dressler for birthday dinner
How about three words....FORGET Saul... Dressler.
Best Croissants in park Slope help
Whatever that place is called on 9st bt. 5th and 6th is the jam. She's french, and her husband makes the best in the slope. Everything that I have ever had there, pastry related, has always been really excellent.
