twan55's Profile
Koto Sushi Prospect Heights: do yourself a favor and don't overlook this place.
Taro is Japanese-owned. Make of that what you will.
Basically, what Koto is is your normal, regular neighborhood sushi joint- but what it does, it does quite well. It is absolutely a cut above the other restaurants in its genre.
Get some sushi delivered from there and decide for yourself- I think you'll be pleased. Again- not stupendous- but very, very solid and consistent.
Koto Sushi Prospect Heights: do yourself a favor and don't overlook this place.
This seriously makes me happy. I'm glad (but not surprised) that you had a good experience at Koto. I order sushi from them once a week and they NEVER disappoint- again, the DEFINITION of good and consistent.
Unfortunately, all other restaurants to which my wife and I become accustomed eventually go downhill-- EVERY ONE. It's gotten to the point where we just expect the eventual decline. It sucks.
Meanwhile, Koto just rolls on...(no pun intended)
Koto Sushi Prospect Heights: do yourself a favor and don't overlook this place.
Cool- I'm glad you had the same good experience as I always have. Seriously- when you order next time say "hi" to Masa- get to know him/them-- it's just a good idea.
I really love Koto. No- it's not mind-blowing- but it's just so solid and consistent and sorry but that counts for something, especially where sushi is concerned. I've actually had "bad" experiences (at least delivery-wise) with some of the more upscale Brooklyn sushi places- and NEVER with Koto.
A little piece of me would die if this place ever went bust- but I have a feeling there's a few "MEs" around that are regulars.
Seriously though- if you're into this type of thing- get the Omakase one time. Talk to Masa and ask him what he recommends (please don't think I'm patronizing you/treating you like a child- I'm sure you know how to do this already- but some people aren't up on this stuff, so on the off chance you're not I'm just giving you a heads-up). I got it two weeks ago (I think I spent like $40 or something) and it was the very definition of bang-for-you-buck.
Take care- and happy eating!
Koto Sushi Prospect Heights: do yourself a favor and don't overlook this place.
Surprised no one chimed in with a "yeah- that place is great"-post.
Oh well- like I said- I have no connection to Koto other than its never let me down.
Koto Sushi Prospect Heights: do yourself a favor and don't overlook this place.
Not a shill guys and girls- just a long-time 'hounder who wants to spread the word. I myself happened to hear about this place on Chowhound- and I want to pay the advice forward.
People- this place is wonderful for sushi- fresh, fast, and delicious. It's a small location, with only a few tables, but is GREAT for takeout. Look, it's not top-notch, top-of-the-line sushi- but it's definitely GOOD, and a cut above many of the other places in PH/Park Slope.
Masa- the chef- does a nice Omakase and really does care about the quality of the fish; the place hasn't slipped up in the 3 years I've been ordering from them (bonus: they deliver to Cobble Hill). I can't vouch much for the hot entrees- from what I've had they're mostly solid but unspectacular- but the one thing I can recommend without reservation is the sushi. Tonight, Masa threw in a piece of Toro with my normal (non-Omakase) sushi meal. It was a nice touch and not atypical.
Get to know him/them and he'll treat you right.
Michael & Ping's?
A year later, but better than never: I would recommend both the General Tso's Chicken and the General Tso's Shrimp from Tofu on 7th. Both were quite good, with the shrimp being even better.
Blow-you-away good? No. But good nonetheless, and a damn sight better than any of the other General Tso's places in the nabe.
Still haven't tried Michael and Ping's offerings.
-----
Tofu on 7th
226 7th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Thanks once again, OB 'hounds!
Haha yup- as a matter of fact I did- and it was quite good.
I love how they divide their menu into "Authentic" and "Americanized"- and it was with utmost Chowhound-induced shame that I ordered my usual tester-meal: the General Tso's chicken/Mu Siu pork/WonTon soup troika. All were well executed, though the soup wasn't exactly revelatory. Ollie's on the UWS across from Columbia is the only place I really like for Won Ton soup (my standards: broth not too salty, and light- not doughy- wontons). Again, I just couldn't resist ordering the Chinese of my childhood; in fact- in the interest of full disclosure- I also ordered the General Tso's shrimp from them, which I also found to be REALLY nice (again: for what it is).
Next time I plan to play to their strengths and order spicy Szechuan dishes. I figure if they can execute those tried-and-true American-style glopmonsters as well as they do, then their real-deal stuff'll probably knock my socks off! Indeed: Dry Pot beef and Ma Po tofu here I come!
Will duly report back.
-----
Tofu on 7th
226 7th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Thanks once again, OB 'hounds!
Tofu on 7th is the first Brooklyn Chinese place THAT DELIVERS TO MY COBBLE HILL APARTMENT that I actually look forward to calling. It's been a revelation- and I'd like to thank this board for enlightening me.
Koto is my go-to sushi place (thanks to you people), HopHap my go-to Thai (again: cheers OBers!), and now I have Tofu, thereby completing my Sushi-Thai-Chinese delivery-to-my-neighbor triumvirate.
Yay!
Now go find me a proper Vietnamese and I'll be set!!
-----
Koto Sushi & Steak
552 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Tofu on 7th
226 7th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
HopHap
204 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Recs for a cool 1st-date drinking-spot around Carnegie Hall?
A (non-Chowhound) friend is going- on a first date- to see a show at CH.
Are there any cozy/cool/chill bars or pubs in that area that he and his date should hit?
Just fyi: they're in their 30s/40s.
Bien Cuit -- new French bakery on Smith St
This place is astoundingly not good.
i am shocked at the positive press it's gotten.
I threw out the croissant I bought there, which was like a paperweight.
Awful.
-----
Bien Cuit
120 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
One night in brooklyn?
The Good Fork at the end of Van Brunt street is phenomenal. Have a cocktail or three at Hope and Anchor and then tuck into TGF (either via the back garden or the front room- either'll work) and enjoy. My wife and I are huge fans of this restaurant for MANY reasons.
Now THAT would be a unique Brooklyn night...
-----
Hope & Anchor
347 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
The Good Fork
391 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Where's the best burrito in Brooklyn?
Words cannot describe how much I disagree with the above statement.
7 nights in Brooklyn
Go to The Good Fork in Red Hook.
Sit in the garden.
Thank me after.
-----
The Good Fork
391 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Bad Experience at Tacos Matamoros
I think TM is vastly overrated.
Being from San Francisco, I'm let's just say a wee bit picky when it comes to Mexican- but even allowing for the fact that it's a "New York"-Mexican place I find it pretty bad.
Definitely better than most other places in Brooklyn- but still not good. The tacos aren't that great- most offerings are pretty dry and bland, if you ask me- and their burritos are just meh.
Overall it's maybe o.k., but disappointing. Please tell me there's better out there...
Imperial No. 9- Not good
Had dinner there tonight against my better judgment, and man was it not good. Not horrendous, but not good, either- which, for the price, is kind of horrendous.
First off, it was our 10th wedding anniversary (which they were aware of) and we had an early dinner (6:15) and the room was mostly empty yet they sat us at the worst table in the room, right next to another couple who were- like us- clearly not happy to have two people in their space. I know how restaurants work, and if it was full- or on the way to being full- I would've understood- but it wasn't. I didn't say anything, which is my fault, but Christ why seat us there in the first place?
Anyway- we ordered a couple of cocktails, which were o.k. I guess- and then came the food. The cauliflower fritters were greasy and gross and served with a disgusting hollandaise-like sauce, which stank. Then came a half-dozen oysters which were- well- oysters, not too bad, I guess.
The first main was king crab legs- which were bland, and drenched in some kind of sauce that just sapped the life out of what- on its own, simply steamed and served with melted butter- is one of the most delicious foods on earth. The way they made it it was just- bland.
The second was scallops- which were o.k.- nicely done and tasty- but honestly, it's hard to f__k up scallops. The clams they were served with were rubbery and the broth the dish was drenched in was disgusting- some kind of bacon-based nonsense that tried to ruin a nice scallop.
I guess you could say that the food got in its own way- if that makes any sense.
The service was nice, the room nice, in an ABC Home and Carpet Cafe-kind of way. Anyway, we left disappointed. I would say it's a nice place for drinks but dinner was just bad.
The reviews on Yelp nailed it- but I don't trust Yelp normally. In this case, I should've. I trust Chowhound more than anything- but there was nothing on here about it (at least that I could find). Maybe that should've told me something.
Anyway, all in all it wasn't catastrophic- but it was pretty bad, and I would NOT recommend it.
In fact, I'll bet if some of you people ate what I ate you'd be a lot harsher than I'm being.
-----
Imperial No. 9
9 Crosby St, New York, NY 10013
Drinks before dinner at Imperial No. 9
I'm going there tomorrow night for a late-ish dinner for my 10th wedding anniversary-- any recommendations regarding a nice place for cocktails in the nabe (the restaurant is located at Crosby and Lafayette streets- what's that- NOLITA I guess)?
Just a chill place to have a nice pre-dinner cocktail would be exactly what I'm looking for...
-----
Imperial No. 9
9 Crosby St, New York, NY 10013
10th wedding anniversary, need to score a table in a week! *Please help*!
Applewood in Brooklyn.
The reason: she wanted to try someplace new.
We live in Brooklyn but are willing to travel.
10th Wedding anniversary, need to score a table in a week! *Please help*!
No, I did not wait until the last minute- I have had reservations at a place for months- a place which- when my wife found out about- she nixed.
Anyway, any recommendations for a cute, not-super-expensive place with good food and a pretty room where we could actually score a table on what is admittedly very short notice? I know you're not maitre'Ds, so you can't guarantee anything- but at this point I'll take any and all suggestions and then do the legwork.....
Our budget is around $300 total (including everything), so we're obviously not looking for Brooklyn Fare (and couldn't score a table there for next Friday if we tried...).
Just hoping for someplace sweet, with good food and nice service. We're easy as far as cuisine goes- and neighborhood as well.
Locanda? Would that work? Or Kif? Just throwing those two out there because they seem about what we're looking for (I'm guessing, b/c we've never been to either and they both seem a bit romantic and cool and would fit within our budget.
I had Applewood picked out- but since we'd been there once before and she wasn't into it.
Anyway, I appreciate any help you people can offer with regards to this matter.
-----
Applewood
501 11th St, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Brooklyn Fare
200 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
10th wedding anniversary, need to score a table in a week! *Please help*!
No, I did not wait until the last minute- I have had reservations at a place for months- a place which- when my wife found out about it- she nixed.
Anyway, any recommendations for a cute, not-super-expensive place with good food and a pretty room where we could actually score a table on what is admittedly very short notice? I know you're not maitre'Ds, so you can't guarantee anything- but at this point I'll take any and all suggestions and then do the legwork.....
Our budget is around $300 total (including everything), so we're obviously not looking for Le Bernardin....
Just someplace sweet, with good food and nice service. We're easy as far as cuisine goes- and neighborhood as well.
Mark Iacono, Owner of Lucali stabbed on Friday
I posted this on Friday- God knows why they took it down.
Favorite old school Mexican restaurant in SF ?
For burritos- La Cumbre, steak.
The worst burrito they've ever made is 50 times better than anything in New York.
Sad.
Btw- it's linking to one in SM- I'm referring to the one in the city.
-----
La Cumbre Taqueria
515 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Michael & Ping's?
Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa--- back up-- did I just hear you say that M & P makes a good General Tso?
For reals?
'Cause I am one ardent General Tso-loving-ass mf'er!
So please kellish- elaborate!
Good as in "worth a trip from Carroll Gardens"-good? Good as in: "I'm pouring sweet-spicy-tangy General sauce on my white rice and lovin' it!"-good?
Oh and btw, while I have you- any other Brooklyn General-friendly places you're not telling us about?
C'mon kellish- stop holding out on the General-info. There's gotta be something you're not telling us! Now out with it- I need any and all General-related military secrets, stat!!!
Kif in Clinton Hill
Who's been here and how was it?
Interested in taking the wife soon and didn't see hardly anything review-wise on here when I searched.
A little help?
-----
Kif
219 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205
Getting fed up with Chinese delivery options in Carroll Gardens
You know what- I stand by what I said. You want to include Sunset Park, then so be it.
The Chinese food sucks there as well.
Getting fed up with Chinese delivery options in Carroll Gardens
Uh- I didn't mean it literally- I mean "the Chinese food is uniformly shit anywhere within a deliverable radius of me."
Better?
Getting fed up with Chinese delivery options in Carroll Gardens
This thread is just sad.
The Chinese food anywhere within a 5 mile radius of me (in Brooklyn) is so bad it's unfathomable.
I swear it's the worst in all of NYC. I'm from San Francisco and as a twelve-year resident of Cobble Hill I cannot tell you how depressed I am by the beyond-disgusting Chinese food in the area.
I have tried every restaurant in this thread and they all suck- admittedly some more than others. God in heaven how I miss Tai Chi....
Best General Tso's Chicken in Manhattan or Brooklyn- HELP?
Well, let's just say I've tried a few less-than-memorable Generals since 2009.
None that packed that hot-spicy-crispy-saucy-sweet-tangy-crunchy-gooey goodness that I so crave.
Best General Tso's Chicken in Manhattan or Brooklyn- HELP?
Figured it's been almost two years so I might as well go fishing again.
Any ideas/updates or am I still out of luck?
(sigh)