Roman's in Fort Greene

Thanks for the info--- you're totally right about the cotechino, the name had slipped my mind; Roman's makes it very crumbly and moist, whereas I admit I like mine a bit more firm! But I suppose that's personal preference.
And I'm all for lentils on New Years; I think I'll cook them at home next year! 8-)

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Roman's in Fort Greene

Terribly disappointed by the New Year's Eve meal I had here-- so much so that I thought I'd post and revive this old thread. Even with some of the lukewarm comments up here and other online sites, I've been excited to try Roman's, and decided to ring in the new year with them. Ultimately I can only say that the ambiance is wonderful and what everyone has remarked about the servers-- very knowledgeable and very sweet people, they seemed like-- are the two good things about the joint. Otherwise, I wish I'd kept my hard-earned bucks in my wallet.

A bunch of friends and I made reservations here for their New Year's Eve prix fixe, which was $65. The place was pretty crowded, but nothing can excuse the fact that they seated us 45 minutes late for our seating, even though we were all on time (why bother to have different seatings at all?)

They were doing a family style menu, so the entire table either had to choose the set menu, or everyone had to go a la carte from the regular menu. That was our first mistake. There were no options on the prix fixe; you had to go in wholesale for what was on the special menu, and every course had meat in it. I was pretty shocked that they seemed so confused by the fact that there was a vegetarian among the crowd; the waitress needed to check with the chef to find out if it was okay to make an exception for her to order from their regular menu and forego the prix fixe with us! In the end, they allowed the rest of us to do the special menu, and she ordered a la carte; I think she ate the best, actually.

The meal was HEAVY. I guess to make up for the very long wait, the server brought us a complimentary dish of fennel and oranges; it was almost hysterical that they did so, since it was so tiny it looked like miniature play-house food in the middle of the table-- a few shavings (like, with a peeler) of fennel and some tangerine slices. But I guess it's the thought that counts.

The first course was fried veggies-- included in there was something like a fried meatball; all of it was pretty bland and a really intense way to begin a meal that was take-no-prisoners kind of fare. There were also oysters, which were tasty, but considering that we were each paying $65 it was a bit of a puzzle that they brought over one plate of about ten oysters for all us. (The fried veggie plates were also small, but we didn't mind that.) On the server's suggestion (and for my veggie friend), we also got two orders of one of their menu dishes that has a special kind of cheese that apparently gets flown in weekly; that was truly tasty, and it was my first inkling that I should have skipped the prix fixe and gotten what I wanted from their regular menu, since the cheese plate was more $$ outside of the price-per-head. But it was New Year's eve, so we were feeling indulgent, I guess.

Next up was pasta-- incredibly oily and while they did pack a lot of seafood in there, it was smothered in sauce which made it hard to taste the seafood. The next dish was a huge plate of meat-- and here they went so over-the-top, it was almost unappetizing; giant ribs that didn't have much seasoning and were fairly dry; big lumps of pork loin that provided the tastiest bites of the night; and some sausage discs which were pushed to the side of the plate by everyone who tried one (odd consistency, kind of odd flavor). By that time, between the breaded & fried appetizer and the seafood soaked pasta, looking at undercooked pork loin just didn't feel like the right thing to tie it together. And oh yeah, on the side they brought us two bowls of green lentils cooked in pork-- merp.

By that time, I oddly felt both under- and over-whelmed by the entire meal. They brought us little scoops of chocolate sorbet for dessert-- never asked if we wanted coffee or tea, etc.-- and then they cranked up the music, which was one of the highlights of the place; someone's got a great iPod. Worth $65 a head? Not exactly.

I wonder if other folks have been so disappointed, or if Roman's just isn't the kind of place you want to go to for a big-check dinner like that-- as some here have mentioned, it's just not high on the "value" for money thing-- which is, uhm, a problem. I'm kicking myself for going for Roman's instead of the other options my friends suggested-- Buttermilk Channel and Farm at Adderley to name two-- which were about the same price for their seatings and I'm guessing would have left us far more pleased. Other posts have mentioned that it depends on the night that you go to Roman's, as their menu changes regularly, so maybe judging them on their New Year's blow-out isn't fair. But while it's great that they post the menu online on "normal" days, they didn't have the New Year's menu posted; serves me right for not calling ahead, I guess. Learned my lesson...

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Roman's
243 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205

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The Castello Plan : anyone been?

I need to agree with most of the postings up here, but that said, I didn't eat anything at Castello Plan! I went there with excitement, since I grew up in the neighborhood and would like to support the new places. Unfortunately, Castello Plan is as has been described-- a really lovely place for a glass of wine. I went there expecting to have a kind of special occasion dinner, since I saw that it was a little pricey in terms of food. Unfortunately, once we arrived, it was hard just to find a comfortable place to sit-- first they put us at the backless high stools in the front, which didn't seem right for eating whole dinner. Then we moved outside. The water glasses were dirty, and we looked at the wine list for about ten minutes, with no one coming over to us the whole time though the place wasn't very full. The menu was indeed quite small, and, not liking rabbit, I couldn't even find something I felt excited about ordering ($4 for a small plate of pickles?!). The outdoor seating looks really pretty from the street, but they put us right at the front, and when you sit down, it's quite loud (especially when the buses go by), and you're looking at the dry cleaners across Cortelyou. In the end, my partner and I, still without any attention from anyone there, decided to wander across the street to the flatbush farm, where I had a delicious plate of meatballs (and my partner had amazing corn soup with mussels and mustard greens). We have never left a restaurant before, since we're pretty flexible, but this place is just kind of goofy-- it's definitely more of a wine bar in terms of comfort. Overall, I'd rather know what I'm getting for my money, and the Castello Plan seems to be stuck in in-between land. Might try it for brunch one of these days, but otherwise....

Again, I didn't taste a LICK of food, this review is entirely based on ambiance, so please do not judge the menu offerings based on this.

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The Castello Plan
1213 Cortelyou Rd, Brooklyn, NY 11218

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Anyone been to Alto Voce?

I mistakenly posted this under the incorrectly-spelled "Alta Voce on 5th Avenue in the Slope," so I figured I'd repost in its proper place! Apologies for that.

Tried (the new?) Alta Voce last night. My searches on the board didn't turn up anything, so I thought I'd share. The place's decor is lovely, and their prices seemed really reasonable. Unfortunately, when I was chatting with the (very sweet) waiter, he mentioned that the owners *also* owned Aperitivo and Sotto Voce; the former has given me more than one bout of after-dinner misery and I've vowed never to return. So that didn't bode well, but I was lazy and stayed.

Things were looking up, too: the Sangiovese house wine was very affordable ($11 carafe) and fairly tasty (I'm not an expert by any means, but most house wines tend to leave me cold). And the bread on the table was very fresh with a really nice spread alongside it. I had the fried calamari as an appetizer, and it was fine-- not too greasy, nicely seasoned.

The problem was in the pastas, which is where I started having aperitivo flashbacks. I had a basic pasta with olives and meatballs and it was bizarrely dry, with meatballs that were so medicore I left most of them uneaten. I didn't try everything; one of my pals had the puttanesca; it looked exactly like what I was eating. I'm not a big puttanesca fan in general so I probably shouldn't comment on it, but my dish was distinctly blah and his didn't taste much better to me.

It's a bummer, because they did a great job renovating the space and the lower level would be adorable for a birthday dinner or private gathering. Plus, just as with Aperitivo, there are some great elements happening, but the entrees fall so far short that it makes me hesitant to return.
Maybe this place has knock-out specials (some of them sounded excellent to my ears), but I wasn't looking to shell out a lot of cash on dinner last night, and if an Italian place can't do the basic meatballs right, what's the point? I really like La Villa's pizza and Alta Voce made me want to run down the block into the arms of the small, round vegetale pie. (I know some chowhounders might say: why go Italian if not Al Di La, but I dig trying new Italian joints and also am on a budget.)

Also, as a side question did this place first open on the corner of 5th and 3rd, where Coquette used to be and then close? This new location is right next to Balucchi's on 5th Avenue, but I could've sworn that the other place I'm thinking of (on the corner in Coquette's spot) also had a sign up for a time that said Alta Voce, unless I'm just dreaming.

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Alta Voce on 5th Avenue in the Slope

Thanks, Kiteless! That was goofy of me.

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Alta Voce on 5th Avenue in the Slope

Tried (the new?) Alta Voce last night. My searches on the board didn't turn up anything, so I thought I'd share. The place's decor is lovely, and their prices seemed really reasonable. Unfortunately, when I was chatting with the (very sweet) waiter, he mentioned that the owners *also* owned Aperitivo and Sotto Voce; the former has given me more than one bout of after-dinner misery and I've vowed never to return. So that didn't bode well, but I was lazy and stayed.

Things were looking up, too: the Sangiovese house wine was very affordable ($11 carafe) and fairly tasty (I'm not an expert by any means, but most house wines tend to leave me cold). And the bread on the table was very fresh with a really nice spread alongside it. I had the fried calamari as an appetizer, and it was fine-- not too greasy, nicely seasoned.

The problem was in the pastas, which is where I started having aperitivo flashbacks. I had a basic pasta with olives and meatballs and it was bizarrely dry, with meatballs that were so medicore I left most of them uneaten. I didn't try everything; one of my pals had the puttanesca; it looked exactly like what I was eating. I'm not a big puttanesca fan in general so I probably shouldn't comment on it, but my dish was distinctly blah and his didn't taste much better to me.

It's a bummer, because they did a great job renovating the space and the lower level would be adorable for a birthday dinner or private gathering. Plus, just as with Aperitivo, there are some great elements happening, but the entrees fall so far short that it makes me hesitant to return.
Maybe this place has knock-out specials (some of them sounded excellent to my ears), but I wasn't looking to shell out a lot of cash on dinner last night, and if an Italian place can't do the basic meatballs right, what's the point? I really like La Villa's pizza and Alta Voce made me want to run down the block into the arms of the small, round vegetale pie. (I know some chowhounders might say: why go Italian if not Al Di La, but I dig trying new Italian joints and also am on a budget.)

Also, as a side question did this place first open on the corner of 5th and 3rd, where Coquette used to be and then close? This new location is right next to Balucchi's on 5th Avenue, but I could've sworn that the other place I'm thinking of (on the corner in Coquette's spot) also had a sign up for a time that said Alta Voce, unless I'm just dreaming.

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Vinegar Hill House

Thought I'd throw my two cents in here since the last post on Vinegar Hill House wasn't too long ago. I tried this place last night after hearing excellent reviews from two different friends of mine, and I was seriously disappointed. It seems that there's been such a buzz-- and such consistent crowds-- that I was surprised to feel like not much effort or thought is given to the dining experience. It's true that the the design of the place and the ambiance is gorgeous-- certainly worth the trip alone. A very, very cozy dining experience once you're seated and settled. But so is my living room. Anyway, here's the run-down:

Like the other posts mentioned, we waited a really, really long time for a table. We put our name down at 8:00 and were told it would be thirty minutes. It ended up being an hour wait, and the place was so crowded and hot and stuffed to the brim that there wasn't any choice but to wait outside. We were fine with all of this, but as one of the other posts mentioned, the people handling the door are fairly non-communicative. I saw some people sitting in their cars waiting on the street, since the nearest bars or stores are a good walk over to Jay Street, and standing in the entranceway of this place could make you go mad.

Once we sat down, it was bizarre how long it took our waiter to acknowledge us considering the wait and the crowds, though we were relieved not to feel rushed. The place doesn't offer any bread, or anything on the table, so after waiting an hour for a table we unscrewed our wine and made do with some red while our stomachs grumbled. Once he came, our waiter was certainly a sweet enough guy.

I ended up ordering the sage & kale ravioli, which was very tasty but pretty straightforward and IMO a shockingly small portion for $13-- four very small raviolis in a bit of sage butter sauce and that's it. My friend was really happy with the chicken, and my other friend enjoyed the rabbit pappardelle that was one of the specials for the night but felt similarly about the portion size for $15.

Dessert: my friend was gaga for the Guinness chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting, and it seemed to be extremely popular-- and while this did taste great, the no frills plating aesthetic was a bit much; looked like it came from an Entenemen's box.

The deal with this place seems to be that you really need to: be ready to drop the bucks because the portions are very, very small. I'm on a relatively tight budget these days, and I'm sure I would've had a much better experience if I'd gone all out & started with a cheese and a meat plate-- which are both quite pricey-- moved on to an entree and a side (the brussel sprouts my friend ordered were indeed the best thing I tried the whole meal), but I didn't feel like dropping $50 last night. Plus, even if I had felt like dropping the money, I can go elsewhere for better food with more appropriate prices for what I'm getting.

I'm sure that the owners are fabulous people as everyone is mentioning, and it's definitely still early in their run, but so little thought is given to the customer experience from minute one that I can't say it's worth the dough. Even their sparse website is a bit ridiculous-- if it's a 10 minute walk at least to any wine store, why not say that you're BYOB? Maybe I'm just getting less patient in my old age, but like one of the last posts mentioned, I was really excited to like this place, but quickly felt like I wasn't getting my money's worth at all.

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Cocotte...CLOSED?

I don't know, Tbird, I think it's really debateable-- and it's not really about placing blame...I used to see Cocotte full on many occasions when I'd walk by. I had a few meals there that were fine-- not distinctly better or worse than a lot of the many medicore places that persist on 5th avenue like belleville, moutarde, or really any of the numerous Thai and Sushi places around them. There isn't necessarily a science to what keeps one mediocre place open longer than any other-- but increased costs of ingredients and other overhead certainly contributes. But now, I fear....we're off topic from discussing the chow!

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Cocotte...CLOSED?

This cocotte post is on the old side now, but I took a stroll up 5th avenue yesterday and was really shocked to see how many places have closed (including that weird place drama cafe-- closed again after opening for about 5 minutes). It looks like the high rents (and...recession?) have already taken its toll on 5th avenue. not just restaurants, but two of the home goods stores right near serene rose are boarded up. I couldn't find any outer board postings about the new cafe 'Snice right near 5th and 3rd-- but it'll be interesting to see how it fares...

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Flatbush Farm - Not so good

honestly? the friendly service and nice atmosphere would bring me back to the farm (especially since they're very new, as one poster mentioned), though the brunch i had there last weekend was less than worth the price, which was surprisingly high. picky eaters beware: this is extremely heavy fare...i had the 'toad in a hole' and while the cheddar was nice and tasty, the bread they used was so thick i felt like i'd ingested a brick by the time the meal was over. my friend got basic eggs with sides which were fine, though the grits alongside were, according to her, the most buttery she'd had in a long time-- and she's from kentucky. their coffee was great, and the service as everyone is saying is very welcoming, so i'd be happy to try a dinner there....but may wait to see if their brunch menu expands before heading back!

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Chinese Food in Ditmas Park

Okay, so the last postings about Yen Yen on Church are from 2004. I've lived in Ditmas Park for almost thirty years and am *still* in search of a decent Chinese Place that's in close proximity or will deliver there. Have tried Bo-Bo's Kitchen and New Nei-ghbor on Cortelyou and was hoping for some other options...anyone have any secrets to impart?

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Sadie Mae's on 6th in Park Slope closed?

I've looked all over the boards and the last posting about Sadie Mae's seems to be back in June...anyone know if this place has closed?? A few weeks ago they weirdly cut their hours down to weekends only (eh?), and then every time I've gone by recently they seemed to be shut tight but with no signs or anything announcing closure. I had a good experience there there one time I went, great garden space, very friendly staff, good comfort food and a lot of it. (The only downside was no liquor license for a cold one with my meal.) Sure, it wasn't spectacular, but it would be too bad if it left before it had much of a chance...

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Bassett Caterers in Brooklyn

Two words regarding Bassetts: Mac and cheese. It is simply fantastic! Try it...
Their cole slaw and pasta salads are also top-notch...

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Night & Day closes - "Biscuit" is coming...

I've been reading this string with interest, as I was quite relieved to see that Night & Day had thrown in the towel. More on that later.

First, as far as the Blue Star/Mark commentary: If I'm not mistaken, Nosh was his third venture, not his second. I used to love the food (great brunch!) at Whim (or was it Whin?) that I believe Mark, the owner of Blue Star, had previously owned on DeGraw, off Clinton. (Great grits.) It was cozy and comfortable, but the service was terrible, and honestly, Mark was such an odd and erratic presence, and the turn-over for waitstaff was disconcertingly high, and more than a few friends of mine were even hit on by him during their sunday brunch, enough to turn off even the most enthusiastic patron!
Even still, I was sad to see it go, and did try Blue Star, which I found mediocre-- decent food with a zany and confusing atmosphere and weirdly high prices. Nosh seemed like a failed attempt at some kitsch appeal-- I didn't even know it was owned by the the Blue Star owner, and always stood outside waiting for the bus, dubious just from the general presentation.

And as far as Night & Day goes, I echo the insanely slow service and decent food that others have written about, and I thought it was overall a good idea in theory but bad in follow-through. The "performance space" that they built looked more like a high-class hospital room from the outside, and the performances they had there were targeted to I-have-no-idea-who; I regularly go to small performance spaces for music, poetry, etc., and was never the least bit intrigued by their offerings! Am not too bummed they're closed and will be happy to give this new "Biscuit" a try, even given its dubious reputation on flatbush...

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I bought The Farm on Adderley, Ditmas Park

Thought I'd throw my own recent experience in the ring, since I saw that the Farm received a fairly glowing review in the Times today, and I went there for the first time just last night...

I concur with all those who have mentioned the wonderful atmosphere; my friend and i sat outside and it was very comfortable, extremely relaxing, not too crowded-feeling, even though it was full. The waitstaff was also very attentive and friendly.

The food was less solid. My friend had the salad with peas, which he enjoyed, but my poached shrimp appetizer left much to be desired; too spicy (hungarian paprika or something) and the watery liquid it was in made the presentation as well as taste somewhat slimey and not all that appetizing. For main dishes, my friend's porkchop was a huge amount of very good meat for a incredibly decent price, and while my chicken on the hay could have been more flavorful, it was juicy and tasty nonetheless. The real bummer of the meal was the dessert; the trifle was so bitter and rhubard-overloaded that neither my friend nor I took more than a few bites...wish we had chosen differently there. (I did, however, enjoy washing those bites down with their "Unity" tea, which was a really yummy blend of decaf teas together...)

Also!! The house beer deserves to be mentioned! For $3, a pint of this stuff is a great buy and really quite delicious.

As others have noted, it's still in its infancy, and will no doubt improve. And given its prices, atmosphere, and general vibe, it seems unlikely that I won't be making repeat trips there...but, as the Times review mentioned, I'll be a little more discerning when it comes to the menu!

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Helios - Park Slope

I have to concur with those that have had mixed experiences there. They have a decent brunch, but nothing special. I got their speciality greek coffee frappe on the owner's recommendation and it was like a whole milk bomb exploded in my stomach. Seriously hefty stuff, not for the weak at heart (or stomach).
In my experiences, the omelettes were decent, the yogurt and fruit very nice & simple, the pankcakes were terrible, the salads great. It's stop-and-go at that place.
And one of my main issues? Every time I've been there (about 4) it's been near-empty, and a slightly depressing vibe...no customers, just a few waitresses staring off into space... It's a nice location but I guess tough, a bit off the main drag.

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Pizza in Bensonhurst?

You can't go wrong with L&B Spumoni Gardens: 86th street between West 10th and 11th, which I'm sure has been talked up on these boards before. They specialize in the square sicilian slice...

Europa used to be a fantastic bakery and they've expanded to include food-- I haven't tried the pizza, but the gelato is worth a trip on its own: 6421 20th Avenue. Anyone tried the pizza there? I have an inkling that you won't be disappointed, but...

Also, along 18th Avenue, between around 70th and 80th streets are a couple of other little pizza places, in case you feel like setting out on your own and having a taste test. Cafe Italia is a great stop along the way for killer espresso & a cannoli.

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