Brigita's Profile
Time for a City Bakery rant
Agreed. I had the same experience recently and decided I probably won't be returning there for anything besides a tea or cocoa. I also paused for probably 4 seconds as I was paying to grab a tray and the person ringing me up pushed my stuff aside and rang up someone else. I did not walk away. I just needed a tray that was right next to the register. Then I got stand there awkwardly waiting. So, no thanks. I'd rather give my cash to a good food truck freezing their behinds off to make the rent this winter. City Bakery probably won't miss my business but that's fine. I don't need that in a city this diverse with good service and food.
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City Bakery
3 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011
Nunu Chocolate on Atlantic Avenue: how is it?
Maddiemonk - I'd probably have the same reaction. I also like to support local business, but to scold a potential bulk customer (with many happy returns if they were good) and deny them a sample doesn't seem worth the one box open, craftmanship or not.
Late Night Coffee in Brooklyn
The Chocolate Room on 5th Ave in Park Slope and Court Street in Cobble Hill serve coffee and desserts until 11pm during the week and midnight on Fri and Sat.
For dinner instead of Vinegar Hill, Buttermilk?
I second Convivium. Sit in the wine cellar, and get their ribeye special for two which comes with salad and rosemary french fries. Had it recently, and it was super. I had some kind of giant prawn appetizer that was just simple and roasted and good.
Stumptown coffee at Boerum Hill Food Co.
Just got back from another trip to Portland, OR, and had a pristine mocha at Stumptown as usual, and brought back 3 pounds of coffee. When does Van Brunt open? It's too good for me to not be there the second it does.
Any one check out Eton for dumplings yet?
Tried them last night. You can only get them as part of a sampler with two of each of the others. They are very good.
Any one check out Eton for dumplings yet?
Whaaaaat? Wow. Crabmeat and corn??? I'm in!
Stumptown coffee at Boerum Hill Food Co.
I'm there! I brought back some last time I was in PDX in Nov. Thanks for the tips!
Best foie gras???
I second Eleven Madison Park. I am not a big foie gras person but it was part of the courses I was doing for lunch. Super. It came with some kind of candied rhubarb, and it made me a fan.
Toloache Anniversary
I'll be there. The fish tacos are great. Spicy with just the right squeeze of lime.
Any one check out Eton for dumplings yet?
I would have to agree. My husband is already a fan of Eton and his dumplings. I am also (the chicken ones with the hottest of the sauces), but he is a dumpling freak so I trust his judgment. Eton, the owner, deserves a break. He is operating a labor of love start-up in a residential part of the neighborhood, working like a dog and trying to make everyone happy. And the product is good and will continue to improve. I give him a space-out given that he probably hasn't slept in months and won't for the next 6.
Also, Eton has also gone out of his way to introduce himself to all the other local businesses. I hope he continues to do well, and a nice, cold winter should give him the boost needed to get the improvements he wants. Need to make money to spend money.
Best Tasting Menus with Wine Pairings
Did the tasting menu w/wine pairings at Cru for my birthday dinner a week ago. It was worth every cent. Superb. And the best duck entree I have ever had. Service was excellent. They are a bit heavy on gels and gelatins in the courses but that's my only critique. And they were able to offer many choices for wines that were reasonable to break-the-bank.
Lucali: Good, not Great Pizza
It is. If you are feeling crazy, do that with extra basil or garlic.
Sweet Melissa's new ice cream wing now open
The Chocolate Room which opens across the street this week makes their own ice cream and desserts.
Underwhelmed by Fage
I have been liking a brand called Siggi's that they sell in Fairway.
Max Brenner E. Village
I knew all of this before I went and yet I still went because a friend wanted to try it. And you are all right. It was too corporate, overpowering, bad service and I'll try to never venture again. The coffee was terrible too.
Wildwood BBQ
The bar seems the best bet here. Had a great mint julep. The first one since I read Gone With the Wind that I actually thought tasted good. Bartenders are knowledgable, and there is plenty of room to order a bite and hang out.
But got a table w/a friend. We ordered the chicken and the rib sampler. The sides were the cornbread, the salt and vinegar chips, mac and cheese and sweet potato fries. We started with the brisket and cheese stuffed portobello mushrooms.
Mushrooms were decent. Chicken was meh. Not bad but not good. Skin was not crispy. The rib sampler - one was dry rub, the other that chipotle-raspberry wet rub. The dry rub were meh and I didn't eat more than one, but the chipotle-raspberry were very good, and def. the highlight.
Sides - salt and vinegar chips are great. The mac and cheese was watery and OK. The fries were fine.
The service was very good but all in all, am not rushing to go back. It's fine. I would try it again for other dishes, but wouldn't go out of my way. The bar is another story. Good drink list, and service.
So the above reviews are about right.
Olive Vine- Carroll Gardens
I endorse the lamb mergeuz. Spicy, good. But the babaganoush was a tad too smoky-flavored for me. Not bad, but I like more tang, and less smoke. If they could serve Zaytoons baba with that lamb in a pita with veggies, we'd have something speciall.
Sweet Melissa coffee -- pushing her luck
For all the smashing on Starbucks, even their tall cup is only 1.90. But there is a Dunkin Donuts on Carroll, if you feel nostalgic.
HELLS KITCHEN FOR SAT NIGHT
Went to Casellula on Sat night. Really enjoyed it. Wonderful cheese and wine selection. We had the Endive salad w/Roaring Forties Blue and Macadamia Nuts. And the Roasted Beet salad w/mozzarella and hazelnuts. And split the Pig's Ass sandwich. All was quite good. Got some red and wine wine that I can't quite remember but both were recommended by the staff and great.
Will def. be back. Service is a bit slow, but the wait staff is knowledgable.
Fairway Produce
I usually march right past the produce in Red Hook also. It's awful. But - I thought getting an onion or two might be safe because I was making bolognese sauce, and I kid you not, two of the damn onions sprouted the next day from the red-mesh bag. The next day. I have no clue how they make any money off that section of the store. It's dismal. Even super-common staples like cilantro or parsley are in wet clumps on top of each other.
Toloache
I work in the area, and had a fish taco craving. So I just sat at the bar, and ordered that for lunch. Not the biggest portion (only two tacos, with rice and beans on the side) but for taste and quality, it was very good. I would def. go back. The tacos were delicious.
Taco Truck outside Atlantic Ave Urban Outfitters?
I hope it is true also. and the Treats Truck should park right next to it!
Ford's Filling Station - to go or not to go?
I was there in Nov. It was fine at best. My burger was kind of dry. I am sure there are better choices.
Why does restaurant week food suck?
The one I did last spring at A Voce was excellent. We also ordered a few dishes off the prix fixe plus what we had and some wine, but still. However, I have been to others that were what is described above. It does vary.
Delray Beach Area
Was just at Dada Lounge and the food was very good. We had two orders of the tuna tartare app. Everything else was excellent, but that took first place along with their blue crab cakes.
Best Croquettes?
I second Boqueria. They come as a trio with the sucking pig and salt cod ones, but the mushroom are probably the best one.
Dishes that wowed you
yes! The Sardinian Ricotta with herbs served with grilled bread at A Voce. Stellar.
