IrinaD's Profile
Incredible Bay Ridge Sichuan restaurant
I love it, and order take out at least once a week (although I've never eaten in there). I seem to order the dan dan noodles and the dry sauteed string beans most often, because they are so good I can't break away from them. The wontons in red oil are also amazing. I also once ordered sour string beans, which were actually too spicy for me (which never happens). The Americanized dishes are good too-- my husband really liked General Tso's he got there recently.
On a crappy Scezhuan (sp?) note, I recently ordered from the Scezhuan Garden in Cobble Hill when visiting my mom-- it was terrible. The dan dan noodles had no kick at all, the scallion pancake was crazy soggy, sauteed string beans were just sauteed in garlic and oil, no pork to be found, even the spring rolls were bad. Blech.
Help! Carroll Gardens
I need to find somewhere to pick up food tomorrow for 25-30 people- Italian preferably. My dad just passed, so I need some food for people after the funeral tomorrow afternoon. I was going to call Caputo's but I forgot they're closed Mondays. Maybe Marco Polo? I'm not really sure. I just need some antipasti, and maybe cold cuts and a tray to stick in the oven for something hot. TIA.
Whole Wheat Crust Pizza - Brooklyn
Grandma's on 3rd avenue in Bay Ridge serves a grandma pie with a whole wheat crust thats really good. I bet most places in the Slope do it.
Mexican in Brooklyn
I'd recommend Palo Santo on Union between 4th and 5th instead-- I've eaten there twice and really enjoyed the food both times. It's not Mexican, it's South American though.
I just ate at Maria's for the first time yesterday and was not impressed with the food or the service. Margaritas were pretty good though.
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Palo Santo
652 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11215
bay ridge chinese delivery
We usually order from Chopstix- it's not life-changing or anything, but it's reliably good. 86 Noodle is OK too, although my husband ordered a totally inedible General Tso's once, so we've stayed away since.
Great food near Shea Stadium?
I can vouch for the burgers at Donovan's in Woodside. Many Mets fans are there grabbing a burger pre-game.
Weight Watchers Recipes - the good, the bad and the...
I really like this WW recipe, I substitute fresh dill for the dried, generally, and I like to use the Fage Total 0% yogurt.
Mustard-Dill Chicken in Foil Packs (Freezer-friendly)
POINTS: 3
INSTRUCTIONS
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 Tbsp dried dill weed
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4 oz pieces
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine mustard, yogurt, garlic salt and dill in a small bowl; thoroughly coat chicken with mustard sauce.
Tear off 4 sheets of aluminum foil that are large enough to wrap each chicken breast individually. Place a prepared chicken breast on each piece of foil; gather foil loosely around chicken and fold over to seal.
Place foil packs on a nonstick baking sheet; bake for 20 minutes. Using oven mitts and keeping your face away from steam, open foil. Broil chicken on foil until lightly browned and cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes more. Yields 1 piece of chicken per serving.
carroll gardens gelato
Monteleone's makes fantastic gelato, pistachio and chocolate. It's homemade and super creamy. It was a sad time last year without it.
New to pine nuts - how to use, store?
I've toasted them in a small pan in the toaster oven-- I'll ditto the warnings about watching them, because they start to burn very quickly. I make a very simple salad (from a Nigella show) with baby spinach, avocado, fresh lime juice and olive oil and some toasted pine nuts. Yum! Of course, you can also use them in pesto, italian cookies, etc.
Rockycat, are the tarts you're speaking of pasticiotti? I've never attempted them, but they're DELICIOUS.
Gravesend advice sought
There's a foccacceria on 18th Avenue (Gino's?) and 72nd-ish St. that has rice balls, panelle specials and the like-- it's not super close, but it's very tasty.
Looking for great diner
Hinsch's Diner on 5th avenue between 85th and 86th in Bay Ridge is a great old-school diner. Excellent egg creams.
East Flatbush/B train eats?
A friend and I are headed out to the Wyckoff House this weekend to check it out (Clarendon Road and E58th St in Brooklyn), and I am trying to figure out where to get lunch before or afterwards. I really don't know the area at all. We're planning on taking public transportation, so something close by or off of the B or Q train would work. Maybe DiFara's? TIA!
Best Bay Ridge Italian for dinner?
The last time I was at Areo (maybe 6 months ago) I wasn't crazy about the food. I've ordered in from Gino's but haven't eaten in-- the pastas were really good. I've heard good things about Chianti and Tuscany Grill.
Calamari place at 86th st and 3rd ave in Bay Ridge
The breads and sandwiches are great at Paneantico-- the pastries and cookies, IMO, are only so-so. I'm actually not sure of a good pastry shop in the area, I usually hit Villabate on 18th Avenue for Italian pastries and the Little Cupcake Bakeshop for cupcakes (obvs) or banana pudding. I understand the cakes there are good too, although I haven't had them.
Great cupcakes for a birthday party
I quite like the cupcakes at Little Cupcake Bake Shop in Bay Ridge, and they have an unbelievable banana pudding.
One dish to die for
I'll add the casunzei ravioli at Al di La, stuffed with beets with a butter/parmesan/poppy sauce; the spicy sausage and broccoli rabe pasta at Frankies; the panelle special at Ferdinando's; the prosciutto balls at Joe's Superette; the foie gras at Saul; the monkfish liver at Taro
I'm dying for lard bread now!
18th Ave D stop, Brooklyn - anything?
I believe that's 18th Avenue and 86th street-- there is a large dim sum restaurant on that corner (East Ocean?) that looks intriguing although I've never been. In the 70s on 18th Avenue (not very far) there is Gino's Focacceria where you can get all kinds of yummy southern Italian specialties (the panelle special is very good, they also have vastedda, lots of fish dishes, rice balls, etc.). Across the street from Gino's is Villabate for Italian pastries. It's a bit of a walk from the subway, but you'll need to walk off the lunch anyhow...
diners in Bay Ridge
I really like Anopoli, on 3rd avenue near 70th street. They have homemade ice cream. It's dirt cheap. Also Hinsch's on 5th avenue near 86th street is an old fashioned soda fountain, and it's great. The Pegasus diner (on 3rd near 86th street, I think) has an awesome breakfast and also makes Greek frappes. Love them!
frozen challah mystery
I ordered 2 loaves of frozen challah bread from Fresh Direct (Shabtai brand) to use in a french toast casserole I'm going to make tomorrow for brunch. I can not figure out now what to do with them-- should I just leave them on the counter to defrost or will they get soggy? Should I pop them in the oven to defrost? There are no instructions of any kind on the label, and I'm a little at a loss. Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!
substituting for Grand Marnier?
Thanks for all the suggestions- it's a baked french toast recipe that calls for just a tsp. of GM. I think the airplane bottle is an excellent idea, actually. Thanks everyone!
substituting for Grand Marnier?
I am attempting a recipe for the first time that calls for 1 tsp of Grand Marnier. I would rather not buy a bottle for a single teaspoon, is there anything I can use to substitute for this? TIA!
how long do clementines keep?
I've had a crate of clementines for more than a week, with the intention of baking Nigella's clementine cake-- ideally, I'll be baking the cake tomorrow or Wednesday, but am I pushing my chances with the freshness of these clementines?
Great place for lunch in Brooklyn Heights/Court St area?
Teresa's on Montague street has delicious Polish food.
Chow Mein-On-A-Bun at Nathan's in Coney Island
The lobster sandwich is my favorite Nathan's item, well worth the $5.99. I have never been able to bring myself to order the chow mein on a bun.
Smith St. brunch this Saturday
I had a dreadful brunch at Boerum Hill Food Co. a month or so ago. It took nearly an hour for our food to come out (two orders of eggs in some variation), and it was clear my egg sandwich had been sitting under a heat lamp for the better part of that hour. I actually sent it back (which I never do, esp. since I was starving) since the cheese had hardened and congealed into the bread. Nasty. They did the right thing (by comping the check), but the server was pretty blase about it and I'm not sure I'd go back.
I had a great brunch at Ceol a few weeks ago though-- tremendous Irish breakfast. Chestnut's brunch is fantastic! I used to love Banania's brunch, with their basket of chocolate croissants and muffins. Yum.
O pudding, wherefore art thou?
I actually just ordered a tub of banana pudding from Little Cupcake Bakeshop in Bay Ridge for Thanksgiving, I'll let you know how it is. They have Black Forest pudding available too.
I was at B&A Pork Store in Dyker Heights this weekend, and they brought out a homemade rice pudding while I was at the register that looked very tempting.
Are there any hounds in Bay Ridge?
I would have to say Grandma's on 3rd Avenue is my favorite pizza in the 'hood. I'm very fond of the pasta fagioli and salads at Vesuvio, the pizza isn't quite as good. LOVE Nouvelle. Bay Sushi on Bay Ridge Ave is also decent (and a block away from me, so I tend to hop over there a lot). I've had delivery from Kim Chee a couple of times-- it seems a little pricey for what it is, but I've liked everything I've had from them. Paneantico's breads and sandwiches are terrific-- I don't love their pastries, they don't measure up to Court Pastry or some of the other old school Italian bakeries. I really like the cupcakes at Little Cupcake Bakeshop, although I can see why others might think they're too sweet.
Can anyone recommend some good Chinese in the Ridge? I haven't found anything too appealing so far.
Irish breakfast at that place on Smith St...
I was just there this weekend-- it's a serious Irish breakfast (slab Irish bacon, sausage, two kinds of pudding-- which were really good, eggs, mushrooms, roasted tomato) and I think it was $9. Only downside is no beverage is included like most places do for a brunch special, and the coffee seemed weirdly expensive (just like Ireland, actually). The Irish soda bread that's served to the table is also not great, although I still managed to have a couple of pieces. But it's definitely a hearty, and tasty, brunch.
