cbking's Profile
Aldea
A friend and I ate at the chef's table last night, and it was a wonderful meal. We had a 9pm rez and there was a delay at the beginning, but the chef apologized profusely and brought out an extra app. We had the razor clams, ramps with crisped pigs ears (unbelievably yummy and great flavor/texture combinations), spring consomme, shrimp alhinho (the pimenton flavor was outstanding), arroz de pato (essentially a duck paella), and scallops (perfectly cooked). We also shared a relatively inexpensive bottle of Portuguese red.
We were too stuffed to try the desserts, but will definitely be going back. I can see this becoming a go-to restaurant for me.
Does this exist - seeking good wine/prix fixe dinner
Palo Santo does a lovely prix fixe dinner with wine pairings for around $75-80 if you sit at the beautiful kitchen bar, and I believe they will also create a pairing to match any a la carte meal on request. Rosewater also does a great prix fixe chef's tasting menu with wine pairings for $84, as does Applewood (not sure of the price).
new pizza in park slope
We had a large pie, 1/2 mushroom 1/2 pepperoni, delivered to Sackett St. a few days ago and it was pretty decent, especially for $15. Villa Rustica has now gone to the top of our list for delivery pizza (ahead of Tomato and Basil despite T&B's relative proximity).
Christmas Day Restaurants - Park Slope area?
Any ideas on restaurants open on Christmas Day in Park Slope or its environs in 2008?
Park Slope
Seconded; I love Bonnie's burgers. And the wings will almost make you feel like you're in Buffalo -- they're authentic and fantastic.
Rosewater in Park Slope?
I'm a big fan of Rosewater. Check out my review here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/534765
I've since been back for dinner a couple of times and ordered off of the regular menu, and had equally delicious meals.
New wine bar on Union....Bussaco
Tried Bussaco for the first time on Sunday night. The space is beautiful and the staff friendly and competent. We had a pretty long wait for our appetizers, but I'm willing to cut the kitchen some slack in the first few weeks of operation. As for food, the octopus and the fresh mozzarella were both wonderful; I thought the octopus was tender and tasty, and the mozzarella beautifully complemented by squash and pecans (or possibly walnuts). I had the clam pizza from the bar menu and it was very nice -- the flavors were quite good, although the crust was a little thicker than I had anticipated. My SO had the sweet potato tortellini, which was great autumn dish -- the mushrooms were a nice complement to the squash. We also had a glass each of a Gruner Veltliner that suited nicely. We'll definitely be back, although maybe in a few weeks to let them get the timing issues corrected.
Helio's
Their lamb kebobs with rice is one of my favorite delivery meals. The pita is great, as is the tzatziki which comes with your order.
Mercado Social (the old Maria's)
I had a fairly mediocre meal here Friday night. The regular margarita (rocks/salt) was exceedingly disappointing; it tasted like it had Sprite or something else fake in it. We had the guacamole, which, despite our request for medium spiciness, was very bland, as were the fresh tortillas that came with it. For mains, I had shrimp with pesto sauce and rice, which was fine, and my SO had the chorizo tacos, which were also just ok. Can't say we'll be going back, despite living around the corner.
Rosewater
I had a wonderful meal at Rosewater last night. I had been for brunch several times (they open earlier than most places, which is a big plus) but never before for dinner. The two of us got the chef's 5-course tasting menu with wine pairings, and it was delicious. Standouts included the amuse bouche (a pea soup with little mushrooms), the spring pea risotto with smoked prosciutto, the walleye and kampachi (due to an allergy, we were each able to get a different fish course), and the kuzu custard dessert. The wine pours were very generous, and the service was excellent -- friendly and professional. We'll definitely be going back.
5th Ave Park Slope Italian
I agree re Peperoncino's pizza -- definitely satisfies my pizza craving at a reasonable price.
Palo Santo - some questions
I hope I didn't mislead you -- my comment about ordering tortillas (which are rather small and good for nibbling) was directed to your question about bread on the table.
Palo Santo - some questions
Palo Santo is a fabulous restaurant, but it does not serve bread on the table or have a dedicated kids menu. You can order mini tortillas, though, that are made from scratch and are unbelievably good.
steak house near Pavillion theatre
I've eaten there once -- it was fine, nothing special. Satisfied that big-slab-of-steak craving when we had just seen a movie and didn't want to schlep to Williamsburg or Manhattan, but I wasn't wowed. I would go back if my SO wanted to, but it wouldn't be my first choice by a long shot.
Palo Santo tasting menu?
The tasting menu is fantastic, particularly if you have an adventurous palate and are happy to have a leisurely dinner. I always get the wine pairing when I do the tasting menu and have never been disappointed. That said, if you're not into dishes like chicken hearts, the regular menu is probably the way to go.
-----
Palo Santo
652 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Canaille on 5th Ave, Park Slope
We had a lovely dinner tonight at Canaille on 5th Avenue in Park Slope, in the former Red Cafe space. It's only been open for a week or so, but we didn't experience any brand new restaurant jitters, and the host was friendly and helpful.
For appetizer, we split a baby arugula salad with yellow & red beets, goat cheese, and lardons, which was peppery and fresh. I had the lamb chops with sauteed red new potatoes and haricots verts, and they were beautifully tender and flavorful; my SO had the steak frites, which, while a bit tough, was tasty. For dessert, we split the chocolate pot de creme, which was out of this world -- subtle chocolate flavor, light, and luscious. Also had a nice Cotes du Rhone. Cash only, but a very nice dining experience, and a lovely addition to 5th Ave. More casual and a more limited menu than Cocotte or AOC Bistro (our recent 5th Ave French go-to places), but we had a lovely meal and we'll definitely be back.
TROIS POMMES PATISSERIE PREVIEW
I had the caramel crunch ice cream last weekend, and it was incredible. Extraordinarily flavorful, creamy and satisfying.
Best Green Market in Brooklyn
The DiPaola (sp?) turkey people were there last Saturday -- I got great ground turkey at $6/pound.
chiles & chocolate oaxacan kitchen
I would love to try C&COK, but am severely allergic to peanuts (I don't eat in Thai restaurants at all for fear of cross-contamination). Any sense of whether I can step foot in this place and not risk an allergic reaction?
