briochebun's Profile
Ted and Honey (red deli space)
Now that this place has been open for a while, what do people think?
I've only stopped by once, but my impression is that the food is good, but the value is terrible. The portions of both the baked goods and the salads are miniscule. I haven't tried the sandwiches, so perhaps you get more for your money there, but both my scone and my lunch side salad were teeny tiny.
And the service is sort of off (though I've found that to be the case with most of the "indie" coffee shops and cafes in the neighborhood...honestly, the nicest people are at Starbucks, much as I hate to say it).
Terrible hot dog at Chicory (Degraw St.)
I agree with the majority of the posts here. I've really enjoyed Chicory's food in the past--fries were great, chicken was good--but lately it has been going downhill. Several times, I have popped in, asked for a menu item, and been informed that it's not available. Same thing every time. The guy behind the counter delivers this news like it's no big deal...almost as if I have some nerve for asking for it. And mind you, this was usually at lunchtime, not in the middle of the night.
But it wasn't this that turned me off the place...it wasn't the consistently rude service I got from the people who work there at night, or even the bad pulled pork sandwich I got recently (soggy, tasteless). It was the time a few weeks ago that I was starving, under the weather, and hoping to get some food delivered. I knew Chicory closed at 10, so I called at around 9:30 and asked if I could place an order for delivery. "Sure," the man on the phone said. "Can you hold?" So I did. For a long time. When he finally got back to me, I told him what I wanted--some fried chicken and a few side dishes, something like that. He repeated it back to me wrong. I told him again. "Sorry, we have a $10 minimum," he said. The order was something like $12.50--I had checked before calling, and it was clearly enough food to add up to more than $10, even without doing the math. But when I explained this to him, he kept insisting that it was only $7. Finally, after a few minutes, we got everything sorted out. "Can you hold?" he asked again. After a few MORE minutes, the guy got back on the phone and informed me that it was actually too late to place an order for delivery. He didn't even say sorry.
Anyway, never again.
DUMBO Indian
I had a chai tea there the other day. It was pretty bad. Granted, I stopped by at the end of the day, but it was practically cold and tasted like dishwater. That said, the buffet items do smell alluring as you're walking by...I will have to give it a try.
Tea in Brooklyn?
I've been wondering this too. I don't know if you mean a formal "afternoon tea" with sandwiches and petits fours--Sweet Melissa is the only place I know that does that--but I would be delighted with a place that really knows how to a brew a pot of tea.
What to order at Chicory?
Fries with truffle mayo are great! They're more like belgian frites than typical fries...a little wetter/more substantial inside, if that makes sense. I'm not too fond of the fried chicken--it has a very thick but flavorless crust. I've really enjoyed their tuna sandwich.
Breakfast near the Brooklyn Bridge
If you want simple but good American diner food, check out Clark's Corner on Clark and Henry.
Mazzola late night?
I love almost everything I've eaten at Mazzola bakery in Carroll Gardens, and I remember once hearing something about being able to stop by the side door (which is actually on Henry Street) at night, after they've closed, and buy bread or pastries. Does anyone know if you can do this? It's the kind of thing I'd love to do on my way home, but I would feel weird knocking on the door if in fact that's not their policy.
Lucali's still great...
Huh...weird. The last time was probably about 3 weeks ago. I can't imagine why they'd all of a sudden stop doing takeout. Anyway, I hope it's only temporary!
Has anyone been to Pies and Thighs in BK [moved from Manhattan board]
I didn't say I ate inside. I said the room is cramped, hot, uncomfortable, and dirty-looking. You have to go in there to order, and when there is a crowd (or even when there's not), waiting to place your order is not a fun experience. I have never heard of anyone actually eating in there.
I also didn't say that they have the best fried chicken in New York. I said it's the best *I've had*. I've tried quite a few places, but by no means all the spots that are said to be the best. But of the chicken I've had, Pies and Thighs is superior...beautifully crispy, salty skin...moist meat. I tend to prefer fried chicken without strong seasoning.
Lucali's still great...
No, I live in the neighborhood and have gotten several takeout pies there. You call ahead and place your order with a woman sitting outside on a bench with a phone. Then when you arrive, she goes inside and gets your pizza. It's a strange system, but surprisingly efficient. The pizza is not quite as fresh when I carry it the five blocks home, but that's made up for the by lack of wait an dhassle.
Has anyone been to Pies and Thighs in BK [moved from Manhattan board]
Their fried chicken is hands down the best I've had in New York. The biscuits there are also good...I like to order a pie or cobbler along with my meal and slather the resultant gooiness onto the biscuit. I usually stick to the potato salad side and am pretty happy, though every time I go it seems to be made in a *completely* different way.
The only downside to Pies n Thighs, as far as I'm concerned, is the setting and the service. The room itself is cramped, hot, uncomfortable, and dirty-looking. The service isn't bad, exactly, but sometimes the hipsters there seem cooler-than-thou, and they do that thing where they laugh loudly at crazy inside jokes while you're standing there trying to order. Still, this is my go-to spot for fried chicken in Brooklyn.
Dumont Restaurant, Williamsburg [moved from Manhattan board]
Dumont is absolutely great, and underrated by people who (understandably, I guess) think of it as just another Williamsburg hipster hangout. Recently I've had an amazing fig and proscuitto salad there, with a vinaigrette that tasted like essence of fig. Their brunch eggs are ridiculously buttery...and they give out free, freshly fried donuts. And their burger is the best I've had in the city.
Best Brooklyn neighborhood for a foodie?
I just moved from South Williamsburg (S. 4th and Rodney) to Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens, and the difference from a foodie perspective is amazing. There are almost no good grocery stores in the area (the closest to me was a sorta gross organic place called Sunac), just lots of bodegas and fast food places. The most convenient place to shop was actually Whole Foods Bowery. In CH/CG, there are tons of gorgeous little stores, including some old Italian meat and cheese shops, plus a smattering of larger places like Met. I would NOT recommend moving to Williamsburg if you like to cook and eat fresh, organic food.
Make your own stir-fry
I'm looking for a stir-fry place where you can choose among a variety of fresh vegetables and herbs, pick a meat and a sauce, and have them saute it up for you. Where I grew up, in Chicago, there are a million restaurants like this (Big Bowl, etc.), but I still haven't been able to find anything in New York except for a few corporate cafeterias, and a weird little lunch place on Mad and 98th that used canned broccoli and "brown sauce" and tons of grease. I just want a fresh, simple, and somewhat customizable stir fry--this obviously isn't authentic Chinese food, nor is it particularly adventurous, but it's good and relatively healthy. Can anyone suggest a place?
caracas arepas bar - recent reviews/recs?
The appetizer of fried, caramelized plantains with crumbles of aged cheese is also fantastic. And I don't even like plantains.
Suggestions for Craft?
Reporting back: I ended up having a delicious spread that didn't make me want to explode. I ordered two sides, the good baby carrots and the absolutely amazing fingerling potatoes. They were crunchy and yet almost juicy, and perfectly salted. I also shared an excellent halibut entree (it went particularly well with the potatoes). Others at my table had the chestnut and duck risotto and the smoked sturgeon, neither of which I particularly liked (the former was too sweet, the latter too salty). Dessert--a shared bowl of doughnuts with cherry compote and chocolate sauce--was transcendent. They were just perfectly done, and, dipped in the compote, tasted something like a jelly doughnut.
Suggestions for Craft?
I'm going to Craft tonight--what should I order? The catch is that I ate at Babbo last night (I know...), and I'm still stuffed, so I'm hoping to get something fairly light. How's the fish? Or would it be worth my while to order just a side dish or two? How big are the portions?
Burgers! Please Opine regarding your faves
Agreed. It's probably one of the best I've ever had. And the bread-and-butter pickles it comes with are also great.
Looking for good, cheap sushi near Astor Place
Thanks a lot--I'll definitely stop by for lunch sometime this week.
Looking for good, cheap sushi near Astor Place
I work in Astor Place, and I'm always craving sushi for lunch--not anything fancy or particularly innovative, just a standard repetoire of classic maki and nigiri. Does anyone have suggestions for something tasty, inexpensive, and (preferably) takeout friendly?
Percy Pig?
I lived in England for a year and developed an insatiable craving for a Marks and Spencer candy called Percy Pig. It's basically a pink raspberry gummy pig. Declasse, but delicious. Is there anywhere at all in New York where I could find this?
Best Margherita Pizza ?!
Well this is Brooklyn, but I just had a fantastic Pizza Margherita at Fornino in Williamsburg (it's right next to the Bedford Avenue L). They have their own greenhouse in the back where they grow fresh herbs and veggies.
pain au chocolat avec amandes
I have to disagree...I had one at Tisserie today, and it was truly AWFUL. I rarely don't finish a pastry, but I couldn't force more than a fifth of this down. It was leaden, mushy, and flat-out WEIRD.
Tisserie on Union Sq.
Weird, because I too had a macaroon mixup. I love macaroons, and when I saw this new place I couldn't resist popping in and ordering two--praline and strawberry. The strawberry tasted like strawberry, but the praline tasted...well, I guess the best description is lemony. But when I had asked the man behind the counter what flavors there were, he did NOT say lemon.
The macaroons themselves were ok. A little too sweet and wet, and the strawberry was almost neon in its pinkness. Definitely not as good as the amazing ones at Bouchon Bakery (their winter trio of chestnut, passion fruit, and blood orange is to die for).
French Onion Soup
La Bonne Soupe! Everything else is eh there, but the onion soup is great.
Best Croissants in park Slope help
I haven't had a chance to try the regular croissant yet, but the almond croissant at the Park Slope Sweet Melissa is truly one of the most delicious things that has ever crossed my lips. Intensely flaky, filled with almond paste (not quite marzipan), and covered with slivered almonds and a light dusting of powdered sugar.
