Snacks from Robicelli's Gourmet Market

5/19/10: I never updated this; probably because I was so sad. Robicelli's had to close. But, their cupcakes became so popular, they're still in business doing customs orders. You can still get your Elvis cupcake fix!

Allison & Matt opened Robicelli's Gourmet Market (8511 3rd Avenue, between 85th & 86th Streets, 718-748-6804) in the Fall of 2008. I was invited to their store this past weekend to sample some baked goods and take a look at what they've got going. They are lovely, dedicated owners, committed to the neighborhood by supporting small and/or local businesses and contributing to the community. As fourth generation Bay Ridgers (their kids are the 5th generation in the neighborhood) they want to positively contribute to the area by offering a wide variety of organic foods & snacks (both packaged and bulk), hormone and anti-biotic free grass-fed meats (and certified humane, which is most important) and dairy products, as well as homemade baked goods (Allison was up until 4am the morning of our visit!).

So, speaking of baked goods, and with full disclosure, Allison generously gave me two of her cupcakes to try. YUM! One was called The Elvis: banana cupcake with peanut butter frosting, sprinkled with bacon and it was awesome! The cupcake was moist and banana-y, the frosting was whipped into frothy peanut-buttery goodness and the bits of bacon added a wonderful salty, smoky contrast to the sweet.



The other cupcake I got was Allison's Famous Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese frosting. This too was delicious and moist, with a creamy smooth, slightly tangy frosting.



We also purchased a bag of coffee beans from Brownstone Beans which is roasted by local guys who offer different flavors of organic, Fair Trade coffee. It brewed some of the strongest coffee I've ever had; dark and flavorful and rich and it's available at locations all over Brooklyn. Allison & Matt are also are environmentally conscious - the bags they provide customers with are biodegradeable! Whoo-hoo! Go check 'em out and support the new generation of Mom & Pop stores!

Dinner at Frankie's 457

I took some friends to Frankie's 457 Spuntino (457 Court St., between 4th Place and Luquer St., 718-403-0033) recently, as they hadn't yet experienced the loveliness that is dinner there. We waited in the backyard with our bottle of wine for a table to open up, which took about 30 minutes late on a Thursday night. It's beautiful in the backyard, under minimal lighting, with flowers and vines growing, candles flickering on the tables and the F & G trains rumbling a block away, and is a nice way to pass the time before being seated.

We were seated at a four-top next to the window on the left side and were promptly approached for drink orders by our pleasant and upbeat server. We stuck with wine, but Frankie's does have a nice list of aperitifs, various cocktails and grappas. After a little deliberation and coordination we placed our order. We started out with a couple Crostini: one with Avocado & Pesto, one with Cannellini beans, capers, lemon & anchovy and two of my favorite, Ricotta with Aged Parmesan. The little bites are perfect to split in half to maximize the tastes you get to experience. The ricotta is creamy and paired perfectly with dry, salty cheese, the avocado and pesto is clean and flavorful and the cannellini bean paste is briny but not overpowering and has a nice texture.



There was an order of Pork Braciola Marinara which is an incredibly tender piece of thin pork rolled up and stuffed with cheese and bread crumbs. The marinara is savory and strong, not sweet, and is generously poured over the meat and then covered with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan. It's quite delicious.



There was also an order of the House-Made Pappardelle with braised rabbit, tomato, capers and Sicilian olives. The pasta is tender and cooked to perfection, the rabbit was gamey and tender and the sauce was bursting with the flavors of the capers and olives, briny and salty and robust.



There were also two orders of my absolute favorite Frankie's dish, the House-Made Cavatelli with Faiccos hot sausage and browned sage butter. It's heavenly. The sausage is fresh and delicately burns your mouth. The sage butter is earthy and incredible and the pasta again is tender and cooked to perfection. It's the best combination of flavors and the one dish I think about in between visits.



We were so full but decided to split one dessert between the four of us and chose the Red Wine Prunes with Mascarpone. This is such a surprisingly divine dish. The warmed up tart and sweet prunes paired with the creamy, slightly nutty mascarpone go so well together! Delish!



In addition to serving meals as a restaurant, Frankie's hosts private parties in the backyard and "Barn", an outbuilding behind the main restaurant.

Sushi To Go from Koto Sushi #2

The Junior League of Brooklyn is holding a fundraiser for C.H.I.P.S. (a soup kitchen and pantry in park Slope) next Thursday, April 30th at the terrific Franklin Park. There will be happy hour drink specials and complimentary tapas and cupcakes. Admission is free with one can of food. What a wonderful way to support the community!


I've written about Koto Sushi (552 Henry St., at Carroll St., 718-222-8055) before, as it's my go-to place for sushi in Carroll Gardens (they also have an amazing website which you should check out!). This time I decided to try something different and opted for the Nigiri Sushi Deluxe. You get ten pieces of sushi and one Spicy Tuna roll, along with soup or salad for $20. The quality and presentation of the fish at Koto is really good, everything tastes fresh, and the different types of fish have their own distinct flavor. The sliced pickled ginger is also really good, and sans dye which is just totally unneccesary.



So, with this Combination Meal you get some pieces of Salmon (both regular and King), a few pieces of tuna (regular and white), one shrimp, and a couple of Mackeral and Yellowtail. I loved it all. The rice is nicely cooked and moist, the fish was all tender and tasty and clean, and there was a variety. The Spicy Tuna Maki was also good, and very spicy, mixed with plenty of wasabi and sprinkled with sesame seeds on the outside.

The Miso soup is delicious as well, with loads of chunks of soft tofu and slices of scallion, perfect if you've got a cold or are just in need of something to warm you up. I wholeheartedly recommend Koto for their sushi. They also offer steak, but I haven't tried that yet.

Lunch at Hope & Anchor

Happy Earth Day! There's lots of good, fun stuff to do today! Check out the celebration at The Gate (321 Fifth Avenue at 3rd Street, 718-768-4329). There will be raffles and 100% of the profits from the sales of select draught beer will be donated to The Rainforest Alliance. Very cool.

I recently went to Hope & Anchor (347 Van Brunt Street, at the corner of Wolcott St., 718-237-0276) in Red Hook for lunch. It's a corner bar/diner neighborhood place with standard fare (sandwiches, burgers, beer) and surprisingly interesting other dishes (samosas with mango chutney, pierogis and tofu quesadillas). They also have Karaoke every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights! I've never been, but the photos on their website look like a lot of fun, if you're into Karaoke.

My friend and I got two entrees and split them both, a great option when you can't decide on what to get, one of which was the Red Hook Burger. It comes with cheddar, bacon and sauteed onions and was quite tasty and substantial. You get two strips of bacon but minimal cheese and the onions were nice but the fries were bland and ordinary. They made us think about frozen fries out of a bag. The bun was good though, soft and chewy but not overwhelming.



We also ordered the Crab Cake sandwich which I really liked. It comes with watercress and dill mayo on an Onion Bun. It was moist and tender, and made from real lump meat. The bun was a bit greasy, like a croissant, but it was totally enjoyable and finger-licking good.



I like this place for a laid-back meal when you're wanting something easy and tasty with not a lot of frill.

Dinner at Prime Meats

I made it down to Prime Meats (465 Court St. at Nelson St., (718) 254-0327) the other night with a friend to check out one of the newest food & drink establishments in Carroll Gardens. It's a beautiful space, lovingly created by the men behind Frankie's 457 Spuntino just a few doors down, with natural dark wood, classic chandeliers & Edison bulbs, fresh flowers in the front window and votive candles everywhere, including the trays the wait staff walks around with. "Very elegant", as I heard one server explain. Indeed. Below is a photo of the bread and butter; two types of hearty, tasty, fresh and delicious bread, creamy butter and loganberry jam. (Pardon the shadows, I was trying to be courteous with my flash!)



The food was great too. We started out with cocktails, which are pricey for the area ($5-12), but unique, interesting and delicious. I had the The Aviator with gin, creme de violette, maraschino liqueur & lemon juice. This was a tasty little drink. It's was mostly tart with subtle notes of the violet and a real dark cherry resting at the bottom for me when I was done. It was light-colored, so I didn't snap a photo. My friend chose the Loganberry Scramble made with tequila, loganberry liqueur, lemon juice and agave. It tasted like a really nice, special margarita; with two loganberries on top.



We ordered a few things and shared, which is my favorite way to eat, and the best way to take advantage of the delicious items on the menu. For starters we got the Bibb Lettuce with radishes and pumpkin seeds in an incredible dressing of pumpkin seed oil and lemon juice. Refreshing and a nice twist with the pumpkin seeds.



We also got the Sakrut Garnie which is a plate with four meats in warm housemade sauerkraut and a few chunks of potatoes. The four meats consisted of pork belly, Thuringian bratwurst, kassler & knackwurst. The pork belly was quite meaty and tender, the bratwurst was spiced with coriander and was wonderful, as was the kassler, a smoky piece of pink meat and the knackwurst made me think of a fancy hot dog - thinner than the bratwurst, it was salty in a snappy casing.



We also got the Herb & Gruyere Spaetzle which was delicious. Creamy, comfort food at it's best. I especially liked it with a bite of the bread smeared with the loganberry jam.



I hear that they'll soon expand the menu to include steak tartare by the ounce and lamp by the chop. Whatever they do, I'm sure it will be done well, and I'm looking forward to heading back to try some of the other items on the menu.

Wine Tasting in Red Hook

A few weeks ago I was part of a small group of people who got to sample five new wines from the yet-to-be-named Red Hook winery. You read right, there's a winery in Red Hook, just across the street from the Six Point Brewery, with a number of whites and reds developing in their barrels, getting ready for their debut sometime in July. Brooklyn Based teamed up with the fellows who started the winery and presented a lovely wine-and-cheese pairing experience.

There were three whites and two reds, all made from grapes trucked into Red Hook from vineyards on Long Island. Each wine tasted so unique and different from the other, with distinct notes and flavors. I'm still learning about wine, so I can't go into too much detail, but I preferred the whites, and I'm usually a red wine drinker. Again, nothing was named, as the wines are still developing, but a lot of thought and love and effort went into creating them, I'm excited to see what the final products are like!



After the wine-tasting, the table was lavishly set up with yummy cheeses from Upstate and Long Island and slices of crusty bread as well as some smoked lox. Even though most of the food was not from Brooklyn, the experience was so wonderfully Brooklyn, it seemed a shame to not share it. At least most of it was from small NY farms! Although they were serving the incredible ricotta from Brooklyn's own Salvatore Ricotta. Spread on bread (it's also good with some honey drizzled on top) this is a delightful treat. That's it in the photo below, on the plate in the lower right corner.



The big platter to the left had my two favorite cheeses. In the lower left corner is the Cayuga Blue from the Lively Run Goat Dairy in the Finger Lakes region of new York. Delicious goat's milk blue cheese, creamy and tart and wonderful. The cheese in the upper right corner is the Sigit from the Mecox Bay Dairy in Bridgehampton, Long Island. This was a crumbly, dry aged cow-milk cheese, flavorful and yummy.



The two other cheeses were good too, but a little on the mellower side, and I like my cheeses strong! At the bottom is the Shusan Snow from 3 Corner Field Farm in Battenkill Valley, NY. Their version of Camembert made with sheep's milk, it was mid and creamy. At the top of the platter is the Eden from the Sprout Creek Farm in Poughkeepsie. Made with cow's milk and washed with apple cider, it has a pungent flavor and smell.

Keep your eyes out for this wine. Come summertime, everyone will be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor!

Dinner at Kevin's

After hearing so much great stuff about Kevin's (277 Van Brunt St. between Pioneer St. & Visitation Pl., 718-596-8335) I decided to check it out for dinner recently. It's BYOB, so make sure you come with a bottle of wine since pickings are slim in that neighborhood since LeNell's shut down earlier this year. It's a small, kinda quirky place that felt a little odd to me. It seems like it should be cozier, since the staff are SO nice and a lot of thought has gone into the place (having compostable take-out containers and bags for leftovers), but it feels a little bland, which unfortunately, was the overall impression we had with our food as well.

After we were seated, they brought us some Amuse Bouche of Eggplant Bruschetta which was a nice touch and were fairly tasty, but nothing too exciting. One for each of us at the table.



I started with the Corn Shrimp Chowder which was really good. Made with a tomato base and not as creamy as I'm used to, I was happily surprised by the spicy undertones, tender pieces of shrimp and kernels of corn.



The best dish of the night however, was the Fried Calamari my step-father ordered. This was really fantastic and we were all exclaiming how good it was. Big pieces of really fresh, juicy calamari, breaded and fried, but not greasy at all, were piled high upon the plate. The dish of marinara sauce served on the side was underwhelming, but the calamari were so good, a squeeze of lemon was all it needed. By far some of the best around of this dish!



But that's as good as it got. The entrees were very bland and disappointing. Perhaps as they settle in and get their groove on, Kevin's will improve and everything will be as good as the appetizers (and apparently, the brunch), but it hasn't happened yet. I chose the Raffetto's Pappardelle with julienne vegetables and sun-dried tomato cream. It was pretty bland and needed a lot of salt to make it interesting. Even the sun-dried tomatoes seemed a little plain and in need of some garlic and olive oil.



My mom ordered the Ciopinno fish stew over rice, with mussels, shrimp and scallops. Again, underwhelming and bland. It was loaded with pieces of fish and was quite a substantial portion, but some more flavoring would've been nice.



My boyfriend picked a curried fish dish with tomatoes, spinach and onions. This too was shockingly bland. I mean, c'mon, bland curry? It was so sad because we really wanted to like this place a lot, and I guess we sort of did, since it was so nice and the appetizers were so good. Like I said, maybe it'll settle in and start to shine.



I've mostly heard about their brunch and how they have the best pancakes around, so I'm definitely going back to try them, but I'm not so sure how soon I'll be back for dinner.

Dinner at Northeast Kingdom

I first heard about Northeast Kingdom (18 Wycoff Avenue, at Troutman St., 718- 386-3864) a few months ago when a friend told me she had Googled "Chicken Pot Pie Brooklyn" and was directed to the cozy restaurant deep in the heart of Bushwick where they're written up in many places touting that they offer some of the best pot-pie in town. Before I even walked in I loved it, as it looked so cozy through the big windows facing the street. Located on the corner in a half-industrial, half-residential section of the neighborhood, it's all country-cabin and rustic inside with miniature mounted deer heads, small lamps on every table, each with a different shade, and lots of dark wood and booths. There's the regular menu which offers classic comfort-food standards like soup, pate, meatloaf and the famous pot pie. There's also a specials menu, written in chalk on a board by the door offering variations on the fare with Mexican or Indian twists. All the meat is naturally raised, organic and seemingly local, from farms within a 200-mile radius. The cocktail list was also intriguing; I'm already planning my next visit.

On this particular cold, rainy night, we settled into our booths and prepared to be wowed. We started with the Goat Cheese Croquette with organic beets & English cucumber. It was so delicious. Warm, peppery goat cheese lightly breaded and fried with fresh beets & tangy, slightly pickled thick-sliced cucumbers in a light vinaigrette and topped with frisee.



For my entree I chose from the specials list the Pork Loin with applesauce, mashed potatoes and glazed brussel sprouts. I was impressed with the substantial cut of pork I was presented with. It was wonderfully and delicately flavored with salt and pepper, remained juicy and went perfectly with everything on the plate. The applesauce brought a touch of sweetness, the mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort food and the fresh, bright green brussel sprouts offered a nice veggie counterbalance to the heartiness of the meat and potatoes. The piece of pork in the photo is obscuring the mound of potato, just so you know there was a lot underneath!



My BF ordered from the specials as well and picked the Steak and Kidney Pot Pie with a side salad. The dough was deliciously flaky and poofed up and over the lip of the earthenware bowl. Inside was a steaming center filled with big slices of steak, chunks of tender kidney (sort of like liver in that slightly metallic way, but more tender and subtle) and carrots and celery in a hearty brown sauce. It was so good.



I had a drink called the Gin Bramble with gin, lime and Creme de Mure which is a blackberry liqueur. It was light, not syrupy, and really tasty. A bit sweet and bit tart and still the flavor of the gin shone through. We also got an order of the Banana Cream Pie to go for later since we were so full from dinner. This was a bit disappointing. The crust was a bit hard but the cream was thick and lots of slices of banana were interspersed throughout.

There's also a lounge in the basement where you can sip your drink while you wait for a table or just hang out. They also serve Brunch on both Saturday and Sunday. I'll definitely be back!

Brunch at Apt. 138

As I've said many times before, I love Brunch. I'm also fond of an occasional drink in the middle of the day, which is maybe part of my love of Brunch. While ambling about on a recent warm day with nowhere in particular to go (another favorite of mine), my BF and I found ourselves hungry and in front of Apt. 138 (138 Smith Street between Bergen and Dean Streets, 718-858-0556). Serendipity at it's best! In we went, to a seat in the back near a huge potted plant that made our table feel secluded & private, and jungly, to enjoy some surprisingly good food.

I chose the Steak Sandwich with cheddar cheese, sauteed onion and garlic mayo. Filled with juicy pieces of steak on grilled Ciabatta bread, this sandwich was awesome. It totally hit the spot and was so tasty and savory with the onions and garlic mayo. It comes with a side of fries that were perfectly well-done and nicely salted with a little metal "ketchup boat" on the side to dunk them in.



I also ordered a Bloody Mary, not a typical drink for me, but this too was delicious and hit the spot. Spicy and strong, it complimented the hearty flavors of my sandwich.



My boyfriend got a Burger, of which there are four to choose from. He picked the House Burger (you can get turkey, crab and veggie too) with Havarti. Cooked exactly to order it was plump and juicy and had a nice meaty, smoky flavor. We inquired and were told they buy their meat from Los Paisanos, the butcher shop down the street.

Cookies and Brownies

I feel so fortunate to live within mere blocks of four great Italian bakeries, each with it's own specialty. Today I'm highlighting the cookies from the sort-of recently renovated F. Monteleone & Cammareri Bros. Bakery (355 Court St., between Union & President Streets, 718-852-5600) in Carroll Gardens. When I'm coming home from work and am in need of a little sweet pick-me-up, I pop in here and get a little assortment of treats.

Looking at the photo below, starting in the middle with the big white cookie is the Almond Paste cookie. This is a soft cookie, made mostly with almond paste and covered with the finest powdered sugar, and is one of my favorites. It tastes fresh, with no bitter or fake aftertaste which taints too many of these kinds of cookies. Going clockwise we have the raspberry sandwich cookies with sprinkles. The cookie is slightly almond flavored vanilla cookie; smooth, crumbly and buttery but not overly sweet, with a layer of raspberry jelly and half-dunked in chocolate and then coated in multi-colored sprinkles. Not my favorite, but basic, tasty and fun.



At the top are the Seven Layer Cookies, again made with almond paste, with thin layers of apricot jelly between the cake and then coated in dark chocolate. These are more subtle than the straight-up Almond Paste cookie, they are moist little morsels of yumminess. The last cookie is the Apricot Butter cookie, a simple butter cookie with a dollop of sticky apricot jam in the center. These are some of my favorite kinds of cookies. They aren't overly buttery, and have a lovely little design around the outside. Perfect with coffee or tea at the end of a meal.

Then there are times when I want a more substantial desserty snack, something really chocolatey and satisfying. At those moments I head over to Naidre's (502 Henry St., at Sackett St., 718-5963400) (NOT an Italian Bakery but in the space formerly occupied by Cammareri Bros. Bakery, which was in the movie "Moonstruck") to pick up one of their massive Brownie's, which last me two days, so make sure you get it in a glassine envelope so it will keep. It's so chocolatey, with loads of chocolate chips throughout it's moist, cakey goodness. It's dense too, and a little on the sweet side (hence the time-out half-way through).



I like the corner piece, but they'll give you whatever piece you ask for!

Brunch at Enid's

I've written about Enid's before (560 Manhattan Ave. at Driggs Ave.) but for dinner. Well, they have excellent brunch foods as well, which I was fortunate enough to enjoy recently with some friends. There's lots to choose from, and it definitely leans towards the hearty and comforting, with biscuits, hash and scrapple on the menu.

One of my favorite dishes is the Leek & Potato Hash (you can also get it with Bacon mixed in for a little extra), two eggs, any style, and more potatoes on the side. I chose this, with eggs over-easy and loved it because it's SO delicious. The hash is delightfully crispy on the outside and ever so slightly salty with lots of sauteed leeks throughout. The eggs are nicely done, with runny yolks but cooked whites. The potatoes are nothing to write home about, but I was so happy with the hash it really didn't matter.



There was Scrapple on the Specials menu, which was made from pork sausage, and came with a two eggs and a side of collard greens. One of my friends was brave enough to try it (plus a biscuit because they're so damn good) and was thoroughly rewarded. It was served in slice form, like meatloaf, but was a kind of soft consistency, as if the sausage was shredded. Lightly spiced, it was quite savory and surprisingly good. The collard greens were a little over-cooked though.



Another friend ordered the Museli & Fruit with soy milk, one of the more 'healthy' options at this vegetarian and vegan-friendly spot. This was decent, but not anything too special. The fruit was fresh and the museli included dates and raisins.



There was also an order of the "Hungry Bear" - buttermilk biscuit, two eggs and grits with gravy. It doesn't look like much - being so beige - and the gravy was a bit on the heavy side. Not the favorite of the morning.



There are also delicious brunch cocktails like this Mimosa - champagne & orange juice - what a pretty way to start your Sunday!

Dinner at Fragole

I can't believe I haven't written about Fragole yet (394 Court St., between Carroll St. & 1st place, 718-522-7133). It's one of my favorite restaurants around (overall, not just for Italian). It's consistent and dependable, offering lots of basic pastas dishes done expertly and deliciously, and a variety of specials to choose from if you're feeling like something different. On this occasion we just wanted a good meal and know that we'll never be disappointed here.

We started with a salad of mixed greens and endive. Simple yet tasty, with a light lemony vinaigrette dressing. The ingredients were fresh and crisp and it was a nice way to start the meal.



My BF got the special Gnocchi with Pork Rib Ragu which was so hearty and flavorful. The gnocchi were tender and soft, and the sauce had sweet notes of tomato and earthy chunks of meat. It was a seriously good dish!



I chose one of my favorite dishes, the Rigatoni Firenze with Eggplant, Mozzarella and Basil. The eggplant is so tender and numerous chunks of melted cheese are interspersed throughout. Slices of fresh basil add a bright flavor to an otherwise homey and simple dish.



All the pastas are homemade daily, there are tons of wines, all listed at $27 (save for premium bottles), and the atmosphere is warm and friendly. The tables are definitely packed in, but at Fragole that seems to add to the jovial nature of the place. One of the best indeed! They also deliver, fyi.

Lunch at Building on Bond

Walking into Building on Bond (112 Bond Street at Pacific Street, 718-853-8687) during the weekday is a strange experience. The place is packed but it's really quiet, save for the soft sounds of jazz or bossa nova playing on the stereo. Everyone has a laptop and is working intently which makes it feel like an office or library. I met a friend for lunch, and we felt like at any moment we were going to get shushed since we were the only ones engaged in conversation. It put me a little on edge, but the space is so nice and the friendly waiter who used to work the counter at the Boerum Hill Food Company is so gregarious, I soon felt at ease. The sunlight comes in through the huge windows and floods the two big rooms BOB occupies. Being filled with remnants from old businesses (metal shelving, card catalog-looking pieces and even old time-card units) lends an old-timey feeling, as do the restored windows that extend out from the walls.

My friend got the Reuben Empanadas, filled with homemade sauerkraut, corned beef, gruyere cheese and thousand island dressing. The kraut was underwhelming, as was that size of the empanadas. For the price ($7) we both thought there should be at least three, or two bigger ones. The dressing was tasty though and the dough was light and flaky.



I ordered the Turkey Club with sage marinated turkey, lettuce, tomato, apple smoked bacon and apricot rhubarb spread on cranberry pecan bread. This was quite good, especially the spread. The turkey was moist and substantial (didn't taste the sage though) and the bacon lent a nice smoky flavor to the overall sweetness of the rest of the sandwich. I would definitely get this again.



My sandwich came with Homemade Fries (I had a choice between them and homemade potato chips) and they were also really good. Nice and well-done, crispy and herb-y, they tasted like real potatoes! Hallelujah!



Building on Bond also serves dinner, has a good cocktail list and shuts their Wifi off at 4pm.