Good Beer at BAM

Where to begin!?? The Good Beer event at BAM, coproduced by Edible Brooklyn & Edible Manhattan, was held this past Wednesday evening, despite thunderstorms and heavy downpours all afternoon. It might have delayed some in setting up and getting ready, but with so much to choose from, it was easy to skip ahead to tables that were ready and return to the ones who were not at a later time. There were Brooklyn vendors and those from elsewhere, so I'm going to concentrate on the Brooklyn food and drink I sampled.

I was happy to see Rosewater with a table, as I love their food. They only use high quality ingredients and pay close attention to every detail to create delicious meals. They were offering samples of Geuze ceviche bruschetta with fluke topped with avocado. It was great - light and delicate but also flavorful, with the earthy, creamy avocado giving it some weight.



Schnitzel & Things was handing out plates of Weiner Schnitzel with cucmber and potato salad. The cucmber was sliced paper thin, the potato salad was creamy and tangy and the schnitzel was ever-so-lightly fried. It was perfect in a bite-sized portion. This was paired with Brooklyn Homebrew Supply's Proprietary Wheat Ale, a lemony brew that was quite tasty and refreshing.



Pacing was important and we made sure to take a break midway through. Three or four ounce glasses of beer add up quickly! We eventually made our way upstairs where there were tons more tables laid out. At the top of the stairs was Beer Table handing out Pickled Eggs which were so good! I think I just love anything pickled - briny, salty, tangy - it's all good with me. These eggs were topped with sea salt and jalapeno powder. Paired with a very spicy Bayerischer Banhoff Leipziger Gose that was not quite to my liking.



To my delight, The Good Fork had a table filled with their most delicious Pork Dumplings. Dunked in soy sauce, sprinkled with chives, these little packages are incredible. Reminded me I need to get back there for dinner soon! They were paired with a Blue Point Toasted Lager which made a really good combination.



Basis Farm to Chef were offering mini cheeseburgers put together from an extensive list of local-ish, organic farms. As a "good food" distributor, their aim is to connect small and mid-range farms with chefs, retailers & institutions. I really liked them and hope to see more places utilize their services. Brooklyn Brine had a small station next to them where they were handing out their homemade pickles. A new company, Brooklyn Brine already has a contract with Marlow & Daughters, so go get yourself a jar and check 'em out yourself!



Ici had samples of their cornbread which has real kernals of corn, as well as summer squash and vermont cheddar in it. Dense and packed with goodness, this was a real treat. With Kelso's St. Gowanus (a summery wheat beer that wasn't heavy or owverpowering as many of this style can be), it made for an excellent summer pairing.



I was glad to see there was a table of dessert items in the back, to sweeten up our palates after all this savory food and beer! Jomart Chocolates was offering three types of candies - one marshmallow covered option, one milk chocolate and one made with jalapeno that had a slow burn. All three were amazing, although the spicy one for sure in only small amounts!



I also have to mention that the Truck Farm by Wicked Delicate was there, complete with livestock! I just love this idea, and am happy to see it doing so well. Created by the guys behind King Corn, they will be putting together a film about this venture, so keep your eyes open for it. For a sneak preview, you can check out three short clips on their website.



Yay for Brooklyn food & beer! Happy Eating!

Brooklyn Leg of the 5-Boro Pizza Tour

I got wind of an interesting event taking place this weekend and wanted to spread the word. The Brooklyn Leg of the 5-Boro Pizza Tour will be taking place on Sunday, August 9. The group will start at Motorino in Williamsburg and make their way through Bushwick, Carroll Gardens, and Midwood. If this sounds like a challenge you're up to, check out Jeffrey Tastes for information on how to sign up and when to meet. Let me know if you go!

AND, as a reminder: Eat It: The Brooklyn Food Blog turned one year old July 18th and I'm celebrating with a contest! To enter, write about your favorite restaurant or meal in Brooklyn and email it to EatItBrooklyn (at) gmail (dot) com; don't forget to include photos! Two lucky winners will each receive a copy of the new book out by Andrew Coe called Chop Suey: A Cultural History of Chinese Food in the United States and will have their submission published here on Eat It! Special consideration will be given to those who write about Chinese food! Contest ends August 3rd.

Mexican at Rachel's Taqueria

After a long, hot day in Prospect Park, I didn't want to go too far for food, so my BF & I ambled down the hill to Rachel's Taqueria (408 5th Avenue, between 7th & 8th Streets, 718-788-1137) for some drinks & tacos. We were seated in the back room, complete with Mayan murals and something on one section that looked like a power plant gone bad.



I started out with the Watermelon Mojito from the specials menu that was an impulse buy and something I regretted later. Made with Midori, it had that unmistakeably airplane-bathroom-smell taste, sickly sweet and just weird. The mint was nice though.



For my dinner, I ordered two tacos; one fish and one carne asada. Both were tasty, substantially filled and fresh. Topped with shredded lettuce and salsa, each on two small corn tortillas, they were the perfect amount of food. And from the a la carte menu, you can mix and match depending on your cravings.



My BF got a taco dinner; three tacos, your choice, which come with rice and beans and a small salad. He picked one spinach, one corn and one carne asada. The tacos were great - the corn came from a can, but wasn't mushy, and the spinach was fresh and flavorful, as was the meat. The rice was standard and the beans were fine.



All in all it was a good meal. The service was attentive and sweet (our waitress called everyone "darlings" or "sweeties"), and everything was basically as expected. Just stick to the standard Margaritas!

Pupusas in Red Hook

Eat It: The Brooklyn Food Blog turned one year old this past weekend and I'm celebrating with a contest! To enter, write about your favorite restaurant or meal in Brooklyn and email it to EatItBrooklyn (at) gmail (dot) com; don't forget to include photos! Two lucky winners will each receive a copy of the new book out by Andrew Coe called Chop Suey: A Cultural History of Chinese Food in the United States and will have their submission published here on Eat It! Special consideration will be given to those who write about Chinese food! Contest ends August 3rd!

Great days involve great food. Great food does not have to be eaten at a fancy restaurant, or any kind of restaurant actually; it can be purchased from a truck and eaten with your hands at a wooden picnic table in the shade on a hot, muggy afternoon. That is exactly what I did yesterday and it was pure wonderfulness.

After a lazy swim at the Red Hook pool and cooling off in its crystal clear blue waters, a friend and I ambled over to the Red Hook Ball Fields at the intersection of Bay St. and Clinton St. to get some lunch from one of the vendors selling all manner of yummy food - grilled corn, flautas, tacos, chicharron, plantains and, of course, pupusas. I ordered one Bean & Cheese and one with Pork & Cheese, which are served with the tastiest pickled slaw & onions and doused with sour cream and hot sauce. Pupusas are small rounds of corn meal stuffed with a variety of fillings. The best is when some of the cheese spills out and gets toasted by the grill it's cooked on so it gets browned to a crisp. There are a few vendors that sell pupusas, I pretty much pick the one with the shortest line! This time I ordered from Soler Dominican and found them to be terrific.



I also make sure to get a big cup of juice while I'm there as well. My favorites include Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Tamarind and Horchata (made from rice, almonds & cinnamon), but you can also get lime & lemonade, pineapple juice and mango juice. So refreshing, sweet and delicious!

Sandwiches from Esposito's Pork Store

Eat It: The Brooklyn Food Blog turned one year old July 18th and I'm celebrating with a contest! To enter, write about your favorite restaurant or meal in Brooklyn and email it to EatItBrooklyn (at) gmail (dot) com; don't forget to include photos! Two lucky winners will each receive a copy of the new book out by Andrew Coe called Chop Suey: A Cultural History of Chinese Food in the United States and will have their submission published here on Eat It! Special consideration will be given to those who write about Chinese food!


I had a craving for Roast Beef sandwiches the other day and thought I'd try getting it at G. Esposito and Sons Pork Store, (357 Court Street, between President & Union, 718-875-6863) the place with the big fiberglass pig outside, waving to passersby, beckoning them to come in. Inside, dry sausages of all sizes hang from the ceiling and all sorts of goodies fill the shelves.

My roast beef sandwich came piled high, and I ordered it with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, salt & pepper on a roll. It was one of the best Roast Beef sandwiches I have ever had. It was perfect. Tender meat, good roll, well seasoned. Lovingly made as well by the mean behind the counter. It so hit the spot. I ate half before I realized I needed to take a picture!



My BF ordered the sweet Sopressata sandwich with provolone, lettuce, tomato & mustard. This was great too, with thinly sliced provolone, delicious meat, on a crusty sesame seed roll.



I highly recommend this place if you're desiring deli sandwiches - there's more to this place than pork!

Pizza at Fascati Pizza

It is only when I'm traveling that I realize how wonderful it is to live in a city where you are never too far from a slice of pizza. It's the best thing to tide you over until the next mealtime, and I find that while there are really good places, even a mediocre slice is good enough for a snack (unless the sauce is on the sweet side, that I cannot accept). The pizza at Fascati Pizza (80 Henry Street, between Pineapple & Orange Streets, 718-237-1278) is certainly better than mediocre though, with savory sauce, plentiful cheese and toppings, and about 8 guys behind the counter, so you'll never have to wait long to place your order.

I stopped in recently for a mid-afternoon bite and walked away with the biggest pepperoni slice I've ever seen, crammed with thick slices of the spicy meat. When the slices cook, they curl up and end up being little bowls full of oil. Nothing a few paper napkins can't fix!



The cheese slice was great too, with plenty of melted, gooey cheese, on a perfectly crunchy crust. I like my pizza with a few shakes of garlic powder, oregano and red pepper...mmmm, delicious!

I know people are really picky and opinionated about their pizza. How does Fascati Pizza rate readers?

Happy First Birthday Book Give-Away Contest!

Eat It: The Brooklyn Food Blog turned one year old this past weekend and I'm celebrating with a contest! To enter, write about your favorite restaurant or meal in Brooklyn and email it to EatItBrooklyn (at) gmail (dot) com; don't forget to include photos! Two lucky winners will each receive a copy of the new book out by Andrew Coe called Chop Suey: A Cultural History of Chinese Food in the United States and will have their submission published here on Eat It! Special consideration will be given to those who write about Chinese food!



The contest is open until Monday August 3rd and the winning posts will be published on August 5th & 7th. Good luck!!!

Breakfast at Little Purity Diner #2

I had the good fortune of having a recent weekday morning free, and got to have breakfast with a friend of mine at The Little Purity Diner in Park Slope (390 7th Ave. at 12th St.). I so love it there! Big booths line the wall by the windows, tables are in the center of the room and there are stools at the counter near the kitchen. You also get bottomless cups of coffee and you can sit there for what feels like forever, chatting and relaxing, even after you've done eating.

So, I got a bowl of oatmeal, what felt like quite a risk, being that we were at a diner, but it was actually pretty good. Yeah, they didn't have brown sugar or raisins, but they had cinnamon and I could've gotten it with banana. It was pretty thick and substantial, not the runny, gluey mess I was worried I'd be served.



My friend got an egg sandwich with turkey bacon on an English muffin which was really good. Big strips of turkey bacon layered with fried egg, just a tad bit overcooked. Yum!



It's also super cheap at Little Purity, sunny in the mornings, and like I said, pretty quiet during the week (I haven't been there on the weekend to know what traffic is like - anyone care to say?).

Dinner at Brooklyn Fish Camp

When I asked my Mom the other night what she wanted for dinner, she said, "A salad and a nice piece of fish", so naturally we headed to Brooklyn Fish Camp, (165 5th Avenue, between Douglass & Degraw Streets, 718-783-3264), the BK outpost of Manhattan's Mary's Fish Camp. I'd actually never been there, but was pleasantly surprised and have now added it to the long roster of great Brooklyn restaurants. We were seated in the little backyard courtyard at one of the long communal tables. There were a few red, white & rose wines by the glass, a handful of beer on tap (we got a Pilsner and an IPA that were delicious - Victory and Greenflash), and a selection of specials as well.

We started with half a pound of peel & eat shrimp that were coated with a delightful spicy sauce and were polished off in mere minutes.



My boyfriend and I started with a salad of Romaine Hearts with Avocado, Cucumber & Green Goddess Dressing which was divine. Crispy, crunchy, tangy and creamy and pure goodness.



My Mom chose the Peekytoe Crab Beignets with Key Lime Aioli which were like a combination of crab cakes & hush puppies. Little balls of tender crab meat, well seasoned and perfect when dipped into the creamy aioli.



For our entree, my BF & I shared the Grilled Daurade Filet with Yellow Wax Beans,
Cannellini Beans and Radishes. There were two big pieces of fish that was meaty and slightly oily, brightened up by the beans & radishes. It was a satisfying and delicious dish.



My mom then eschewed her "nice piece of fish" and instead chose the Rocket salad made with Sweet Peas, Chives, Dill and Mint. This was quite amazing, with all those bright & intense herbal flavors and the almost bitter rocket. I have to remember to use mint & dill in my salads!



We also got a side of the Fried Artichokes cuz I adore them. These were so-so though, and therefore disappointing. They were really tough and chewy and sort of bland. The dipping sauce was great though...



All in all it was a successful trip and delicious meal. Our server was friendly and on top of things, and the food was top notch. The people sitting next to us ordered the Bread Pudding for dessert and it looked terrific too; we were just too full. Next time!

Lunch at Fanny

Fanny (425 Graham Ave., between Frost & Withers, 718-389-2060), is a nice little spot on an unassuming stretch of Graham Ave. with a sweet, sun-dappled backyard. Sitting underneath the grapevines out back lends your meal a very 'European Afternoon' feeling. It's lovely, and the food was delicious as well.

My friend and I shared everything, and each dish was ample enough so that there was plenty of each to split in half. They were offering a special Brunch (on a Tuesday afternoon!) of Poached Eggs atop toasted country bread, with sauteed spinach, three grilled shrimp and a yogurt-tarragon sauce which sounded too good to pass up. The eggs were indeed perfect, as was the spinach - wonderfully seasoned and cooked just right. The bread was crusty and sourdough-y and the shrimp were excellent. It all tasted so good, neither of us bothered with the sauce.



We also split the Fried Fish sandwich with tartar sauce and a side salad. There were two big pieces of fish, lightly breaded & fried, flaky & tender and the salad (with buttery lettuce & other greens) was superbly dressed with lemon, salt & pepper.



I really enjoyed the meal, the service and the place itself, and am eager to get back to try out dinner!

Dinner at The JakeWalk

So, The JakeWalk (282 Smith St., at the corner of Sackett St., 718-347-599-0294) has been around for a little while, and I kept walking by and would think, "Have to go there", but it took all this time to finally make it there. Boy, were we happily surprised. Our food was really good, and I really like how they have the place set up, with table inside and tables along the wall outside and a big hole cut into the wall so that it feels open and airy. It's definitely worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood. They have a long list of wines, a short list of beers and a number of interesting cocktails. I ordered the Brooklyn Rumble which is made with Rum, Lime, Framboise and Angostura Bitters. It was refreshing and tart, and ever so slightly sweet.



We started with one cheese and one meat. We picked the Fiore Sardo, a Pasteurized Sheep Milk & the Braesola, which I mentioned in a post last week. I told you it's my new favorite thing. The cheese was crumbly and rich, a bit nutty, and delicious. The braesola, well, it was fantastic. A bit sweeter than at Flatbush Farm, but wonderful with the cheese and fig jam!



We also got a salad of Mesclun Greens with pickled haricot verts. Phew, this was quite a mouth experience! Very vinegary, but I like that, and so tasty, with big croutons that helped cut the tangy haricot verts.



BUT, the dish of the evening was the Pulled Pork sandwich with pickles and Avocado Cole slaw. This was incredible. It was slightly sweet, like it had some maple syrup in it, and not smoky or BBQ-y at all. It was more like something my Italian grandmother would make, a slow, stewed pork, wonderfully flavored, tender, juicy and amazing. The spicy Dijon mustard cut through the sweetness and the pickles were nice but there weren't many of them so they kind of got lost amidst all that falling-apart meat. The bread was crusty and the slaw was really good. So creative with avocado instead of mayo, crunchy and flavorful, it was all eaten up!



I'll definitely go back to try some of the other stuff on the menu, like the venison sausage and maybe the fondue. I was told the meat was from an organic farm, but there was no signage on the menu.

Burgers at Flatbush Farm

I've on a real burger kick recently, and am on a mission to build up a good list of places that serve grass-fed and/or organically raised beef. I was happy to see that the burgers at Flatbush Farm and Bar, (76 St. Marks Place, between 6th Avenue & Flatbush, 718-622-3276) are just those kind of burgers! They also have other yummy food, and in the warm weather you can sit out in their GREAT backyard. I had dinner here in the winter months and I'm happy to say that most of the options have rotated in order to use the seasonal, organic, local-when-available fare they are offering now.

On this visit, my friend and I shared the Braesola appetizer, which came topped with an arugula salad, heartily dressed with a salty, lemony dressing and toasted slices of baguette. All these flavors added up to one delicious dish. Braesola is like fruit leather only made with beef, and is my current favorite treat. The peppery arugula gave it a nice green balance and the bread cut the salt.



I then got the burger which comes with perfectly cooked and salted fries. Real cheddar cheese was melted on top and a big pile of sliced pickles was served with lettuce, red onion & tomato. The burger was juicy and substantial, slightly charred and all around terrific. I ate it all! My friend did help with the fries!



So go here and sit out back while the weather is nice. The coctail list is interesting and creative as well.

Dinner from Bedouin Tent

Bedouin Tent (405 Atlantic Avenue, between Bond & Nevins, 718-852-5555) is a consistent stand-by for my family when I'm over at their place visiting, we're all hungry and nobody wants to cook. They deliver pretty quickly and the food is quite good (and if you'd rather dine in, there's a sweet little 'tent' in the backyard that elicits the feeling of being part of a caravan that has stopped for the night, all warm tones and coziness.

We started with the Combination Plate, this time with Hummus, Babagaouj, Tabouleh, Yogurt Sauce and Green Salad. The Baba is smoky, earthy & amazing, the hummus is creamy yet substantial, the tabouleh is fresh & bright, the green salad is crisp & cleansing with green peppers and cucumbers and the yogurt sauce is tart & thick. This all comes with a huge, warm pita for scooping, dipping & dunking.



We also ordered a Spinach Pie, which is as big as a calzone but flatter, stuffed with spinach and warm, melted cheese and just delicious. It's savory, slightly salty and so good, you can stop tearing off pieces despite all the other good stuff in front of you.



We always get the Green Pitza made with mozzarella, scallions, leeks and fenugreek. It's one of my favorite flavor combinations and is SO tasty. The toppings are spread on generously and are cooked to perfection. There are other pitzas made with lamb or chicken or sun-dried tomato, but this is hands down the best!



Of course there were orders of falafel sandwich too, cuz they make 'em really good! I get mine with extra hummus added, and even though I ask for just a LITTLE bit of hot sauce, they don't really listen to that and put more than I prefer. Oh well, it's OK since the falafel balls are moist and tender and there's enough of everything - lettuce, tomatoes & tahini - in every bite of the warm, flaky pita. Yum!

Pizza at Anselmo's

1-10-10
I'm said to report on a story I read in Brownstoner that states Anselmo's has closed, 9 months after they opened, they're apparently having difficulty with the landlords and their lease. So sad, this place was great. Hopefully, they'll find another spot to re-open and have success. Good Luck Anselmo's!

There's nothing in the world like good pizza. And it seems like good, brick-oven pizza is having a resurgence lately with all the new places like Anselmo's (354 Van Brunt St., at Sullivan St., 718-313-0169) tossing their hat into the ring. I think this is a good thing, especially when the wait on lines at some places can be two hours or you're told at 7pm that a place is not taking any more names for the night. That, to me, is just crazy-talk. So I'm glad there are new places like Anselmo's to spread the pizza around.

Before we talk pizza, let's take a look at the salad, a nice, big, arugula salad with real croutons, two garlic knots, shaved Grana Padano cheese and toasted walnuts in a lemon dressing. This was fresh and delicious and enough for three people. The garlic knots were also really good; soft and doughy and well-seasoned and not the hard, stale balls they usually are.



We also got an order of the Caprese Salad which was pretty decent. Not the most amazing mozzarella around, but good and creamy and the tomatoes were good as well. The pesto topping was a nice touch, as were the salty, briny olives.



There were a lot of us, so we got two large pies (14 inches) and ended up also needing a small pie (10 inches). You can get a whole range of toppings, or choose the special pizza of the night listed on the board. The crust was perfect, the sauce was savory and not too sweet and everything tasted fresh and was so yummy.



There isn't two inches of crust like on the pizzas I found underwhelming but everybody insists are the best, and the toppings are liberally spread about the pie. While the ambiance is a bit lacking (kind of food court-ish), the staff is friendly, there's absolutely no wait for a table, even on a Saturday night, and everything tastes great. I hope people go to Anselmo's so that they'll always be a more relaxed but still delicious pizza option. They don't have a liquor license, so make sure to bring a few beers or a bottle of wine with you!

Dinner at Pane e Vino

So, I've had a bit of a goal for myself since starting this blog, almost one year ago, and that was to eat at every restaurant in my neighborhood. It sometimes feels impossible because new places open up all the time, and then there are the places that are just so good, I want to go back to them instead of trying a new place. I also like to cook and can't go out to eat all the time anyway, so I've got a ways to go, but I'm still working on it! Which leads me to my recent visit to Pane e Vino (174 Smith Street, between Warren & Wyckoff Streets, 718-501-1010) that made me curse this goal and wish I had just gone to Fragole, yet again, just because I'm never let down there. All is not lost though: if you heed my words and avoid this place, my sacrifice of a good dinner will be worth it.

I ate here years ago during their opening weekend when they had a pig roast in the "backyard" and were celebratorily giving away portions to all diners who were interested. I remember it being a lovely, festive spot with tasty food. Sadly, this was not the case the other evening.

We started out with the Burrata, an interesting concoction that consists of a mozzarella cheese pouch filled with mozzarella and cream. We cut the shell open and out spilled a milky, creamy liquid. I've never seen anything like it and was a little weirded out, but intrigued. One bite though and we knew that something was wrong; the cheese had turned and was sour and off. Bummer. They took it away and after initially trying to explain that it was supposed to taste that way (it's not, it's supposed to be sweet and creamy like the freshest mozzarella), they ended up not charging us for it. Kudos to them.



We also ordered the Grilled Calamari over Greens as another appetizer to share. The calamari was rubbery & chewy and obviously had been frozen. We also found a piece of foil with the letters "SQUD" on it mixed into the salad. How sad. The salad was all wrong too - romaine and shredded carrots instead of mixed field greens or arugula.



As our entree we ordered the Spinach & Cheese Ravioli in a Sage Butter sauce. These were your typical from the box little raviolis. They tasted fine, a bit on the salty side, but nice enough with the fresh sage. I ate all of my share but ended up feeling a little sick from the heaviness. Oh well.



That's all I have to say. We got out of there as soon as we could and won't be back.

New Restaurant: Rockin' Raw

Last Friday I went to the Grand Opening of a new restaurant in Williamsburg called Rockin' Raw, (178 N. 8th Street, between Bedford and Driggs, 718-599-9333), a spot that will feature all live, vegan, raw, organic food along Peruvian/New Orleanian lines. The awning is bright purple and was lit with very bright lamps which did not set a positive first impression. Thankfully the interior is much softer. The space is long and narrow with mostly white walls accented by a few red walls and a dark floor leading to an amazingly large and lush backyard.



First they sent around trays full of their "crabcakes" with dill sauce; made with spelt, they were really dense and crunchy (maybe a little on the dry side though) and the bright green sauce was flavorful and very garlicky.



There were also Nori Chips with Sunflower Seed Pate and topped with tomato which were really good. Nori is made from seaweed so these were nicely salty and had a good crunch to provide some texture. I was impressed with these.



They also passed around some sushi rolls with various stuffings like jicama & cauliflower or mango, cucumber & parsley. Both of these were tasty, crunchy and complex. It's amazing what you can do with food when you change the consistency and texture of a few ingredients.



So, if you're vegan or want to live the raw food life, this place makes really creative, good-tasting food. If you're not either of those, you still might like trying Rockin' Raw out for a change and to experience simple ingredients like sunflower seeds and spelt in a whole new way!