Dinner from Enoteca on Court #2

Another long day at work and another meal ordered in. There's something that happens during these last few weeks of the year where it becomes really difficult to stay on top of one's regular cooking schedule. So we decided to try Enoteca on Court (347 Court St., between Union & President St., 718-243-1000), a new place that opened early this past summer at which we ate once for dinner. We started with the Gorgonzola Bruschette, two large pieces of Italian bread cut on the diagonal with gorgonzola cheese mixed with mascarpone and drizzled with honey. I swear I took a photo, but I don't have one! It was delicious though - soft, dense, chewy bread with sharp cheese, creamy mascarpone and sweet honey. We also chose the Spinaci Baby salad - baby spinach, pear, pancetta, mushrooms and balsamic dressing. The salad was generously portioned, with basically a whole, sliced pear, lots of fresh greens and plentiful slices of cured pancetta. All the flavors intermingled well and complemented one another.



For our main entree we ordered the Proscuitto Pizza made with the cured meat, arugula, mozzarella and parmigiano cheese. The meat was cured to perfection and was generously placed atop the pizza. The mozzarella was fresh and creamy and slightly sweet, melted on top with the fresh greens. The crust was wonderful as well. Crispy, chewy and substantial without being overwhelming.

Ki Sushi To Go

A friend of mine who lives in Manhattan has been spending a lot of time recently in Brooklyn, and told me I should check out Ki Sushi (122 Smith St., between Dean & Pacific Streets, 718-935-0575). So after a long day of work, when I wasn't feeling much like cooking, I ordered delivery.

I got a Garden Salad to make sure I got some greens. There was some iceberg, some mixed baby greens, and a few grape tomatoes - all of it fresh, plus the citrus, ginger dressing was great. Tangy, zesty and light.



I chose three rolls as well. The Yellowtail with Scallion and the Lobster Tempura Roll are pictured below. The yellowtail was flavorful and fresh albeit small, but the Lobster Tempura tasted very much like a Soft Shell Crab Roll, so that was a bit disappointing. It was also wrapped in thinly sliced cucumber which was nice, but took away from the subtle lobster taste with it's distinct flavor and papery texture.



I also ordered an Angel Roll - seared tuna & asparagus inside, topped with salmon, avocado, eel & tobiko. The pieces of eel were a bit chewy, but the rest was incredible. Fresh, tasty and packed with fish and crunchy asparagus.



Ki Sushi was good, but a bit on the pricey side. My guess is that it's better for a dining in experience, and if you just want take-out, another spot would suffice and be easier on the wallet.

Dinner at Ghang Thai Kitchen

So Ghang Thai Kitchen (204 Smith St., between Baltic & Butler, 718-222-5598) opened about three years ago, and will soon be opening another branch on Court St., but I'd never been until last night. We were scheduled to see a movie at the Cobble Hill theater, and coming from the nearby Bergen St. subway stop, Ghang Thai offered proximity and speed. It also offered decent food, but it's not going to replace my favorites (Em Thai & Teeda Thai) any time soon.

We started with the Curry Puffs, happy to see them being served, as I've only seen them at Em Thai where they're one of my favorite appetizers. They were crispier, a little more cooked and a darker brown than I'm used to, as well as smaller. They had a nice curry flavor, but fell apart as you ate them. And while chock full of peas, there wasn't much else inside.



We also split an order of the Tofu & Veggie Pad Thai. I know, this is like, the dumbest thing to order, but I also think that it can be a pretty good measure of what the food is like at a New York Thai restaurant. Ghang's version didn't have any chopped peanuts on top, no lime wedges and it only had four chunks of tofu. It wasn't greasy, but had a slightly mushy quality to it. Again, it was fine, but it didn't match up to the Pad Thai at my two neighborhood favorites.



Not sure how the second, nearby location is going to fare amidst the glut of Thai places in Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill. I guess only time will tell.

Dinner from Dub Pies, NYC

Long day at work, after a long string of late nights + no food in the house = Take Out! I've been walking by Dub Pies, NYC (193 Columbia St., between Sackett & Degraw, 718-858-8414) for a while now and have been intrigued, but never had the occasion to eat there. It's more of a take out place, with only a few little tables in their space, but a full menu of various, savory mini-pies. There are a few vegetarian options among the chicken and beef pies, plus salad, smoothies and dessert.



I ordered the Dub Plate #2 which is your choice of any pie with one of three salads. I picked the Steak & Mushroom Pie with a "Roman's Russian Special" salad which is a mixture of cucumbers, tomato, radish, peppers, dill, cilantro, onion, black pepper and sour cream on the side. The pie was filled with chunky bits of steak in a very dark brown sauce. The flavors were clean and simple - meaty & earthy - in a shell of flaky crust.



I also ordered Curry Vegetarian Pie which is packed with cauliflower, potato, carrot, zucchini, peas, mushrooms, onions & corn in a garlic, garam masala curry. It was hands down the best thing on the plate - spicy, flavorful with so many different veggies. The pastry is vegetarian too and is perfectly flaky and so delectable.

They also sent some complimentary Sausage Rolls and Spinach & Cheese Rolls (the smaller things next to the pies on the plate). The Spinach & Cheese Rolls were excellent - green, bright & fresh tasting, although my boyfriend said the spinach tasted boiled. The Sausage Rolls were a little disappointing for both of us though. Not very flavorful, not very distinct. The salad was a nice balance with the dense, richness of the pies. It was not dressed, but didn't need to be with the light dusting of black pepper.

I wanted to try one of their desserts too so I ordered the Lamington - a sponge/pound cake with a layer of jam in the middle covered in chocolate & coconut (in the bottom right hand corner of the top photo). It was so light & fluffy with each ingredient shining through. They also sent a little heart-shaped chocolate brownie and a little apple-cinnamon filled, sugar-topped pastry. I was so full, I just took a bit to taste and was happily surprised with the basic, classic flavor. Definitely having it for breakfast!



I'm so happy I tried Dub Pies! The woman on the phone who took my order was so nice and the food was just what I needed after a long day. I'm adding their menu to my regular rotation of Take-Out places!

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!

Sushi to go from Kotobuki Bistro

So, Koto Sushi is my go-to place, but in an effort to try new places and expand my repertoire, I called up Kotobuki Bistro (192 Columbia Street at Degraw St., 718-246-7980) recently to place an order. I know people who travel from Clinton Hill to eat here (and they do have a nice little garden in the back for dining during the warmer months), so I had high hopes for our meal.

We started out with an order of Steamed Edamame, a nicely sized portion of gorgeously bright green beans, perfectly steamed, slightly salted, crunchy and tasty.



I also ordered the Spider Maki which is one of my most favorite rolls ever. I have to say that Kotobuki's spider roll was fresh and tasted just like the soft shell crab it was made out of. No gloopy mayo dressing smothering the meat, just big pieces of crab rolled up with cucumber, lettuce, and smelt roe. This was quite delicious.



In addition to that I got an order of the Rock'n'Roll with crab meat, salmon skin, avocado & crunch and an order of Spicy Tuna Crunch with tuna, scallion, smelt roe, spicy sauce and asparagus. The Rock'n'Roll was great, with crunchy salmon skin rolled up in moist rice, but the Spicy Tuna was awesome. An initial & quick burning sensation fades away so you can savor the flavor of the fish, which is also fresh and tasty.



I was a little disappointed though, as our Maki came with only six pieces instead of the eight I'm now used to, for the same or a higher price. They also use the dyed pickled ginger which I swear tastes different to me than the naturally colored version. It's a nice place to go to eat out back, but I think I'll stick with Koto for my sushi take-out fix.

Dinner at Cubana Cafe To Go

Rainy weather and long work days combine to result in me wanting to stay home and and order take-out. I have a list of standard that I usually order from and places that I usually don't. Sometimes I want to try something new though, so the other night we placed a fairly large order from Cubana Cafe (272 Smith St., between Sackett St. and Degraw St., 718-858-3980). We were thoroughly disappointed. I'm loathe to even write about our meal, but one of the goals of this blog was to try to write about everything I ate as long as it was from a food business in Brooklyn. This was a meal I ate; so, here goes.

We got a few smaller dishes like the Elote, the grilled Corn on the Cob, slathered with a creamy dressing and sprinkled with spices. This was one of the better dishes - a slow burn developed as I ate the corn, which was nicely cooked and not soggy. It just doesn't look so appetizing.



I also got an order of the coconut shrimp which are covered in batter with shredded coconut and then deep fried. They're pretty greasy, but are a sweet treat in moderation (you can see them in the lower right part of the plate). They came with a yummy mango salsa that had a bit of a bite to it as well! I also ordered the Quesadilla with Shrimp. The flavors were good; spicy and strong with cilantro, fresh tomatoes and topped with Queso Fresco, but the shrimp were disgusting, rubbery pieces barely resembling the succulent little crustaceans. Bah!



My boyfriend ordered the Pulled Pork with a side of Yuca. The pulled pork was OK, kinda basic and boring BUT, the yuca! This was really gross - a slimy, starchy puddle of ickiness that you can see in the top part of the to-go container. Ugh, it was horrible and I shudder to think of it. Plain rice came with dish as well.



I used to have good meals here - the Cuban Sandwich was delicious and they serve a chick pea salad that is delicious, but things have really gone down hill in recent months. I know people also complain about the Carroll Gardens Cubana Cafe as being inauthentic, and the one in Soho being much better. We'll see how they fare over the summer, as they have a few tables in a sort-of "porch area" that are fun to sit at on warm evenings, sipping on exotic fruit cocktails while watching people saunter by.

Thai Food to Go from Em Thai #2

Ooops! I thought today was the 5th! Sorry for the delay with today's post. Happy Eating!

I think I've written before that Thai food is especially popular in my house. I tend to get the same things over and over, but in an effort to expand my palette and offer you, good readers, something new, I ordered a couple of dishes I've never gotten from my favorite place in Carroll Gardens, Em Thai (278 Smith St., between Sackett St. & Degraw St., 718-843-0511)

I started out with the Jeeb Pukk, steamed veggie dumplings with garlic soy sauce. They were OK; a little underwhelming and slightly bland. All of the other appetizers I've had here were much better (fish cakes, dumplings with peanut sauce, curry puffs), so I was a bit disappointed.



We ordered two entrees, one of which was the Pad Lemongrass with duck, finely chopped lemongrass, ginger, carrot, scallions, red onions & cashew nuts in a lemongrass sauce and served with jasmine rice. This was so delicious. The thin slices of crispy, potent lemongrass add a lovely astringent quality to this dish, which is quite heavy with the plentiful slices of tasty duck.



The other entree we ordered was Pad Ginger with mock duck, which is surprisingly "meaty" and even replicates the bumpy "skin" of real duck. This dish comes with red and green bell peppers, oyster mushrooms, carrots, baby corn and more ginger and lemongrass, but has a distinctly different taste than the other dish. This was mellower, with the flavors of the vegetables shining through and the ginger and lemongrass more subtle. It, too, was delicious, and went perfectly over jasmine rice.



It's a good, solid place for eating in (the restaurant has a simple, clean feel with interesting coral-like plastic configurations decroating the walls) or for take-out. Reliable, fast and affordable too!

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.

Pizza from Sal's

On the way home from a movie and in need of a late-night snack, I stopped in at Sal's (305 Court Street, corner of DeGraw Street, 718-852-6890) for a couple of slices. Sal's has been around for a long time and still has those old-style yellow and orange Formica booths lining the walls. In recent years they expanded and installed, in the warm months, a white plastic picket fence that encloses a sliver of sidewalk for enjoying the weather while you dine. Kinda weird to be on the busy corner, but kinda nice to chill with your slice instead of walking and eating which is surely bad for one's digestion.

On this particular trip I got one regular plain slice and one slice with fresh mozzarella and basil. The first thing I noticed was the sauce. It's a bit sweeter than I like my sauce to be. I don't think it's necessary to add sugar to the natural sweetness of the tomato. My grandmother never used sugar in her sauce, so my taste buds have been trained to frown upon its use in this way.



The cheese on both slices was also kinda mediocre. Maybe it was the late hour, but everything was kinda congealed, even after being heated up. The crust was disappointing too, kinda chewy; not crispy enough. There isn't a pizza joint close by, so if you're in a pinch and need a slice, this place is totally fine. I know most of the places in the Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill/Downtown Brooklyn neighborhoods and this one is one of the better in the area. Makes me curious about other pizzerias. Sleepy favorites out there?

Pork & Meat Vietnamese Sandwiches from Hanco's

Craving Hanco's sandwiches (85 Bergen St., between Smith & Hoyt Streets, 718-858-6818) but wanting something different from what I ALWAYS get, I decided to branch out and try a new flavor as it were. I chose the Classic, thinking it would be better than my usual tofu. It consists of roasted ground pork, Vietnamese ham, pate, mayo, butter, cucumber, pickled carrots & daikon radish and cilantro on a toasted french baguette. Lots going on here, and I found it to be too much. The ham was tasty, but the pate was weird, heavy and salty and the ground pork was questionable. I'm really having a hard time these days eating meat that I don't know the origin of. It just doesn't sit right with me, and therefore, interferes with my enjoyment of the meal.



We also ordered a Pork Chop sandwich, which is grilled pork chop, mayo, butter, cucumber, picked carrots & daikon radish and cilantro on a toasted french baguette. This was disappointing too. The pork had tons of gristley bits, was greasy and was overall kind of gross. Everything else is fresh and tasty and the bread is flaky and soft and perfectly sized. The meat is just not quality enough.



I'm totally going to stick with the Tofu and Sardine sandwiches next time, since they are beyond good and don't make me feel guilty about eating them!

Thai from Cafe Chili

I hate it when you leave your regular, go-to places with the hopes of discovering something new and exciting only to come away frustrated and disappointed. That's what happened the other night when I ordered Thai food and decided to try a new place. Cafe Chili (172 Court St., between Congress & Amity, 718-260-0066) used to be Siam Garden which was a lovely spot my family & I used to dine at when I was in High School. It underwent a radical change a few years ago, and I have to say that I was sorely disappointed with my meal. I initially tried to order from Joya, but after getting a busy signal on 5 attempts and then having it ring for 3 minutes, I scrapped that idea. Anyone know if Joya even delivers?

So yeah, this meal was so blah. I started out with the Cilantro Corn Fritters because I'd never heard of them and they sounded interesting. What came were three mushy, doughy & greasy balls, with some kernels of corn and absolutely no taste or evidence of cilantro whatsoever. Ugh.



I also ordered the Crispy Vegetable Spring Rolls. These were at least somewhat flavorful with shredded carrots and cabbage, but they were also totally oily.



I decided to get the Tofu Pad Thai since it's such a classic dish, I wanted to see how they prepared it. It turned out to be a bit bland, and the chunks of tofu, while plentiful, were dry and rubbery. Major bummer.



My boyfriend chose Panang Curry with Chicken which is described as Coconut Milk, Steamed Mixed Vegetables & Kaffir Lime. It was flavorful and on the spicy side, even though I asked for mild, and the "mixed vegetables" were only red & green bell peppers. The portion also seemed pretty small (the photo shows it in it's entirety).



All in all, a major let-down. I even checked out the reviews on Yelp which all say, except for one, that the food was pretty mediocre. With a number of better options in the neighborhood, I just don't see going back there.

Pulled Pork & Fried Chicken at Jake's

On cold, wintery nights I crave BBQ. I'm not even from the South, but it's total comfort food to me. If I can't get to Fette Sau, I turn to Jake's BBQ (189 Columbia Street, at DeGraw Street, 718-522-4531) and order in. Their menu is pretty extensive, ranging from all sorts of sides (Mac & Cheese, Rice & Black Eyed Peas) to BBQ Ribs to Jambalaya and other Seafood dishes, but I pretty much stick to a few tried and true options.

I usually get their Pulled Pork Sandwich. It's not a typical moist pulled pork that's got strands of pork, this seems more chopped than pulled. It's on the drier side, but is definitely still tasty with plenty of smoky BBQ flavor. It comes on a choice of bread (I always get it on a roll) and it comes with Potato Salad, Macaroni Salad, Fries or Cole Slaw. Their slaw is some of the best I've ever had, and the sliced pickles go SO well and the BBQ sauce is spicy and tangy. I don't know why anyone would get mayo or mustard with this. It's also big enough to split between two people.



I ended up getting the Macaroni Salad which is decent. I do love this shape of pasta, and with little pieces of carrot and bell pepper, it's a little reprieve from the greasy, meatiness of the rest of the food!



On this occasion I also ordered their appetizer of Kansas City Fried Chicken which comes with five pieces. This is big enough for a meal, but is perfect to share along with the Pulled Pork Sandwich. This breaded outside is perfectly salty and the meat is tender and juicy. Some of the pieces aren't very meaty, but it's satisfying nonetheless.



I also ordered a side of the Collard Greens because I thought we needed a vegetable. They too were tasty and not overcooked as is often the case with Collard Greens at BBQ joints. They were simply seasoned and I didn't see any meat, so they might just be pure vegetable.



I'm thankful Jake's is close by when the craving strikes!

Thai from Teeda Thai

My boyfriend and I probably order Thai food once every two weeks, and this last time we decided to mix things up a bit and try a different place. Teeda Thai (218 Columbia Street, between Union and Sackett Streets, 718-643-2737) is an unassuming little restaurant on Columbia Street that makes quite good food and is a nice alternative to the other spots in the neighborhood.

We started with one of my favorite dishes, the Fish Cakes. Their texture might not appeal to all, as they are slightly rubbery, but I love these savory and yummy treats, as well as the slightly fire-y sauce that comes on the side, a vinaigrette with red pepper flakes, chopped peanuts, cucumber and red onions.



We also got an order of my second favorite Thai appetizer, Chicken Satay. I just LOVE peanut sauce, and this one is creamy and thick and delicious. Four skewers of perfectly grilled chicken come in an order, and are a great classic starter.



As our main dish we split an order of Pad Thai with Tofu. Teeda Thai makes a really good Pad Thai, with fresh and crunchy bean sprouts, thin slices of red cabbage and carrots, and lots of chunks of Tofu. The sauce is light, flavorful and slightly sweet, with chopped peanuts and plenty of noodles - perfection!



While it seems that most of their business is take-out, it's also pleasant to eat in the restaurant. It's warm and quiet there, and it's nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of Smith and Court Streets sometimes.

Vietnamese Sandwiches from Hanco

The Banh Mi craze of the last few years is one of my new favorite food trends. I love these little delectable treats, stuffed with whatever your heart desires - shredded chicken, pork, sardines or Tofu, pickled veggies and sauce.

We placed an order from Hanco's (85 Bergen St., between Smith and Hoyt Streets, 718-858-6818) and within half an hour our meal arrived. We started with an appetizer of Garden Rolls (lettuce, cucumber, mint, Chinese chives and rice vermicelli wrapped in rice paper) which come with a yummy peanutty sauce. They're light and fresh and the lettuce provides a lovely crunch. Delish!



My favorite is the Tofu Sandwich, the only totally vegetarian option on the menu as far as sandwiches go. It's SO good with pickled veggies, creamy chunks of Tofu and a savory sauce on a flaky French baguette. Every bite is enjoyable.



My boyfriend chose the Shredded Chicken Sandwich, with the same pickled veggies as well as "fresh boiled chicken". The chicken was nice and moist, if a bit bland, but the veggies and sauce make up for any missing flavor. You can get these little babies either not spicy at all, mild, medium or hot. I'm fairly sensitive to food spiciness, so I stick with the mild which has an ever so subtle burn to it.



To wash this all down we got an Almond Bubble Tea. I have a sort of love-hate feeling towards these tapioca pearl-laden drinks. I love anything Almond flavored and this milky drink is scrumptious, but I only eat a few of those 'bubbles'. Too many and I start to feel ill. That's why it's perfect to share.



Yay Hanco's!

Indian To Go from Raga

Some nights, after a long day at work, I'm not only too tired to cook but I'm too tired to go back out to a restaurant to eat, and what I want most is for someone else to prepare some tasty food and bring it to me in my cozy apartment. On these nights, when my cravings run along the lines of Indian, I turn to Raga Indian Restaurant (142 Smith St., between Bergen and Dean Streets, 718-522-3027), an Indian restaurant on Smith St. that provides consistently good and thoroughly satisfying food.

I usually start with the Assorted Indian Hors D'Oeuvres which is a mix of Pakoras (Veggie, Chicken and Banana), a Samosa and what looked like a big fried slice of eggplant. It arrives with three different sauces (Mint, Tamarind, and Onion Relish) and a touch greasy, is the perfect beginning to this meal. The Pakoras are my favorite; flavorful nuggets of fried-ness, and the Tamarind Sauce is the best.



I also usually get some kind of Chicken Tandoori - this time in the form of Chicken Tikka - which is a good portion of nicely cut up chunks of chicken meat with loads of onions and lemon wedges. I love tandoori; it's been a favorite since I was a kid and Raga's tandoori is tangy and savory and the chicken is not dried out.



We also ordered the Lamb Kurma and the Sag Paneer. The Kurma is a lovely creamy sauce, slightly sweet from the almonds and raisins, and the lamb is tender. Sag Paneer is Fresh Spinach with Cottage Cheese - but not like small curds of cottage cheese - this comes with cubes of a mild cheese and is another of my favorite Indian dishes. The photo below shows both, as well as the various sauces. PLENTY of food for two people with enough left over for lunch!



This all came with two containers of Basmati rice which has a nice, delicate flavor to balance out the strong flavors of the other dishes. I also usually order some bread - Nan is my favorite, a denser, tastier choice as opposed to the more greasy, insubstantial Poori. Yay Raga!