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.

Dinner at Alma

Ooops! I messed up the date when I posted this. Sorry it's late!

One of the best views of Lower Manhattan can be had from the roof of Alma, (187 Columbia Street, at Degraw St., 718-643-5400), a Mexican restaurant that has been more of a miss for me than a hit in terms of dining. I've been there a few times, and am usually left with a bit of a disappointing taste. The following is a sample of food I've had that explains why Alma is such a mixed bag.

I started with the Chilaquiles with shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, crema, and tangy tomato sauce. They were crunchy and tasty, but a little greasy and heavy.



The Tacos de Pescado were really good though, crispy fish tacos served on warm tortillas with jalapeno marmalade, pickled red onions and shaved red cabbage. I was surprised and disappointed to see that the fish was fried (not mentioned in the description), but the jalapeno marmalade was delicious and the rest of the garnishes added a crispy, tangy bite to the simple, flaky fish. It was very colorful too!



The corn tortilla Enchiladas stuffed with Portabello Mushrooms and Cheese with a Pumpkin Seed Sauce were a little off-putting though. Hmmm. It looks really unappetizing: a mess of cheese and oil and mush, topped with shredded iceberg lettuce. Really gross, right?



I don't know what to make of Alma. I've been disappointed more often thatn I've been pleased. It's only worth it to go early, have appetizer, some drinks and enjoy the view, and avoid dinner and the risk of getting a plate of mush!

Kielbasa & Bratwurst at Radegast

Radegast Hall Biergarten (113 N. 3rd, at Berry, 718-963-3973) in Williamsburg is a really big, fun place with a range of food options and like, a million types of beer. You can order a full meal, like Braised Rabbit, or you can help yourself from the "Self Serve" station at the back of the room with the retractable roof.



The retractable roof is opened up on nights when the weather's good. There are long wooden tables to sit at, and table service for beer and food from the regular menu. We opted for a mix of both.

We started out with the Charcuterie Plate, which has a number of cheeses from Murray's Cheese Shop. There was sweet and spicy sopressata, pepperoni and salami, as well as four cheeses that included the most amazing brie I've ever had. The goat cheese was on the harder side and was deliciously tangy. This all was served with two kinds of mustard, a spicy and a sweet, as well as BIG slices of Raisin Walnut Bread which was SO much nicer than slices of plain baguette.



We then ordered the Keilbasa with Fries and the Bratwurst with Sauerkraut. The Kielbasa went well with the spicy mustard and was so juicy and tasty.



The Bratwurst had a strong flavor but when paired with the sweeter mustard it tasted so good it quickly became my favorite of the night. The fries and bread were good too, but why bother with all that when there's such good meat on hand to savor.



It get's super crowded here, but since there's so much space, it doesn't feel cramped. Good for large parties and weekend celebration. Big thanks to Gastronormous for including us in their Friday Feeder post!