Breakfast at Pies 'n' Thighs

I think the trick to being able to eat at Pies 'n' Thighs (166 S.4th Street, at Driggs, 347-529-6090) is to go in the morning, for breakfast, when it's relatively empty, but lively with music and preparations for the day. I haven't tried to go for dinner in a while; those impossibly long lines scared me off, but when my husband and I went recently around 9am (they open at 8), the place was ours. And oh how happy we were!



I chose the Egg & Cheese Biscuit, with Bacon, natch. It truly was perfection on a plate. The biscuit was light & fluffy, yet dense and doughy and savory. The bacon was thick-cut, smoky and salty and provided the perfect contrast to the fried eggs with expertly runny yolks. (See above).



My husband got the Hippie, a Fried Egg Sandwich with sprouts, tomatoes, avocado and cheddar cheese on Whole Wheat Toast. This, too, was excellent. Every ingredient was fresh and flavorful and combined to create pure deliciousness. He also got a side of cheese grits, which they douse with tabasco sauce. They were good, but didn't compare to the amazingness of the sandwiches.



The interior of the new(ish) PnT is homey, country in the city, with mis-matched furniture, a chalkboard listing the menu, and accents of red & white gingham. Pure bliss.

Dinner at Seersucker

****UPDATE - Seersucker has closed. 6/3/15****


The new, Southern Seersucker (329 Smith Street, at Carroll St., 718-422-0444) has a very appealing aesthetic. The interior is all grays and concrete and metal, with 1 x 3s of weathered wood making up one slatted wall, and whitewashed brick on the opposite wall. There's a bar (so I'm assuming they're waiting for their full liquor license - only beer and wine for now) with stools and hanging lamps with metal-capped light bulbs to reduce the harshness. The front window is one big pane, with a simple "Seersucker" written in white letters. The concrete floor made for a noisy dining room though when the place was at full capacity. I could barely hear my dining companion.

We started out with the Crispy Pig's Foot. I asked the waitress if it was weird, but she said that people loved it and that it didn't look like a foot. It came breaded and fried and was served on a bed of dressed watercress and chopped walnuts. I really didn't like it. It was gelatinous and funky, and the nuts and dressing didn't add to the flavors at all and tasted more like spoiled milk.



For my main entree I chose the Skirt Steak, with asparagus and potatoes. This was amazing. Sometimes skirt steak is tough and chewy - this was tender, juicy, flavored just right and cooked to perfection. The asparagus were wonderful as well - nutty and crunchy and the potatoes added a nice, creamy touch.



My boyfriend got the Shrimp & Grits, with Country Ham and Mushrooms. Where was the ham??? About 5 minuscule pieces dotted the entire dish, which was unfortunate, because it was the best-tasting part of the whole dish! The grits were tasteless and mushy, as were the shrimp. They seemed overcooked and bland and plain. Bummer. Even the "hot sauce" he was given to go with the dish was seriously lacking in heat - and I have a pretty low tolerance!



I'll definitely go back - the Pork Chops and Chicken & Dumplings sounded great, and the desserts were tempting as well (Pecan Pie, Mississippi Mud Pie). They're closed Mondays but they take credit cards!

Brunch at Char No. 4

We tried to go to Miriam's on Court St. this weekend for brunch, as it was packed only a week ago and the menu looked good, but it's closed! I think there's bad juju in that spot, as many restaurants have occupied that space in the last twenty years, and none have had much luck. So, we wandered over to Smith St. and ended up at Char No. 4 (196 Smith St., between Warren and Baltic Streets, 718-643-2106). We had a pretty amazing dinner here when it first opened, and I've been wanting to go back to try their already famous in-house bacon, so in we went.

It was still early, so there was only one other couple dining (it picks up at 11:30, FYI). We were served coffee right away and soon decided on what to get. We chose two meals to split, one being the main brunch option of one poached egg over smoked ham, with crispy potatoes, apple sauce, fig jam and a buttermilk biscuit, as well as coffee and orange juice. The egg was perfectly poached with no clear white bits whatsoever, and the yolk was thick yet just runny enough to be soaked up by the biscuit. The potatoes were also some of the best I've ever had. Nicely browned and seasoned with salt and chives, they tasted a bit like sour cream and onion chips, but real. The applesauce was chunky and the fig jam tasted just like my grandmother used to make from the fig trees in her backyard. Incredible. I would have preferred two eggs though.



We also go the buttermilk pancakes with raspberry sauce and pecan butter. Three cakes to an order with a warm raspberry sauce and buttery pecan butter on top. They tasted great, but quickly filled me up since they were so dense & doughy. Three is a lot too. Next time I think I'll try something else - maybe the fig yogurt with granola and honey.



I also got a side of the bacon I've heard so much about. We were served two THICK slices of smoked bacon which is AMAZING. It's like Peter Luger bacon, but way better. Each slice is about 1/4 inch, smoked to perfection, salty enough to almost make your mouth hurt, and so rich. No matter what I get next time I'm here I'm ordering a side of bacon. Delicious. And next time I'll be sure to try one of their brunch cocktails (Chipotle Bourbon Bloody Mary's anyone, with homemade pickles???).



This place is great. You do end up smelling like you've been sitting around a campfire after eating there, so if that bothers you don't go. The bar area is charming, with cool lighting fixtures that I previously described as looking like upside down ottomans. The back dining area is cozy with big booths for larger groups along one side and tables for two lining the other. There's also a small outdoor area which will be nice when the warm weather returns. Char No. 4 has definitely earned a spot in my regular rotation of restaurants!

Dinner at Char No.4

I noticed Char No. 4 before they opened, because of the simple yet elegant signage and the earth-tone color palate that stood out in contrast to the rest of surrounding Smith St. (196 Smith St., between Baltic and Warren Streets, 718-643-2106, www.charno4.com). I was excited about trying the newest restaurant to open up in the area.

I love love LOVE the lighting in the front room. Hanging from the ceiling are what look like about 30 upside-down round ottomans, covered in a brown burlap-like fabric. Or an upside-down pack of cigarettes. Very cool looking.

We started with the Kentucky Ham, served with Fig Jam, Pickled Onions and a chunk of toasted, crusty bread. WOW! This was ridiculously good. The ham was sliced super thin, had the lightest, nicest flavor and was paired with slightly sweet jam and beautiful pickles topped with black sesame seeds.



For a main course, I ordered the Hanger Steak with BBQ Sauce and Crispy Potatoes. The serving is definitely small-looking, but it's really plenty of food and the steak was perfect. The buttery meat cut easily, was tender and tasty and slightly salted on the outside. The BBQ Sauce was really interesting. I think there was some kind of cayenne pepper in it that gave it a little bite. The potatoes were nice and crispy and again, perfectly salted. Delicious!



My boyfriend got the Shrimp & Grits. This too was incredible. The pieces of shrimp were tender, fresh and not at all fishy-tasting. The dish was covered in lemongrass and scallions which added a nice, green flavor and the grits tasted a bit like really good corn chowder. It was such a refreshingly new combo and so well made.



For dessert there were two options, and we chose the homemade Pralines & Cream Ice Cream drizzled in Old Crow Bourbon. MMMmmmm. This was really great, full of sugar-coated pralines and raisins and made me want to drizzle bourbon over every dish of ice cream I have from now on. Amazing!



It's a bit on the pricey side - but is a nice spot to treat yourself on a special occasion. Thanks to Eater for linking to this review. And for more reviews, check out Urban Spoon.