Lunch at Savoia

****UPDATE - Savoia has sadly closed. 6/3/15****

I was recently invited to have a meal at Savoia (277 Smith Street, between Sackett & Degraw Streets, 718-797-2727), an Italian Restaurant in Carroll Gardens run by the Nazzarro family.  Savoia offers a range of dishes, from Bruschette, Salads, Pastas and Meat dishes, but perhaps they are best known for their pizzas.  Delicious combinations entice, such as the Pere e Zola, which comes with Mozzarella, Pear, Walnuts and Gorgonzola, or the Pizza Rustica with Mozzarella, Fresh Ricotta, Sweet Soppresata and Sauteed Spinach.  I've had their pizza before, so this time I decided to try something different.

My sister and I went for lunch, which is a slightly different menu than dinner, and I decided to start with the Mozzarella Fior di Latte and Tomato appetizer, which is basically a Caprese Salad.  The mozzarella was delicious - slightly sweet, creamy and melt-in-your-mouth good.

I also ordered the Valtelina Sandwich (with Bresaola, Artichoke, Parmigiano, Arugola & Lemon Dressing), which comes pressed so everything is warm and melty.  This was a fantastic sandwich.  The bresaola was bold and salty, the artichoke & arugola provided a little bite and the dressing added a bit of tang.  A very flavorful and hearty dish.

My sister chose the Fresh Trofie with Pesto, String Beans, Potatoes and Pine Nuts. All the ingredients were perfectly balanced, the pesto garlicky and evenly coated the pasta.  The potatoes were an interesting addition, but the texture made sense and added a nice depth to the dish.

We decided to try the Nutella and Banana Pizza for dessert.  The menu said it came with Hazelnuts but it came with Walnuts instead. I think that worked better than hazelnuts which might have been overkill with the nutella.  I was pretty full at this point, but this pizza was so yummy, I easily finished my half. The nutella was melted, the banana slices were perfectly ripe and the walnuts added a lovely crunch.  Mmmm.

Savoia is a great restaurant with something for everyone.  The food is great quality and nicely prepared, the interior is cozy (there are two rooms, one purely a dining room and one has a bar in it, and there is sidewalk seating as well), and the service attentive without being overbearing.  I highly recommend it!

Funny Food Book Review

Hello! Yes, I'm back. I apologize for the lengthy absence. Will you forgive me if I give you a good reason? Like...I had a baby!!! So, what better way to jump back into the food blogging world than with a review of the new book from Welcome Books, "Funny Food: 365 Fun, Healthy, Silly, Creative Breakfasts"? I was recently offered a copy of this book that combines my love of food with my new role of parent (how did they know?). I'm sure I'll need lots of ideas and inspiration when the time comes to make breakfast for my little one and this super cute book has tons of colorful & interesting ways to make eating healthy in the morning fun.



Written by husband and wife team Bill & Claire Wurtzel (a jazz musician & and educator, respectively), what grew out of a life-long love of having fun with food, their focus now is on helping families find new & creative ways to eat healthy food in simple, easy ways. Every page is filled with photos of whimsical depictions of faces, people and scenes in chapters titled Eggs, Waffles & Pancakes, Oatmeal, Cereal & Fruit, and Toast, Bagels and Snacks. But this is not your average 'play with your food' book, they take making pictures with your food to a whole new level. Take a look!




Mona Lisa:



They even include Step-By-Directions:



This book is sure to be a fun way for you and your kids to make and eat healthy meals together. You can pick up a copy at your local bookstore or at Amazon.com!

From Funny Food: 365 Fun, Healthy, Silly, Creative Breakfasts by Bill & Claire Wurtzel. Welcome Books. Photographs © 2012 Bill Wurtzel. www.funnyfood.us

Food News!

Milk Bar (670 Vanderbilt Ave., at the corner of Prospect Pl., 718-230-0844) is hosting another one of their special Wednesday night pop-up dinners this evening. $25 gets you dinner plus beer and wine. Tomorrow's dinner will be hosted by "Not Dining Out in Brooklyn" author Cathy Erway. The menu looks super tasty and is sure to be a lovely time. Click on the link for more details.

On Saturday, May 21st, Fairway Market (480-500 Van Brunt Street) is hosting a Customer Appreciation BBQ in their parking lot. There will be tons of food, drinks and entertainment. The fun starts at 11am and lasts until 3pm. There will be raffles and give-aways as well!

And next Thursday, at The Brooklyn Museum, Chocolatier Jacques Torres, along with filmmakers D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus will be on hand to present Kings of Pastry, a film about France's prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France competition which takes place every four years. It's never been filmed before and is sure to be quite a spectacle. Not sure if there will be free chocolates, but admission to the movie is free with admission to the museum.