Breakfast at Milk Bar

I had the good fortune to go to Milk Bar, (670 Vanderbilt Ave., at the corner of Prospect Pl., 718-230-0844) recently, a bustling little cafe that serves incredibly delicious things. Whether it's the coffee, the baked goods or the main meal, it's all beautiful and tasty.

I ordered a full order of the Full Eggs, which means that I got two slices of incredible bread, each topped with ham, melted cheese, tomato (I also got it with avocado, which is extra) and a poached egg. Fantastic. You can get a half order of this, which is just one slice of bread with all the toppings. They have a vegetarian version, a plain version and a version sans eggs. I recommend going all out though!



The hubby decided to get the Scrambled Eggs on Croissant, which also came with ham & tomato and cheese. The croissant was flaky, moist and yummy, and made for an excellent bed for the sandwich fillings.



I also couldn't resist getting an order of the Cinnamon Toast, thick cut sourdough bread, topped with butter, cinnamon & sugar. It was decadent - just sweet enough to satisfy the need for sweet, and buttery enough to make it a sort of hearty treat.



And like I mentioned earlier, the Latte I had was not only fabulously flavorful, it was also gorgeously presented. I love this place and it's friendly owner, with whom we chatted after our meal. He's also got Cafe Madeline in Ditmas Park. Anyone been?

Brunch at Sheep Station

A long, meandering walk led us to Sheep Station (149 4th Avenue, corner of Douglass St., (718) 857-4337) one recent afternoon, so we popped in for a late brunch and enjoyed the quiet empty before dinner, and soaked up the long shadows of the afternoon sun. It's a corner spot, so there are windows everywhere - on either side of the bar and along the front, with small wooden tables lined up opposite the bar, and a room in back to accommodate overflow during busy times. We ordered a couple of beers and settled in.

I ordered the BLT, made with thick-cut bacon & garlic mayo on toasted whole wheat bread. A nice little side salad accompanied the sandwich. The bacon was a bit too crispy, but still flavorful, and the garlic mayo brought everything together in a wonderful way. I loved it!



My boyfriend ordered the Meat Pie with mashed potatoes, minted peas and gravy. The slight minty flavor of the peas was surprisingly nice, the mashed potatoes were excellent and the flaky crust of the pie made a perfect container for the tender pieces of meat and veggies loaded up inside.



I really like Sheep Station - a nice, neighborhood joint with good food and a wide selection of beers and cocktails. I'll definitely be back to try the dinner menu.

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!