Dinner at Hill Cafe

I was lucky enough to be invited to dinner at Hill Cafe, (17 Putnam Ave., off Fulton St., 718-230-3471) a new-ish spot in Clinton Hill that serves a French-Moroccan influenced menu in a dark & cozy space. There are only a few tables opposite the bar, along with a larger table by the front window. They also have a backyard garden, which I'm sure will be lovely in the warm weather, but I didn't get a chance to take a look.

The menu lists items ranging from pasta, seafood to vegetarian dishes & meats. I decided to get the Half-Roasted Free-Range Chicken with BBQ sauce, mashed potatoes and a side of veggies. I was really impressed with this dish. The sauce was -excellent-. The chicken was tender and juicy, the potatoes smooth and the veggies simply steamed and slightly buttery. I also chose a side of Fried Sweet Plaintains which were served with a slightly spicy harissa sauce. Tasty!



My friend ordered the Baked Halibut Filet with an olive-pistachio tapenade, asparagus and artichoke in a tomato & tarragon broth. The fish was mild but the broth and veggies in it were delicious. She also got a side of Kale which was also lightly sauteed and spiced with red pepper.



For dessert we picked a Raspberry Crumble from the list of specials. I was a bit disappointed with this. I was expecting it to be warm and it was not. It also reminded me of pound cake, and did not have enough crumble for my taste, and not enough raspberry. The citrus sauces were tangy and flavorful though, and I expect that the regular desserts (chocolate mousse, apple tart) would be quite good.



I loved the chicken, enjoyed the meal as a whole, and found the service to be warm and attentive. If I lived in the area, I would make this a regular spot for sure.

Dinner at Tabare

There's a new-ish little spot on a quiet stretch of S. 1nd Street (a block from Rye) that I just fell in love with. It's called Tabare (221 S. 1st, between Driggs & Roebling, 7347-335-0187) and they offer a mix of Italian & Uruguayan food. It's super tiny, with maybe 10 table, and a short bar with a few stools, but it has charm and coziness to spare. It's perfect during the cold, winter months to get some comfort food, and I suspect that it will be a delight in the summertime when the seasonal menu changes and they open the heavy drapes and windows.

On this trip, my friend and I tried a variety of appetizers, salads and mains, starting with the Empanadas. You get to choose two from three varieties, one meat, one fish & one veggie. She ordered the Tuna and Black Olives and the Caramelized Onions, Gruyere and Fontina Cheese. They also came with two dipping sauces and were a delight. Flaky, crispy dough, stuffed with the delicious, flavorful fillings.



I started with the Kale Salad with red onions, creme fraiche, anchovy and lemon zest. It was incredible. So tart and creamy! It looks like it was drenched with the cream, but since it was cut with the lemon juice so instead it was quite light. The anchovy was a nice tough as well, and not overpowering at all. I still think about this salad and it's been weeks!



My friend also ordered the Roasted Beet Salad with toasted pistachio, ricotta salata and mint. It was a lovely salad, with lots of beets and the other ingredients nicely proportioned. It was served with a vinaigrette that enhanced the subtle, earthy flavors.



For my main, I got the Churrasco, Grass-fed skirt steak served with tapenade-baked potato, arugula salad and chimichurri. The meat was tender and delicious, especially with the chimichurri sauce, a wonderful blend of cliantro, garlic & olive oil. The baked potato with olive tapenade was OK. I think I actually would have preferred a little butter instead of the intensely flavorful olive spread. The arugula salad provided a nice, fresh contrast to the heavy meat. The portion was pretty big, with two large pieces of steak.



All in all it was a delicious dinner. The menu has a number of wines and cocktails available and the staff were friendly and easy-going. I highly recommend Tabare. Let me know if you had room for dessert!

Dinner at Strong Place

Hey! I'm back! Maybe just part-time for the rest of the summer, although there are a TON of new places that I'm eager to check out, so it's not like I have nothing to write about! Thanks for being patient, but the break was very needed and was quite helpful.

The new Strong Place (270 Court St., between Kane & DeGraw, no website) opened up last Monday, by the chef & owner of Bocca Lupo, (Kenny Tufo and Jeff Lederman respectively) and we took the opportunity to check it out. We also had heard from a photographer we interviewed back in the Fall that her boyfriend was making all the furniture and woodwork, and were curious to see what he made. When you walk in, there is a long, dark bar to your right, the length of which you follow to get to the tables in the back. There are windows on both sides of the space, which is a nice, and rare, touch. The tables are indeed beautiful and interesting. There are two-tops bolted to the floor, and metal fixtures into which you set an addition to expand your table as needed. Very clever.

We started off with some beer and wine. The beer comes in what look like 12-ounce glasses and my pour of wine was quite underwhelming. $11 for a few sips isn't cool. Ah well. Small plates = small drinks? We perused the menu, which is broken up into four sections: raw, market, seafood and meat. We started off with the Fluke Croudo, small slices of fluke with citrus, jalapeño, sea salt and agrumato oil (an olive oil infused with lemon). This was a delicious dish, possibly my favorite of the evening. Light, tender fish, subtle slices of jalapeño and a citrus dressing. It was flavorful and refreshing and topped with slices of pickled red onion.



We also ordered the Grilled Asparagus from the "Market" section of the menu, which came with a mushroom fondue and pecorino. The mushrooms were delicious, a mixture of hen of the woods and oyster in a thin cheese sauce. The asparagus, both green and white, were crisp, grilled just so and wonderful.



We also shared an order of Seared Diver Scallops, with English peas, tasso ham and lemon & honey. There were two large scallops, tender and meaty, over a mash of peas, with a slice of bacon-like ham served with a froth of the lemon & lavender, which had barely a hint of lavender. They were good scallops, nicely done and of good quality.



The dessert menu had a few options on it and for some reason the Upside-Down Pineapple Cake called out to me. This is not something I've ever ordered before, or have found appealing, but the description: with Brandied Cherries, Almond Cake & Lavender sounded intriguing. And it turned out to be one fantastic dish. The pineapple was sweet, the almond cake provided a nice balance, the cherries were earthy & tart and the slight floral addition of the lavender evened it all out. I'll definitely be back for this - perhaps at the bar with some red wine.



So, the food was pretty great, the servings of alcohol were on the small side, but the service and atmosphere are top-notch so I think this place has got a good chance of doing well.

Dinner at The Vanderbilt

We took my Mom to The Vanderbilt (570 Vanderbilt Ave., at the corner of Bergen St., 718-623-0570) for Mother's Day. Having only been there for their opening party, I was interested to see how they had settled into themselves. I'm happy to report that everything was pretty much excellent, save for some slow-to-get-to-our-table food. Made up of mostly small plates, the menu veers from meats, to seafood to veggie-heavy dishes. I started out with one of the cocktails from their menu, the Tupelo Julep made with rye whiskey, cognac and apricot mint syrup. It came like a slushie with tons of shaved iced which melted over time into the drink. It was interesting, but my favorite is still the Glyda Rose (named after the proprietor's mom).



I started out with some Serano Ham Croquettes, five little fried balls of yumminess. Akin to a Rice Ball, these little guys were flavorful, full of small pieces of ham and topped with a dollop of remoulade.



I also ordered the Brandade du Morue, served with Piquillo peppers, olives & parsley. It's similar to Bacala, salted & cured cod, mashed up with the peppers & spices. It's a do-it-yourself dish where you make your own costini with the toasted pieces of bread. It's perfect for sharing, as it's actually a lot of the one taste to finish by yourself.



I also got an order of the Pork Belly from the Specials menu, served with Spring peas. Fatty, meaty, salty & wonderful. The peas lent a fresh, green flavor that brightened it up.



My boyfriend ordered the Hangar Steak which came with a spring vegetable fricasse. This sometimes comes out too tough and chewy, but this was tender, cooked perfectly to order and very flavorful.



We also got a couple of desserts that we shared. They're known for their freshly-made Warm Spiced Doughnuts that come with pistachio ice cream, brandied cherries & apricot orange blossom coulis. Served hot and covered with cinnamon & sugar. Yum!



We also got an order of the Chocolate Semifreddo that's served with dried cherries & crisp phyllo. This was OK. The chocolate semifreddo was good, but the crisp phyllo was almost like an afterthought, it didn't make much sense paired with the frozen chocolate.



I really like The Vanderbilt. It's a nice place with comfortable, aesthetically-pleasing decor and delicious foods.

Soda Bar

I'd been to Soda Bar (629 Vanderbilt Ave., between St. Marks Ave. & Prospect Pl., 718-230-8393) a number of times before I ever tried any of their food. I'm not sure I realized they even had a menu, and an interesting menu it is. It's filled with Polish food - Kielbasa, Pierogis and then an assortment of fried things - fish, onions, potatoes. I went with a big group to celebrate a friend's last day of work and we ordered a bunch of things. The Kielbasa Sandwich was the best thing I sampled. Served on Foccacia, it's got a layer of spicy mustard to off-set the salty, juicy grilled meat. I was pretty impressed.



I also got an order of Onion Rings. They were GIANT, and pretty greasy, but they were made with real, thick slices of onion, and shared with a few people, not too deadly.



Our group ordered Mushroom Pierogis and Potato Pierogis, both of which came with bacon sprinkled on top (bonus points!). The potato was hands down the better of the two. The mushroom was a bit funky tasting, whereas the potato was fluffy and light. It was a nice touch with the side of sour cream AND apple sauce!



There was also an order of Fish & Chips placed, which came with a side of tartar sauce. This is such a beige meal, it's pretty unappetizing looking, but the fish was decent and the fries were alright too. If you're hanging out and drinking beer, sometimes a basket of fried foods is just what hits the spot!



Soda Bar is a great place, especially if you're part of a large group, since they have a huge back room filled with couches and comfy chairs.

Dinner at Verde

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I eagerly awaited the opening of Verde (216 Smith Street, between Butler and Baltic Streets, 718-222-1525), the newest spot to open on Smith Street, closely watching it's progress over the last few months. I had the opportunity to go last night with a friend to check it out. I actually walked by earlier in the week one evening and noticed the hostess standing expectantly at a podium that was basically placed on the sidewalk, while the restaurant was totally empty. It struck me as totally desperate and I logged it as Strike One.

The open, glass front is nice, and the wooden fixtures and hanging plants are appealing. The backyard garden is also a draw, especially now that the weather is so perfect. We headed straight back there and surveyed the menus. I ordered a Mojito and she picked a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. The wine wasn't chilled enough, but the mojito was minty, slightly sweet and very tasty. The hard, wooden chairs were uncomfortable though. For my meal I ordered the Penne with Mozzarella, with capers, olives, pignoli nuts, cherry tomatoes and Tarali breadcrumbs. There's a lot going on in that dish, and there for the most part everything worked well together. The proportions were nice, and the mozzarella was smoky, which was a nice & unusual touch. I didn't like the Tarali breadcrumbs though - they were too sweet and were chunky, almost like pretzel nuggets. I would have preferred it to be saltier instead of so sweet.



My friend ordered the Filet Mignon with Polenta, Spinach & Mushrooms. The polenta was a joke. It didn't seem homemade and was a small rectangle of stale & tasteless cardboard. The rest was good though - the meat was cooked to order and the veggies were flavorful, although there was too much lemon thyme used, which gave the entire dish a citrusy overtone that just wasn't right.



We were too full for dessert, but I was intrigued by the Pineapple Ravioli which is a thin slice of ravioli stuffed with vanilla ice cream, frozen and topped with coconut cream. Sounds interesting. So, I'm not so sure about this place. They do have a 2 for 1 Happy Hour weekdays from 4 - 8 pm, but there's also a giant flat screen TV at the bar, that's also back-lit with bluish fluorescent lighting. I'll stick to the backyard, or keep walking to another place.

Dinner at Fatty 'Cue

Since I do most of my living and eating in Brooklyn, I've not yet been to the mini-empire of Fatty Crab, the Malaysian-inspired seafood-heavy restaurants that are super popular in Manhattan. So, I was curious when Fatty 'Cue (91 South 6th, between Bedford & Berry, 718-599-3090) opened up not even a month ago in Williamsburg and headed over with some friends to see what all the fuss was about. What. A. Scene. Dudes in Supreme hats, women dressed in vintage, and music blasting at a level that actually made me clutch my head in discomfort. Since our table was in the bar area, we had to ask about three or four times to have it turned down. I'm not a kill-joy, it's just that I don't enjoy losing my voice during dinner conversation and don't want to develop tinnitus. Once they did turn the volume down I was able to actually hear that they were playing good music. Old Beasties and Snoop; nice touch.

Fatty 'Cue really lives up to its name. The food is decadent, smoky and fatty and is served all at once to encourage sharing, which I love. That way you get to taste everything and ordering requires group effort. I'll start with describing the Food Specials. The House Cured Beef Bacon in Sherry Bouillon with Poached Egg & Lovage, a celery-like green was my favorite. The broth is full flavored & very salty with substantial chunks of tender, falling-apart meat. I also love anything with a poached egg, which added a nice, creamy touch to the entire dish.



The other Food Special was the Seafood Sausage, a cold smoked shrimp & scallop sausage with green curry and charred spring onion. This was surprising. It was delicate and fresh-tasting with a slightly spicy curry sauce. It didn't taste particularly seafood-y, but was more like chicken sausage.



From the list of Specialties we ordered the Pork Spare Ribs with smoked fish/palm syrup and Indonesian long pepper. These were smoky, tender, juicy and slightly sweet. Fun to eat with your hands, they come three to an order, $5 for each extra rib.



Another Specialty we chose was the Bobo Chicken with a red onion, chili & cucumber condiment. This was fantastic, with the big chunks of chicken a deep, smoky flavor, yet moist and delicious. I was really impressed with the chicken, and the sauce on the side was like summer in a bowl. We ended up asking for more it was so good.



The Red Curry Rubbed Duck with sweet pickled daikon was another Specialty we got. The first piece I took from the plate was small and therefore crispy and well-done. The second piece was very rare and lacked the flavor the first piece had. This was the least interesting dish to me out of the bunch.



Then there was the American Wagyu Brisket with chili jam, bao, pickled red onion and bone broth. I think the Bao bun was the best part of this. You basically make your own little brisket sandwich, with either a garlic aioli or chili jam as your condiment and thin-sliced or chunks of brisket. The chunks had more flavor and were more heavily salted than the drier, thinner slices. The bun was soft, pillowy and perfect with the chewy meat and stalks of cilantro.



From the list of Snacks we got just the 'Cue Coriander Bacon, with toast and steamed curry custard. This was a crazy dish. Sort of like bacon candy with thick slices of fatty, sweet, and succulent meat. Totally decadent and over the top, some pieces barely had any meat on them, but were fantastic nonetheless. The yellow curry custard provided a sharp tang that nicely complimented the greasy bacon.



We were pretty satisfied after all that, but my friend couldn't resist getting a slice of the Shoo Fly Pie, a favorite from her childhood. The waiter placed it down on our table and proceeded to poured some cream over it. I'm not sure I've ever had Shoo Fly Pie before, and found it to be like a cross betwee Oatmeal Raisin Cookies & Pecan Pie. I think it's the molasses on the bottom. It was good, with a flaky, buttery crust.



Along with a few wines and draft beers, there are a ton of canned beer and a number of cocktails to choose from. I liked the refreshing The South 6th made with gin or vodka, cucumber, Thai basil, lemon & Ginger ale. My friend enjoyed the Big Ben (Benromach Scotch, St. Germain, Campari & Orange), but it felt like sipping the aftermath of a campfire. There was also a constant backup at the bar, so it took a while to get our drinks. The food was delicious and I appreciate the use of local and humanely grown/raised/fished products and the slow-food methods of preparation, but all those plates really add up. Also, make sure you get a table in one of the dining rooms instead of the bar.

Dinner at Anella

I read about Anella (222 Franklin Street, between Huron & Green, 718-389-8100) with high expectations, because I really liked Queens Hideaway and was sad to see it go. I'm happy to report that Anella lived up to, and maybe exceeded those expectations, with the dinner we had there last week. The seasonally-focused menu is lovely, and has a range of dishes, from veggies to seafood to pasta and pizza (which are baked in a brick-oven). Some of the veggies and greens come from the local Rooftop Farms too! My boyfriend and I went with some family to see what it was like and had an incredible, delicious meal. The space is about double that of the previous restaurant, and has a boat-like feeling, with lots of light-colored wood, narrow corridors and booths. We started out with some veggie dishes I had read about in previous reviews. The Brussels Sprouts and the Sweet Carrots. The Brussels Sprouts are separated and the leaves are tossed with arugula, capers, lemon & garlic and then roasted to create one, incredible taste experience.



The Sweet Carrots are served with whipped ricotta and arugula. Whipping ricotta seems to make a whole other ingredient, one that's velvety smooth as well as rich and light at the same time. The natural sweetness of carrots was taken advantage of here, in a good way, so that they weren't cloying, but virtually natural candy. Probably lots of butter contributed to making this as good as it was.



We also ordered the Fried Calamari with Anchovy Mayo. This is what all calamari should be like. Light and airy, not greasy or heavy at all, with tender pieces of calamari, and a savory dipping sauce on the side.



For our entree, my boyfriend and I shared the Pork & Bean Cassoulet, which, to me, is a more stew-like version of a casserole. Made with Berkshire Pork Shoulder, Flageolet Beans, Smoked Bacon and Tuscan Kale as well as small, toasted pieces of bread, this was one delicious dish. It was hearty, flavorful, and strong. The meat was smoky and rich, the kale cut through that a little and the beans warmed it up to make for a truly incredible dish.



Our dining companions ordered the special pizza (Anella has two pizzas to choose from every night). This one came with Mozarella, Soppresata and a dollop of Brocolli Rabe Pesto in the center of each piece. It was lovely, with a nice, crispy thin crust, and the ingredients well-proportioned and evenly spaced.



We were pretty full at this point, but with four of us, we couldn't resist sharing a couple of desserts. We picked the Seasonal Roasted Fruit with Vanilla Mascarpone and Vin Cotto. This was delicious, with strawberries, blueberries and currants roasted and served over thick, creamy vanilla mascarpone. The only thing that was weird was that the green leaves on top are not mint, but some sort of grilled, savory green like kale or shard, that totally took us off guard. Not sure about that - some mint would have been nicer.



We also got an order of the Lemon tart with sweet and sour citrus fruit, which included limes, grapefruit and oranges. I liked the tart, and the slices of fruit, but the creamy tart part did not taste good to me. The Lemon Tart fans of the group loved it though. It was certainly beautiful with the slices of candied citrus peel. And look, there's the mint!



So, yay! Anella is awesome. I'm so glad it was good. And come hot weather, I think they'll start using their backyard which is spacious and airy. They have a full bar with interesting cocktails, a large wine list and a few beers on tap.

Dinner at Jake Walk #2

I wrote about The Jake Walk (282 Smith St., at the corner of Sackett St., 718-599-0294) last summer when the windows are left wide open and soft breezes waft through the space. I went recently, while it was still cold and blustery out, and enjoyed the cozy warmth. It's nice that it adapts so easily to match the seasons! The cocktails are delicious, in interesting and unique combinations, and are changing all the time. This was a wonderful concoction with citrus and gin and a tart, dried cherry as garnish.



We ordered the Lasagna Casagna with Butternut Squash, Chevre, Parsley, Carrot, Cabbage & Mozzarella. It was served in the dish it was baked in, with the melted cheese covering the mix of vegetables. It felt quite decadent, but packed with all that healthy stuff, I didn't feel so bad about enjoying it as much as I did. The textures were soft and comforting, the veggies earthy and clean, all combined with the tart goat cheese made for one amazing dish!



We also shared an order of the Venison Sausage Sandwich with Pickled Sweet Pepper Chutney, Turmeric Aioli and White Wine Braised Onion. The sausage was so strong and flavorful, the aioli spicy, the chutney added a bit of sweet and the onion provided a tart counter-balance to it all. I loved this sandwich!



The Jake Walk has something for everyone - veggie dishes, meaty things, plates of cheese and anything you could want to drink, from wines to spirits. Lovely!

Dinner at Noodle Pudding

One of the most consistent and lovely places to have dinner in Brooklyn is Noddle Pudding (38 Henry St., between Cranberry & Middagh, 718-625-3737). Some say the name is off-putting or confusing. It used to be quite common to hear Italian-Americans refer to pasta as "noodles" and there's a dish of the same name that uses sweet ricotta as filling. The food and service are top-notch AND they operate their own farm in New Jersey where they grow many of the vegetables that end up in their meals. It's a favorite in my family and we often go there for special dinners out, especially when friends from out of town visit. We always get an order of the Fried Calamari for the table to start. A fresh marinara sauce is served on the side for dipping, the batter is light and crunchy and the calamari fresh and tender.



My mom is a sucker for Sardines and if they're on the menu, she'll order them. Grilled whole, they're presented on a bed of potatoes, tomatoes and sliced red onion. They're flavorful and delicious, especially with some fresh lemon juice drizzled over them.



The Fried Ricotta was a special appetizer that sounded intriguing so we had to get it. It, too, was served with marinara sauce and was incredible. The mix of soft and crunchy textures and the tangy creaminess all mingled together to create a wonderful dish to share.



I can't pass up Bresaola if I see it on the menu. Theirs was paired with artichokes and shaved Parmesean to make a rich, dry, salty dish that was fantastic.



On to the entrees! My sister always gets the Angel Hair Pasta with Tomato Sauce. It's a classic - simple but done so well, with fresh basil and grated cheese. Part of what makes it so good is the sauce- it's not sweet, which I hate. It tastes like tomatoes, earthy and slightly acidic, rounded out with cheese and spices.



Noodle Pudding makes great seafood dishes as well. My step-father ordered the Salmon Filet with Escarole & White Beans. It's another simple dish, but it's delicious. The escarole is braised in a mellow broth, the beans bring a creamy texture to the dish, and the fish is fresh, nicely charred on the outside, yet not overcooked.



I ordered the Pappardelle with Mushrooms (shitake, porcini & cremini) in a cream sauce. The mushrooms provide a meaty bite and the pasta, fresh-made and light, is wonderful. It's the sauce that'll put you over the edge! It was rich and decadent and therefore best shared with someone else.



My boyfriend got another fish dish but I can't remember what he ordered! It was great though, with parsley, big slices of garlic and fresh basil on top in a lemony sauce. Nicely grilled, it was flavorful and tender and delicious.



Despite being pretty full, we had to get some dessert to share. One had to be chocolate so we got the Chocolate Tart with a scoop of Coffee Ice Cream and drizzled with warm chocolate sauce. It was rich, creamy, dense and incredible.



The other dessert we ordered was a Blackberry & Mascarpone Tart. The crust was flaky & buttery, the creamy filling was subtly sweet and the berries tart, combining to make one lovely dish.



One can't say enough good things about Noodle Pudding. It's great. Quality, delicious food, attentive service in a friendly, lively atmosphere.