Brunch at Fioré

Fioré (284 Grand St., between Havemeyer and Roebling, 718-782-8222) had been recommended to me almost a year ago and while I still haven't tried it for dinner, I had the good fortune to go there for Brunch recently. Even though it was noon, there were only two or three other tables with people at them so we were seated right away - always a plus at Brunch. It's nicely decorated with wooden farm tables, seating two or four, throughout the dining room, a long wooden bar along the right side and a small backyard in the rear.

We ordered two items off of the specials menu - the regular menu had all the standard fare, poached eggs, pancakes, plus pizza and panini - but the specials menu was enticing. Of course, we got one savory, one sweet. There was an Omelette made stuffed with potatoes, leeks, sausage and Gruyere cheese and it was delicious. Just a bit of cheese to make it gooey, but not overpowering, just a bit of sausage to lend flavor and lots of leek, which were tenderly sauteed. This came with homefries that were not as crispy as I prefer but were good, and a side salad nicely dressed with a viaigrette.



Our sweet option were the Apple Almond Pancakes with crispy bacon. The outside of the pancakes were coated with slivers of almonds and inside were caramelized slices of apples. It was actually too sweet for me. There was no need to sweeten the apples prior to cooking, and the pancakes were a bit on the greasy side. They weren't awful, just disappointing as they sounded so good. I think I was expecting more of an almond flavor, and tangy apple, instead of the sweet, heavy cake on my plate. MORE than enough for two people.



I definitely liked it and will go back to try it for dinner, as that's what I've heard is so amazing at Fioré.

Lunch at Fanny

Fanny (425 Graham Ave., between Frost & Withers, 718-389-2060), is a nice little spot on an unassuming stretch of Graham Ave. with a sweet, sun-dappled backyard. Sitting underneath the grapevines out back lends your meal a very 'European Afternoon' feeling. It's lovely, and the food was delicious as well.

My friend and I shared everything, and each dish was ample enough so that there was plenty of each to split in half. They were offering a special Brunch (on a Tuesday afternoon!) of Poached Eggs atop toasted country bread, with sauteed spinach, three grilled shrimp and a yogurt-tarragon sauce which sounded too good to pass up. The eggs were indeed perfect, as was the spinach - wonderfully seasoned and cooked just right. The bread was crusty and sourdough-y and the shrimp were excellent. It all tasted so good, neither of us bothered with the sauce.



We also split the Fried Fish sandwich with tartar sauce and a side salad. There were two big pieces of fish, lightly breaded & fried, flaky & tender and the salad (with buttery lettuce & other greens) was superbly dressed with lemon, salt & pepper.



I really enjoyed the meal, the service and the place itself, and am eager to get back to try out dinner!

Dinner at Sweetwater

I love Sweetwater, (105 N.6th Street, between Berry St. & Wythe Ave., 718-963-0608), a cozy French/American bistro that's a long-standing member of the Williamsburg resurgence, AND has an amazing backyard to boot. The tables are packed in on a raised wooden deck that made me feel like I was in San Francisco for some reason. All you can see is sky and despite the cramped quarters, you feel like you've got tons of room. Big white "sails" offer some shade from the sun during the peak hours of the day.



A group of us went recently to celebrate the BF's birthday and it gives me great pleasure to describe the dishes we all enjoyed that evening. But let me start with the cocktails, of which there are a few delectable & interesting offerings. I had a gin drink with rosemary and cucumber that was light and refreshing, but still had a nice kick to it. It was pretty to look at too.



There's a good wine list and some local beers to choose from as well. To start, there was an order of Salt & Chili Calamari with Arugula and Lemon Aioli. There were plenty of nice, big pieces and the sauce was tart yet creamy. This plate was polished clean in minutes!



The Red & Golden Beet Salad with Boucheron, arugula, toasted hazelnuts & poppy seed dressing we had was amazing! The earthy beets paired with the tart cheese, the light, zesty dressing and spicy greens was so good, I couldn't get enough. I wiped up any leftover dressing with slices of bread!



One of the main dishes was the Seared Scallops from the list of specials that day. Four perfectly seared scallops arrived on a bed of mashed celery root, with peas and mushrooms. The scallops were on the small side, but everything else was so well done, that was easily overlooked.



As my main I ordered the Organic Chicken with capers, tomatoes, artichoke hearts and fresh basil leaves. All of those tastes went together so well, I was really impressed. The basil leaves really added a nice, fresh flavor, whereas the capers and chokes lent a nice pickled angle. The chicken was excellently seasoned on the outside and was juicy on the inside. I'm usually nervous about ordering something so potentially boring as chicken, but I had no regrets with this dish!



There was also an order of the Hanger Steak with buttermilk onion rings & asparagus. It was cooked exactly to order and was a nice cut of meat. The onion rings were huge, yet light, and the asparagus cooked just right.



Finally, there was an order of the Seared Covino with Mango Serrano Salsa, also off of the specials menu. The salsa was ever so slightly hot, so it added to the delicate flavor & texture of the fish instead of overpowering it, and the mango added a nice touch of sweet.



Even though we were totally satisfied with this most excellent meal, we thought it a shame to not try dessert, so we ordered the Food of the Gods, chocolate cake swimming in chocolate soup topped with hazelnut ice cream. This was pretty incredible too. The moist, dense fudge-y cake truly sat in light yet creamy chocolate liquid, with a big scoop of tasty, nutty ice cream.



So yeah, I love Sweetwater. Now you know why.

Burgers at Dumont

This meal is probably going to be familiar to a lot of people, being that Dumont (432 Union Avenue, between Metropolitan Ave. and Devoe Street, 718-486-7717) has their regular restaurant AND an outpost on Bedford that are both very popular with burger-eaters and non-burger eaters alike. This popularity and fan-dom is totally and completely warranted.

I first noticed the bun that my medium-rare burger arrived on. It was perfect - the crust nicely crisp but the rest soft enough to squeeze into the burger, yet not too soft to completely fall apart. The bun didn't overwhelm the burger either, which is an all-too-common mishap with burgers. Pickled onions are a nice touch, and are oh-so delicious. Sliced pickles accompany the burger as well as a spear, so you can both garnish your sandwich AND eat a pickle on the side. Can't not love a place that values pickled foods as much as Dumont!



I got mine with sharp cheddar that was perfectly melted and had a good, robust flavor. The fries were also great, well-salted and with parsley flakes too, they're well-done and crispy and none are left over at the end.

For dessert my friend and I shared the Warm Chocolate and Hazelnut Brownie with Coffee Ice Cream and Hazelnut Brittle. Woah, this was great. The brownie was cakey, moist and light and serving it warm makes you feel like it was baked especially for you. The coffee ice cream tasted real, not chemically, and the brittle was sweet and salty and perfectly chewy.



Dumont is a great place, with great food, and warm and attentive waitstaff. The front room feels like a bistro in Paris whereas the back covered deck is more casual, and well-heated in the winter. Good for dinner with friends or family, as there's something for everyone. Offering Lunch and Brunch hours as well!

Burger from Pit Stop

Today's post takes a look at Pit Stop (127 Columbia Street, between Kane and Degraw Streets, 718-875-4664), a cozy, fun auto racing-themed French Bistro in the Columbia Street Waterfront District. The front dining room is really small and cozy, with only a handful of booths & tables, but the backyard is spacious. It takes up three lots and includes a deck with tables, two Petanque courts and a whole driveway lined with big-wheel type driving toys for kids to play with while their adults eat. It's great, and the food is good too.

One night however, I found myself getting home late and in the mood for a burger. I had ordered the burgers at Pit Stop before and found them to be delicious, so I decided to get one to go. What came was a huge burger, on a huge bun, covered in melted blue cheese with diced tomatoes and some lettuce and a side of thinly sliced and well-salted french fries. It was delicious, and satisfied my burger craving, but it was HUGE, like I mentioned, and there's too much bun. I ended up taking off the top and having it open-faced.



In an attempt to be a little healthy, I also ordered a side of sauteed green beans. While the portion was nice, they were overcooked with tons of butter and therefore mushy. While well seasoned with big slices of garlic, I ate only a few as they were pretty disappointing.



On a previous occasion, I stopped in to Pit Stop for their amazing, incredible, wonderful Warm Chocolate Cake. Filled with melty, gooey goodness, this dessert is one of my favorites, and so well done here. Decorated with whipped cream and a yummy raspberry sauce, this dessert is worth the trip.

Bacchus French Bistro

Bacchus Bistro (409 Atlantic Ave. between Bond and Nevins, 718-852-1572, www.bacchusbistro.com) is a fun little place with a great, long backyard. The food is hit or miss though, with the appetizers generally being great and the entrees disappointing.

To start I ordered the Puff Pastry with Goat Cheese, and a Pear & Fig Jam. It Was Amazing! Really. The goat cheese was tangy, warm and melty, and went so well with the light phyllo dough and fruit. It doesn't look like much, but I savored every bite.



My boyfriend ordered the Sea Scallops with Braised Endive in a Burgandy Wine Sauce. These little guys were delicious too. Nice and big and almost meaty, gently seared to carmelized perfection in a delicious sauce.



For a main dish, I ordered the Duck with Raspberry Jam, Creamed Celery Root and String Beans. The duck was OK, but a little tough, and was DROWNING in raspberry jam. I had to scrape most of it off because it was too sweet. The creamed celery root was a nice alternate to mashed potato, but was so salty it wasn't as enjoyable as it could've been, and I like salt. The beans were good - nice and garlicky, but I wouldn't order this again.



My boyfriend ordered the Pork with a Butternut Squash and Potato Gratin. Again, everything was really salty, kind of shockingly so. The pork was good, juicy and flavorful, but they need to let up with the salt. I actually put some of the raspberry jam on a piece of the pork and found it to be wonderful. The sweetness cut the saltiness and added something to the meat. Strange. The squash & potato gratin was great though, and the broccoli was perfectly cooked and refreshing amid the salt.



I'd definitely go here again, I'd just stick to the appetizers and more simpler meals. They also have a good brunch.

Seafood & Steak at Sidecar

I first heard about Sidecar, a newish restaurant in South Park Slope (560 5th Ave., 718-369-0077, www.sidecarbrooklyn.com) from Brooklyn Based. They hosted one of their subscriber cocktail parties here back in the Spring, and I loved the interior, and drinks, so much I decided to try it out for dinner.

It's a dark-wood kinda place with booths along one wall and seating along the kitchen area in the back. We sat in the front, at a table overlooking Fifth Ave. through big, open windows. I made sure to order the eponymous cocktail which really is amazing. Sweet and tart and strong. And beautiful, served in this sweet little glass with sugar coating the rim.



We first chose an appetizer off of the specials list - Braised endive salad with beets and a creamy dressing. It was quite tasty, but it got cold fast and the dressing coagulated, which then made it kinda gross. Eh.



For a main course, my friend got the Seafood Salad, also from the Specials list. It. Was. Amazing!!! Really. It was an Italian take on the simple concept, and was so fresh and tasty and FULL of yummy pieces of calamari, shrimp, baby scallops, tomatoes, capers and basil. Delish!



I ended up ordering the Skirt steak with frites and two sauces on the side - a garlic aioli and a warm pickled cucumber tomato sauce. That second sauce was so good, I could have eaten anything with it spooned on top. The steak was fine.



I asked our waitress where they buy their meat and was told the name of a big meat wholesaler which disappointed me. I've been reading so much about food lately, how it's raised and grown, and I'm trying to limit my meat eating to what I call "Happy Meat". I want to only eat animals that are raised on small farms, by dedicated farmers who won't use hormones or antibiotics to get more meat out of their animals. I'm still grappling with this, and figuring out how I want to achieve my goal. I still ended up ordering the steak, but I didn't enjoy it much knowing that it probably came from a big CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) where the treatment of animals is less than kind.

Sidecar is really nice though. I'll definitely go back, but will probably stick to the veggie & seafood options, of which there are plenty.