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!

Dinner at Brucie

Brucie (234 Court St., between Kane & Baltic Streets, 347-987-4961) is a cute, new spot in Cobble Hill - half restaurant, half country store. The menu lists various pastas and salad, as well as meats and cheeses, while for sale you can find jars of pickled veggies, pasta, sauce, pints of Blue Marble & People's Pops. There's a large room in the back set with two tables big enough for 6 - 8 people, whereas in the front there's counter space and a large table for communal seating. The stools at the counters are made from tractor seats, and the soft lighting creates a warm coziness.

I met a friend and we decided to share a few things. First was an order of Caponata. It was boldly flavored and quite salty, but I liked that. It was also made with golden raisins; an off-beat touch which worked nicely, providing a different texture, and a slightly sweet flavor.



For our main dish we ordered the Goat Cheese Stuffed Rigatoni with mushrooms and vodka sauce. This was made with extra-large rigatoni, stuffed with gooey cheese and topped with plentiful mushrooms and sauce. It was quite delicious, and satisfying. We could have stopped there, but our eyes were bigger than our stomachs and we forged on with an order of the Panelle Sandwich.



Two, large chickpea cutlets topped a large roll, with vinegar peppers, ricotta and honey. The peppers were a nice addition, cutting through the dense, heavy cutlets. The ricotta was creamy, and the hint of sweet enhanced the flavors even more.



At this point, we were so full, we had to stop, despite being intrigued by the Rosewater Panna Cotta with Cherries. Another visit has been scheduled to sample the desserts, which also included a Chocolate Pudding Pie. Yum!

Dinner at Locanda Vini e Olli

I have a new favorite restaurant. It's Locanda Vini e Olli at 129 Gates Ave., at the corner of Cambridge Pl. (718-622-9202), in the space formerly occupied by the old Lewis Drug Store. Much of the drugstore-vibe has been preserved, with glass shelves showcasing ancient remedies, beautiful wooden cupboards and built-in turn-of-the-century apothecary drawers. It's a lovely little spot - cozy and festive all at once, with friendly staff who make you feel at home right away. And then there's the food. It's divine. Seriously. It's excellent and delicious and made from the highest quality ingredients. Their meats are free-range & sustainably grown and even their take-out bags are 100% recyclable.

We started out with the Charcuterie Della Terra plate for the table (with Venison Prosciutto, Duck & Prune Pate & Cacciatorini, all served with delicious jams and preserves), and an assortment of their Crostini. Everything was incredibly flavorful, creatively & well-paired and delicious. It was great to get all of this and share it among four people.



I chose to get the special Ravioli, house-made, fresh & delicate. Covered in butter & cheese and stuffed with escarole & pine nuts. Fantastic.



My husband got a pasta dish with a seafood mix on top. It's not on their regular menu, and I can't remember the name exactly, but it was a unique combination and had a strong, savory flavor. Also wonderful.



My brother-in-law ordered the Grilled Duck Breast with chick peas. The duck was incredibly tender, so there was no need for a knife to cut through it. But it was the chick peas that really stood out. I don't know what they did to them, but I've never tasted anything so good in my life. We even contemplated getting a side of the chick peas but realized we were too full.



I highly recommend heading here as soon as possible if you haven't yet been. It's one of the best places around and is good for family outings, dates, hanging out with friends, whatever. I can't wait to go back.

Dinner at Luna Rossa

***Too good to pass up: Scopello Ristorante in Ft. Greene on Lafayette & Fulton,
will be giving away Cannolis today during Happy Hour from 5pm - 7pm.
Drink specials include buy one get one free as well!
Check it out and let me know how they are!***

There seems to be no shortage of wood-burning pizza places these days, which is fine by me, and we checked out a new-ish spot on the Carroll Gardens/Red Hook border recently (and by new-ish I mean less than 2 years old). Luna Rossa (552 Court St., between W. 9th Street and Garnet Place, 718-875-1384) is located practically in the shadow of the Gowanus Expressway, with dark and cozy interior and a large backyard that needs some work. We sat there one recent evening, with the sounds of the highway in the background, and enjoyed our tasty dinner.

We started out with a Caprese Salad, something I'm quite obsessed with at the moment. It was good, with big, round slices of tomato and mozzarella, topped with chopped basil. The mozzarella was fresh and the tomatoes ripe. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar added some bite. While this isn't as good as the Caprese at The Good Fork, it was good.



We also shared a salad from the specials menu, with mixed greens, thinly sliced green apple, walnuts and goat cheese. It was delicious - the tart apple, the creamy cheese, the crunch of the walnuts all combined to make a great dish.



Then there's the pizza. We ordered a Prosciutto and a Rustica. The Prosciutto had slices of the meat, fresh arugula, thinly shaved pieces of Parmesean and cherry tomatoes. The crust was chewy but thin, not soggy and had a slight sourdough flavor. Yum!



The Rustica had mozzarella, mushrooms and sausages. There was a nice balance of all the ingredients, all were flavorful and the crust was again thin, chewy and slightly tangy.



Luna Rossa is a good local spot, without the crowds, attentive service (maybe too attentive at times), and decent, tasty food. Perhaps not a destination from far away, but I hope enough people go here to keep these guys around.

Dinner at Roman's

After getting high marks from some friends, I was eager to try Roman's (243 DeKalb Ave., between Vanderbilt & Clermont, 718-622-5300) for dinner. On a recent breezy evening, a friend and I sat outside on the sidewalk, at one of five tables set up next to the bus stop. It's a bit of a weird arrangement, but it was so nice out it was a shame to go inside. We ordered a bottle of Rosé and awaited our food. The menu changes daily, based on what's in season, available and good.

Our first course was Roasted Asparagus with shaved Pecorino and topped with a Fried Egg. I love when eggs show up in dinner foods! The asparagus were crunchy and slightly nutty, and the egg provided a creamy, yolk-y touch.



Our second course was a Lamb Agnolotti; small dumpling-like pasta stuffed with a tender, slightly sweet meat. It was served in a hearty, clear brown broth dotted with sliced scallions.



We then shared the Special Goat Entree which consisted of three cuts of meat - shoulder, rib and sausage. The goat comes from their local cheese providers, and was incredibly tender, served with a green chimichurri sauce. The shoulder was my favorite, and it fell apart with the touch of my fork. The sausage was nice too, mixed with herbs and fresh-tasting. It was quite pricey though, and took up by surprise as it was a special, and was not listed on the menu. Make sure to ask!



We also ordered a side of Braised Radishes with Mint. They were beautiful to look at but tasted more like Brussels Sprouts, a little funky and stinky. The mint was a nice touch though, and made for a bit of a sweet and refreshing flavor.



I really liked the food, the service and the wine. The interior is beautiful as well - white tiles, dark wood, on the small side. I'll definitely head back next time I'm out celebrating something.

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 Ferdinando's

I've been hesitant to write about Ferdinando's (151 Union Street, between Hicks and Columbia, 718-855-1545) because I like to think of it as my little secret, even though the likes of Martin Scorsese has eaten there and lots of people know about it, but it's just so damn good I can't help but sing it's praises. It will also always have a spot in my heart because I went here on the day I got my braces and my mouth hurt so bad I could barely eat. The waitress brought me my first rice ball and said it's what she gave her son when he got his braces because it's so soft and tender. Well, I'm happy to report that the Arancina Special is still as delicious as it was that first day I had it.

On this most recent visit I ordered the Rice Ball with meat and peas, covered in tomato sauce and cheese and topped with thick and creamy ricotta cheese. The mushy consistency of the rice is so comforting and the slight bite of the ground beef and peas fills things out. It's decadent and amazing and I could eat one every day.



We also got another Ferdinando's classic dish, a Panelle sandwich. A chickpea croquette topped with a gigantic dollop of ricotta cheese plus grated Parmesan on a big, fluffy roll. The Parmesan isn't as strong as I like, but this sandwich is tasty enough without the added flavor. I also took the top of the roll off and ate it open-faced as it's pretty large!



Even though I knew this was plenty of food, my boyfriend insisted on getting a pasta dish. We ordered the Pappardelle alla Boscaiola, hand cut pasta with fried eggplant, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms. The pasta was fresh, and the tomatoes were large and plentiful, but I'm pretty sure the mushrooms were from a can. It was also a pretty greasy dish, with oil pooled at the bottom of the dish. Probably not the best dish to order. In the future I'll stick with tomato sauces or Parmigiana.



Wait, there's more! I know, it's crazy, but I often say I have an extra little stomach for desserts and I wasn't leaving Ferdinando's without a cannoli. They make the BEST cannoli! Seriously. The pastry part is crisp, the cream filling is thick and slightly almond & vanilla flavored and it doesn't have any extraneous chocolate chips or weird bits in it. It's pure and simple and perfect.

Dinner at Bocca Lupo #2

Bocca Lupo (391 Henry Street, at the corner or Warren St., 718-243-2522) is a sweet place. Low lighting, exposed brick and dark wood and big glass windows make it cozy & spacious at the same time. There's also such a variety of dishes to choose from, and small plates as well, that enables you to sample a number of items, and it's great for sharing too! I was there for dinner almost a year and a half ago, so I was glad to go back recently with my boyfriend and a friend of ours. We ended up bumping into old friends, so it's a meeting place of sorts as well!

We started with an assortment of Bruschetta. The Cannellini Bean Puree with Olive Tapenade was delicate and garlicky, the Prosciutto was broad and salty, the Sausage, Fennel and Carmelized Cipolle was juicy and delicious and the Grilled Gggplant was earthy & tender.



We also got an order of the Roasted Beet Salad with Ricotta and Pignoli. The ricotta was creamy and light, the plentiful pine nuts provided a nice crunch and the salt & pepper brought out the flavor of the earthy beets.



We also tried some of their specials - a spinach pasta with mushrooms in a light cream sauce covered with grated cheese,



and the lamb chops which were beautifully presented with rosemary and a balsamic glaze. They were soft, tender and delicious with very little fat.



The Panini are also really great, in interesting & decadent combinations like the Proscuitto, Porchetta, Pepperoncini & Piave. Phew, this was one incredible sandwich, full flavored & meaty with the earthy Piave almost melted and the pickled, spicy pepperoncini to cut through the richness of the meat.



Even though we were pretty full at this point, the three of us thought we could split one dessert, so we ordered the Panna Cotta with strawberry & mint. It wasn't as creamy as I like it, and the mint was a little odd. It was light, mild and soothing. (Excuse the shadows, I was trying to be subtle with the flash.)



Bocca Lupo is great and I highly recommend it - for romantic dinners for two, dinner with a group of friends, or for family outings.

Lunch at Al Di La Trattoria

I had some time off recently, so I was able to enjoy lunch with a friend at Al Di La, (248 5th Avenue, at the corner of Carroll St., 718-636-8888) one of the best restaurants Park Slope has to offer. The main dining room is spacious and a little funky, with bottles of wine, dark tin ceilings and a pink vine design painted on the walls. It's country Italian food at it's best - simple, uncomplicated meals with quality ingredients and flavorful results.

My friend started with Soup of the Day, made with a basic tomato broth, filled with tasty, meaty, little clams, tomatoes, basil and garlic it was delicious and surprisingly filling.



He also got an order of the Ravioli made with Winter Squash, brown butter and sage. It was light and delicious, albeit very buttery, with just a sprinkling of grated Parmesean on top.



The dish I chose was my favorite though. A bowl of creamy polenta in a broth with tomatoes, kale and sliced porcini mushrooms and a perfectly poached egg resting on top. It was amazing! The intermingling of all the flavors and textures worked perfectly, and it was filling without being too heavy. I've been thinking about it ever since!



Al Di La Trattoria is such a delightful place with comfort food at it's simple best, in a cozy, comfortable space.

Lard Bread Pizza at Francesco's

By Guest Writer: Josh Kaplan

Henry street sits on the far West side of Carroll Gardens. It’s a block from the BQE, and from Union Street you can see Red Hook, beyond that the river, beyond that the skyline. It’s removed from Carroll Garden’s central hub of mixologist bars and Michelin recognized restaurants on Smith and Court, more sleepy and reserved with businesses scattered rather than condensed. It’s also where you can find one of New York’s most interesting pizzas, and no, I’m not referring to Lucali’s.

Francesco’s, (531 Henry St., at the corner of Union, 718-834-0863) formerly Nino’s, was bought two and a half years ago by Mazzola Bakery, a neighborhood institution and trusted producer of breads, croissants and cookies directly across the street, on the southeast corner of the intersection where Union crosses Henry. Mazzola’s signature item, what separates it from the scores of coffee and cake shops littering scenic corners from Red Hook to Prospect Heights, is their lard bread. Lard bread is an addictive dough made from a standard flour, yeast, margarine compound flavored with diced salami, provolone cheese, black pepper, vegetable lard and pork lard. The dough is optimized in several forms, as a loaf, as a roll, as a pretzel, but their most creative application can be found across the street, where it served as crust for Francesco’s Lard Bread Pie.

By all appearances Francesco’s is a mild mannered neighborhood red sauce joint that feels homogeneous in its removed corner of Brooklyn. It’s split between a sit down restaurant and an adjoining pizzeria with booths. Both sides are homey and modest; in the pizzeria ESPN plays on a flat-screen mounted in the corner. On a visit mid-December Sinatra was signing melancholy renderings of holiday standards and the decor resembled a deconstructed Christmas tree. The menu is stuffed with American Italian staples, Eggplant parm, fried shellfish, sausage and peppers.



The plain slice is passable, that generic New York slice that would be at home on any corner in Manhattan, but you’d be foolish to skip the lard bread slice - order a pie if you have the time and audience. The pie resembles those Elio’s-like cafeteria slices you loved in Grade school because you didn’t know any better, but there’s a sleek thinness that avoids the Sicilian style label the pie’s shape demands. The drawback, what keeps it from serious discussion, is apparent on grabbing your first slice, as that first piece separates reluctantly from its whole. The pie is blanketed by a down quilt of industrial strength, bargain basement mozzarella, a chore to contend with even straight out of the oven. But the canvas is the attraction, like its obese cousin at L&B Spumoni; cheese is entirely beside the point.



The pizza’s thin perimeter resembles nothing so much as a flaky pie crust, and that’s a good way to begin considering it. A peak at the underside reveals a labyrinthine crust full of pleasantly brown crevices that add an extra crunch. Beneath that crunch the slice is chewy but not doughy. The salami and black pepper provide a salty heat present in every bite, while the lard and cheese contribute a buttery unctuousness, grease you can taste on the tongue you don’t have to contend with on the plate, it all makes for huge, balanced but dangerously close to overwhelming flavor.

The Francesco’s Lard Bread Pie is a bold experiment, by your third or fourth slice, one a pizza connoisseur may deem unsuccessful. Regardless, that first bite is full of fun, and this attempt certainly deserves a place as an exotic entry in New York’s pizza vernacular.

Brunch at Provini

I met up with a friend in Park Slope recently for Brunch, but the place I wanted to try turned out to be just a bar, so we went wandering around and lucky for us, found Provini (1302 8th Avenue, at the corner of 13th St., 718-369-2154). From the folks behind Bar Tano and Bar Toto, comes another cozy pressed-tin ceiling, wood bar eatery serving satisfyingly hearty & solid dishes. Light pours in through the front windows, and a large leather banquet lines one wall set up with tables for two.

I had a hard time choosing between an egg dish or a panini, but settled on the Black Forest Ham & Gruyere Panini with side salad. It was delicious. A substantial amount of ham was layered with cheese and grilled to perfection on delightfully crusty bread. The salad provided a nice, clean balance.



My friend ordered the Mushroom & Gruyere Fritatta which she described as "excellent" with "perfectly balanced tastes". Slices of the same crusty bread as in my panini were served alongside.



I also had a cappucino which was really good. The meal was priced very reasonably, our server was attentive and friendly and the space quietly elegant. I'm glad to know Park Slope is starting to get better dining options!

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.