New Restaurant: Rockin' Raw

Last Friday I went to the Grand Opening of a new restaurant in Williamsburg called Rockin' Raw, (178 N. 8th Street, between Bedford and Driggs, 718-599-9333), a spot that will feature all live, vegan, raw, organic food along Peruvian/New Orleanian lines. The awning is bright purple and was lit with very bright lamps which did not set a positive first impression. Thankfully the interior is much softer. The space is long and narrow with mostly white walls accented by a few red walls and a dark floor leading to an amazingly large and lush backyard.



First they sent around trays full of their "crabcakes" with dill sauce; made with spelt, they were really dense and crunchy (maybe a little on the dry side though) and the bright green sauce was flavorful and very garlicky.



There were also Nori Chips with Sunflower Seed Pate and topped with tomato which were really good. Nori is made from seaweed so these were nicely salty and had a good crunch to provide some texture. I was impressed with these.



They also passed around some sushi rolls with various stuffings like jicama & cauliflower or mango, cucumber & parsley. Both of these were tasty, crunchy and complex. It's amazing what you can do with food when you change the consistency and texture of a few ingredients.



So, if you're vegan or want to live the raw food life, this place makes really creative, good-tasting food. If you're not either of those, you still might like trying Rockin' Raw out for a change and to experience simple ingredients like sunflower seeds and spelt in a whole new way!

Parked!: Lunch at The Yard

FYI - A number of Park Slope restaurants are offering deals on meals, now through the 30th, in honor of the Brooklyn Half Marathon which is this Saturday, starting in Prospect Park and ending in Coney Island. Check out the New York Road Runners Club website for details on participating restaurants and where you can cheer on the runners. Go Mom!!!

Oh yeah! The Yard, now know as Bklyn Yard (388-400 Carroll Street, by the blue swinging bridge, between Bond St. & Nevins St.) has opened for another season and I'm so excited. There's something about the ramshackle, haphazard spot on the banks of the Gowanus Canal that makes me so happy. Not to mention, the food!!! This Saturday marked the first of many Saturdays where you'll be able to amble down and get some of the tastiest treats in Brooklyn, all at one place! Some weekends there will be special food, like the Pit BBQ coming up on June 6th; others will host various food vendors selling their fare out of trucks.

First, get yourself something to drink 'cuz you're going to be standing in line and waiting for a while before you get to eat anything. There is a bar with beer but I got myself some Hot Pink Lemonade from the Green Pirate instead. Green Pirate is a juice bar on wheels that makes delicious liquid concotions. The lemonade had lemon & lime juice, celery, sweet beets and ginger, which resulted in a cup full of blood red liquid, sweet and tart and very refreshing.



I then stood in line and ordered a couple of personal pizzas from Pizza Moto, a mobile, wood-fired, brick oven pizzeria. One was with Artichoke Hearts (for me), and was delicious, with plenty of chokes and melty cheese. The crust was perfect - thin and bubbly, crisp and not soggy at all.



The other, for the BF, came with Ramps and Bacon and was so good my eyes bulged out of my head when I tried a bite. Seriously. Smoky, chewy bacon, tangy ramps and again, that fresh, melty cheese and wonderful sauce.



We bumped into some friends who stood for an hour to get some Huaraches from a vendor who normally sells in Red Hook on the weekends. It was a ginormous dish, and very messy, so snag a seat at a table if you can. I tried a bite for research sake and found it to be quite good. The tortilla is so fresh, it's unlike any other tortilla wrapped food, and all the flavors migled together to make a very tasty meal indeed!



The Van Leeuwen Artisanal Ice Cream Truck was there when we left, but we were full and the line was ridiculous, so we left. Maybe next time. The truck was pretty and I hear their ice cream is the bomb.

Also, don't forget that on Sundays there are DJs and dance parties. Go to Bklyn Yard!

Soup from Nectar

Everybody is sick these days, and really, one of the best things to do is get yourself some chicken soup. Being that I was sick, I wasn't about to make anything from scratch, but neither did I want to open a can of something that was sure to have too much salt and dry, chewy pieces of chicken. So I dragged myself over to Nectar (198 Court St., at Wyckoff St., 718-855-6166) for their Chicken with Pasta soup. Boy, was I happy I did.



As you can see it's loaded down with big chunks of tasty white meat, lots of pasta shells, pieces of tomato and slices of carrots and celery. The broth is hearty, soothing and fresh; homemade from the best ingredients. I felt better immediately.



They also toss in half a loaf of a sourdoughy white bread that's really good; I like to dip it in the hot broth to get it soft - so comforting when you're feeling under the weather. Or just cold from the bitter wind and chill.

Nectar also has a large selection of fresh vegetable and fruit juices made to order, as well as sandwiches and wraps and smoothies, always made from fresh ingredients. The space is teeny though, so it's best for take-out.