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.

Brunch at Buttermilk Channel #3

So, some weekend days my priority is getting out the door to get some food in my belly, and that means that other things get neglected, like my camera. So, for today's photos, please make due with photos taken with a borrowed iPhone. Some friends are visiting from out of town, so we decided to take them to Buttermilk Channel (524 Court St., at Huntington St., 718-852-8490) for Brunch. Mmmmm, what a good idea THAT turned out to be! Such delicious dishes. Such fine service.

I ordered something I'd never tried before, the Fried Pork Chops and Cheddar Waffles. The chops were juicy, breaded and crunchy and incredibly flavorful, not greasy or oily at all. The waffles were subtle, cheesy saltiness. A mini-container of maple syrup came with, and nice, lightly dressed side salad also accompanied for refreshment.



My boyfriend got the Eggs Huntington which is one of my favorites here - Poached Eggs on top of ham on top of buttermilk biscuits. The biscuits are fluffy and dense at the same time, the eggs are perfectly poached and everything goes so well together. Again, a nice side salad accompanies.



One of our friends got the Warm Lamb & Romaine Salad with black olive croutons, roasted cauliflower, fried capers and soft-boiled egg. The capers burst in your mouth with tangy acidity, the lamb was tender and the egg was expertly done with just enough soft yolk to run through the greens.



Our other friend ordered the Grilled Kale and Endive Salad with soft-boiled egg and croutons. This was great too, with clean flavors, and dressing made with whole-grain mustard.



The service was also great. I was informed that they are building a second restroom in the basement while waiting on line for the one, commiserating with the owner about having to wait. Our guests were impressed and we were all happily satisfied.

Dinner at James

James (605 Carton Ave. at the corner of St. James Ave., 718-942-4255) has been open for a little over a year and I finally made it there for dinner the other night. It's in the space formerly occupied by Sorrel, the corner spot, changed up with a bar, mirrors and unfinished plaster, tall fern leaves in vases and an uber-modern plastic chandelier in the middle of the ceiling. The cocktail list is filled with unique concoctions, like the Vesper Lynd, Tarragon-infused Vodka, gin & Lillet Blanc. It was more licorice-flavored than I expected, but it grew on me as I sipped it.

We started with two appetizers. One was a salad made with Spinach, Shiitake Mushrooms, Parmesan-Reggiano & Balsamico. Big, meaty slices of mushroom dotted the greens as did little cheesy crackers and pine nuts. I really enjoyed it, but my boyfriend, not the biggest mushroom fan, wasn't wowed.



We also ordered the Glazed Berkshire Pork Belly with Apple Chutney and Golden Raisins. This was pretty amazing. Crispy skin on the outside of the meat, the chutney giving it a slight Indian flavor, and the meat melting on your tongue. Decadence - perfect for sharing.



For our entree, we chose the Cumin Crusted Loin of Lamb with Braised Mustard Greens, Sunchokes & Jus Natural. We were both amazed at how smooth and tender the meat was, unlike how lamb usually is served. it was perfectly cooked and spiced. The combination of the three flavors was also incredible - it was the best dish of the evening. Some may complain that the portion was small, but I thought it was perfect, considering we shared the appetizers and went on to get dessert.



We picked the Grilled Lemon Pound Cake with Figs in Port Wine Reduction for dessert. This was OK. The pound cake had a nice, citrusy flavor, but all in all it was a little boring and dry. The figs were small, there was barely any sauce; just a big mound of mascarpone, always nice, but not very exciting. I wish we had chosen the banana crepes with dulce de leche or the lavender creme brulee!



I liked James, I just wasn't blown away. From what I had heard I was expecting something it just isn't. The food was nicely prepared and served, but it won't replace any places on my list of favorites. Perhaps if I lived nearby I'd go there more often. As it is, I won't be going out of my way.

Dinner at The Farm on Adderly

Taking the recommendation of a number of commenters, I headed to The Farm on Adderly (1108 Cortelyou Road, between E. 11th & E. 12th, 718-287-31010) with my family for dinner and just as I was told, it was excellent! It was warm and cozy inside, with a small bar up front, tables in two areas inside, and a beautiful garden out back where we decided to eat and enjoy the last bits of warm weather. There were four of us, so there's a ton of food for me to describe, so let me get started! (There was also a nice wine list and a good, well-rounded selection of beers.)

My Dad got a squash soup from the Specials menu with smoked apple on top. Smoked apple! Have you ever had smoked apple??? It was like bacon, only APPLE! Amazing. The soup was pureed and flavorful with a sprinkling of black pepper.



My Dad's wife picked the Bibb Lettuce Salad with pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries & goat cheese fritters which were warm balls of creamy & tangy cheese. Gorgeous, and very autumnal.



My boyfriend got an order of Arugula salad with Roasted Duck with plenty of thick slices of tender duck atop a spicy, crispy pile of greens, lightly dressed with a subtle vinaigrette.



I chose the Celery Root Salad with escarole, candied olive, lemon, olive oil & parmesan. The greens were delicious, the olives were interesting - little bits of sweet and salty - and the dressing was tart and refreshing. The shaved celery root, while earthy & rooty, was a bit chewy, and there was a TON of it, kind of overwhelming the salad.



For his entree, my Dad got the Burger with cheese and a side of fries. The fries were excellent - big, pillowy potato sticks fried to perfection, and the burger was juicy and flavorful, a testament to pasture-raised meat.



My Dad's wife ordered the Grilled Trout with green & yellow wax beans, spring onion & portobello. The mushroom was thinly sliced and dried, so they were like mushroom chips; an interesting texture, with the same earthy, portobello taste. The fish was flaky and succulent and the beans offered a nice, snappy counterbalance.



My boyfriend ordered the Pork wrapped in a filo dough-like wrapping over acorn squash & braised mixed greens on top. It was a little bit Asian-inspired, but really complex in a good, savory way - slightly sweet, tangy and rich.



There were two kinds of steak to chose from and I picked the skirt steak which was served over potatoes with a side dish of a roasted red pepper & peanut pesto-like sauce. The potatoes were tender and ever so slightly salted, and the sauce was really unique and delicious.



Even though we were pretty full, we couldn't resist ordering dessert. We got a Buttermilk Tart with a peanut butter crunch layer and concord grapes on top. Amazing! Custardy buttermilk, intense peanut flavor and the grapes! Silky, tart and sweet. Yum!



We also got a Butterscotch Pudding which came in a tall wine glass that was amazing. Thick, not too sweet and ever so slightly butterscotchy.



To round it all out we got the Brown Butter Apple Cake in a Blueberry Sauce and a dollop of vanilla ice cream. The cake tasted great and was served warm, but was a little dry. The blueberry sauce helped a lot and tasted like summer.



This is totally a top-notch restaurant and I look forward to going back during different seasons and seeing their different menus throughout the year.

Lunch at Eat

I'm sorta confused as to what this place is called now. For years my boyfriend and I used to go here when it was Eat Records, the pancakes, eggs and bacon were the best and crates of the real deal lined the walls while off-beat avant-garde music filled the space. Now it seems to be known as just Eat (124 Meserole Ave., between Manhattan Ave. & Graham Ave., 718-389-8083) and there are only a few crates of records there, but what remains is pretty awesome. If you do a search online, "Eat Coffee LLC" comes up, but I understand they don't sell coffee to go anymore, much to the chagrin of online commentators. I spoke with the waitress a little about the menu and was told all of it is based on what's available at farms both really nearby (Rooftop Farm) and sorta nearby (upstate a little). Eat also hosts a CSA with the produce from the upstate farm and the chef creates the menu around what's freshest and in season. What you get is really good, tasty, quality food in a relaxed, comfortable environment.

There are appetizers, crostini, soups and sandwiches to choose from and everything sounded really enticing. I started out with a green salad made with greens from the Rooftop Farm, two kinds of radishes and topped with cheese from Consider Bardwell Farms (love them!). It was slightly bitter, really fresh and very flavorful with a light dressing of lemon juice and olive oil. I highly recommend it!



I also got the special Bahn Mi sandwich made with boiled eggs, carrots, parsley and daikon. The bread was crusty, and the ingredients just popped! So fresh and bright and yummy.



My BF got the Frittata made with asparagus that was gorgeous AND delicious to boot. Served cold, with a small salad on the side, it's perfect for a hot summer day.



I was sad to see Eat Records go, and they definitely went through some growing pains, but it's current iteration is wonderful and I hope more people go there to support a true local, community-oriented business!

Burgers at Flatbush Farm

I've on a real burger kick recently, and am on a mission to build up a good list of places that serve grass-fed and/or organically raised beef. I was happy to see that the burgers at Flatbush Farm and Bar, (76 St. Marks Place, between 6th Avenue & Flatbush, 718-622-3276) are just those kind of burgers! They also have other yummy food, and in the warm weather you can sit out in their GREAT backyard. I had dinner here in the winter months and I'm happy to say that most of the options have rotated in order to use the seasonal, organic, local-when-available fare they are offering now.

On this visit, my friend and I shared the Braesola appetizer, which came topped with an arugula salad, heartily dressed with a salty, lemony dressing and toasted slices of baguette. All these flavors added up to one delicious dish. Braesola is like fruit leather only made with beef, and is my current favorite treat. The peppery arugula gave it a nice green balance and the bread cut the salt.



I then got the burger which comes with perfectly cooked and salted fries. Real cheddar cheese was melted on top and a big pile of sliced pickles was served with lettuce, red onion & tomato. The burger was juicy and substantial, slightly charred and all around terrific. I ate it all! My friend did help with the fries!



So go here and sit out back while the weather is nice. The coctail list is interesting and creative as well.

Dinner at General Greene

A friend and I made our way to General Greene (229 Dekalb Avenue at Clermont Avenue, 718-222-1510) the other night for dinner, and had a most interesting time. The menu is made up of a variety of small plates in categories such as "Bar Snacks", "Hot" and "Cold". The front room is a classic space, all white and robin's egg blue, pressed tin and tiled floor. The lighting is lovely, with a smattering of styles that all seem to go together. The kitchen sits in between the front room and the back dining area, which felt odd to us, like there were two separate restaurants sharing a prep area; kind of disconnected. The host and wait staff were all friendly though and most helpful when it came to figuring out how many dishes to order to make a full meal.

We started with a Bar Snack of Radishes with Sea Salt and Anchovies. We were both expecting whole radishes, rubbed in sea salt with anchovy fillets, but what we got was much more delicate. Large slices of shaved radish were HUGE and mixed with an anchovy paste, seasoned with sea salt and garnished with halved smaller radishes. It was delicious - crisp, strong flavors and textures mingled and got better as the dish sat in its juices. In an effort to prevent a washed out photo, the resulting picture is a bit dark, but shows the beauty of the dish nonetheless.



We ended up choosing mostly veggies, which made for a yummy if not cohesive dinner. The Quinoa was amazing, and I never eat quinoa after a bad experience with it on a camping trip in college! It was moist and crunchy and seasoned with salt and mint, and butter? Something made this so smooth. It gave me a whole new way to think about this most nutritious grain.



The Beets with Yoghurt and Mint were also really good. Roasted beets, just this side of soft, lightly covered with yoghurt were sweet and savory and tangy.



The Roasted Turnips were my least favorite dish. Some of the pieces were too hard, and overall it didn't have a very turnip-y flavor. The leeks and butter overpowered the earthy, root-ness of the vegetable. There were also pieces of bacon which made it a little better, but not enough for me to really enjoy this dish.



Another favorite was the Pork Meatballs, served in a bowl covered with sauce and melted cheese, somewhat like French Onion Soup. The sauce was great, hearty and tomato-y and not sweet, the meatballs were nicely flavored and slightly juicy, and the toasted slices of bread were perfect for sopping up the extra 'gravy' as my grandfather calls Marinara Sauce. Wonderful.



Unfortunately, we were too stuffed for dessert, which is a real shame since the owner of General Greene is a pastry chef and has become well known for his pastries. Next time I'll get one or two fewer small plates and save room for something sweet to finish my meal with.

Dinner at Rose Water

I went to Rose Water Restaurant (787 Union Street, between 5th & 6th Avenues, 718-783-3800) to celebrate the anniversary of a very long friendship. Wouldn't that be nice if we acknowledged the lengths of our friendships as well as our romantic/intimate relationships? Surely they are just as important (sometimes more so) as our boyfriends and girlfriends, so why don't we? We headed to this lovely spot in Park Slope and shared a few dishes that surpassed the many accolades I had heard before this first visit of mine.

The only thing is that I was so engaged in the conversation with my friend, that I neglected to take photos of two of the dishes! I know, I know. I almost didn't even post about this meal, but the food was SO amazing, I thought the photos I did have would make it worth it. The food is superb; thoughtfully prepared with seasonal ingredients; local and organic when possible. The owner's philosophy of sustainability and community makes perfect sense and results in fabulous food served in a warm and cozy atmosphere.

We started with a Mixed Greens Salad with Shaved Fennel. The combination of the flavors created a new, delicious experience while individually, the ingredients sang out in their own unique way. We also shared the Pork Belly appetizer. This was incredible, but so decadent; it was a perfect dish to split with a friend. The fresh bread was good with this as well.

We split the Snapper entree, which came with mashed parsnips on a bed of spinach with a spicy Asian sauce that was incredible. Again, each ingredient retained its flavor, but combined created something even better. The sauce had a distinct zing to it, with a mild hotness underscoring the mild fish and mellow parsnip. I've been thinking about this dish ever since.



For dessert we had the Coffee Chocolate Pot de Creme with shortbread cookie and a dollop of whipped cream on top. The coffee flavor added a nice bitterness to the sweetness of the chocolate and the mint leaves were a cleansing, refreshing way to end the meal. This dish was so amazingly dense and rich though, the two of us couldn't finish it off!

Spatzle & Soup at Flatbush Farm Bar(N)

I met a friend on a cold night recently for dinner at the bar next door to Flatbush Farm known as the Bar(N) (76 St. Marks Place, at 6th Avenue and Flatbush, 718-622-3276). I'm a fan primarily because they only serve seasonal fare and organic farm-raised meat, and local products as often as possible. The bar area feels like an old country home as it's decorated with with busted wooden crates and rusty farm tools. There's dark wood everywhere which makes it feel rustic, cozy, and relaxed which is nice.

We decided to eat at the bar and ordered a couple of items. We started with the Ploughman's Plate to share. This came with Cheddar Cheese, Cured Meats and slices of crusty French bread. There were two kinds of meat - one was a hard salami-type and one was closer to roast beef. Both were tasty and good, and the cheese was sharp and dry and delicious. It needed some mustard or jam though, as it was it was a bit lackluster.



I then chose the Spatzle with King Trumpet Mushroom Ragout and Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Spatzle are a German style of dumplings usually made with egg. This was a fabulous dish, wonderfully seasoned and flavorful with meaty mushrooms in a creamy broth. I loved it and would go back just for this dish!



My friend ordered the French Onion Soup which was really good too. It wasn't drowning in melted cheese and seemed more delicate than how it's typically served. It was well-balanced, and had one big Gruyere crouton floating in the broth and chives sprinkled about adding to the flavor. Yum.



All in all it was a good outing. I'm curious about their burgers and grass-fed steak and may be back soon to try them out. Mangia!