Pizza from My Little Pizzeria

There are a ton of pizzerias scattered throughout Brooklyn, but some are better than others, and My Little Pizzeria (114 Court St., between State St. & Atlantic Ave., 718-643-6120) has always been a stand out. Here is a sampling of two of their most basic slices - the regular and the Margherita, with fresh mozzarella.



The sauce is slightly sweet and the cheese is spread evenly around the dough which is thin and nicely chewy. The Margherita with the fresh mozzarella is a nice upgrade from the regular slice if you're looking for something a little different; it also has a subtle sprinkling of oregano. Both slices have a good crust that is browned just so and has a nice, clean taste.

Dinner from Wild Ginger

After an evening of shopping with my mom and my sister, we were hungry and in need of sustenance. Both of them are vegetarian so when we got out of the subway, we headed straight for Wild Ginger (112 Smith Street, Between Dean St. & Pacific St., 718-858-3880) to get some takeout. The space is really nice though, and I'd like to go back to have dinner there. It's very tastefully decorated, dark and cozy with dark mirrors that make the space feel twice as big as it is. Within minutes we were on our way home with dinner.

I chose the Satay Tempeh, cubes of tempeh grilled in a satay sauce. It was really good, but I was a little disappointed as I was expecting a peanutty satay sauce - instead this was slightly BBQ flavored.



My mom ordered the Hijiki Salad - marinated black seaweed with edamame peas. Slightly salty, peppered with edamame - it was a lovely dish.



She also got the Tofu Salad because it was described as being made with beets. That was just a little misleading. Little strings of shaved beet sat atop big, pale chunks of tofu and mixed greens. It was good, if on the plain side. A citrus-ginger dressing came with.



We got an order of the Cold Noodles for my step-dad, which are made with green-tea noodles and topped with a sesame sauce. This, too, was on the light side, subtle and a bit disappointing if you were hoping for a more peanutty crunch. Not that it was bad; it was very good, but not your typical cold noodle flavor.



We love our appetizers, so my mom also got an order of Shumai stuffed with spinach. These cute little green packages were very tender and tasty, especially dipped into the soy sauce that accompanied them.



I ordered the Singapore-Style Mei Fun noodles, cuz, how can you resist that name? Thin, angel-hair noodles in a slightly curry-flavored sauce, with nicely cooked strips of tofu and slices of mushroom and bell peppers were tasty and quite filling. I ate half of the dish and it looked like I had barely made a dent!



My sister got the Vegetable Yaki Udon, sans tofu, as it's her favorite but she hates tofu. This was the best dish of them all as far as I was concerned. It was the most flavorful and had lots of different veggies (peppers, cabbage, mushrooms) packed in.



So, a big Thumbs Up to Wild Ginger. I'd definitely go back here for dinner sometime as the food was good and the space was lovely to be in.

Ki Sushi To Go

A friend of mine who lives in Manhattan has been spending a lot of time recently in Brooklyn, and told me I should check out Ki Sushi (122 Smith St., between Dean & Pacific Streets, 718-935-0575). So after a long day of work, when I wasn't feeling much like cooking, I ordered delivery.

I got a Garden Salad to make sure I got some greens. There was some iceberg, some mixed baby greens, and a few grape tomatoes - all of it fresh, plus the citrus, ginger dressing was great. Tangy, zesty and light.



I chose three rolls as well. The Yellowtail with Scallion and the Lobster Tempura Roll are pictured below. The yellowtail was flavorful and fresh albeit small, but the Lobster Tempura tasted very much like a Soft Shell Crab Roll, so that was a bit disappointing. It was also wrapped in thinly sliced cucumber which was nice, but took away from the subtle lobster taste with it's distinct flavor and papery texture.



I also ordered an Angel Roll - seared tuna & asparagus inside, topped with salmon, avocado, eel & tobiko. The pieces of eel were a bit chewy, but the rest was incredible. Fresh, tasty and packed with fish and crunchy asparagus.



Ki Sushi was good, but a bit on the pricey side. My guess is that it's better for a dining in experience, and if you just want take-out, another spot would suffice and be easier on the wallet.

Dinner at Ghang Thai Kitchen

So Ghang Thai Kitchen (204 Smith St., between Baltic & Butler, 718-222-5598) opened about three years ago, and will soon be opening another branch on Court St., but I'd never been until last night. We were scheduled to see a movie at the Cobble Hill theater, and coming from the nearby Bergen St. subway stop, Ghang Thai offered proximity and speed. It also offered decent food, but it's not going to replace my favorites (Em Thai & Teeda Thai) any time soon.

We started with the Curry Puffs, happy to see them being served, as I've only seen them at Em Thai where they're one of my favorite appetizers. They were crispier, a little more cooked and a darker brown than I'm used to, as well as smaller. They had a nice curry flavor, but fell apart as you ate them. And while chock full of peas, there wasn't much else inside.



We also split an order of the Tofu & Veggie Pad Thai. I know, this is like, the dumbest thing to order, but I also think that it can be a pretty good measure of what the food is like at a New York Thai restaurant. Ghang's version didn't have any chopped peanuts on top, no lime wedges and it only had four chunks of tofu. It wasn't greasy, but had a slightly mushy quality to it. Again, it was fine, but it didn't match up to the Pad Thai at my two neighborhood favorites.



Not sure how the second, nearby location is going to fare amidst the glut of Thai places in Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill. I guess only time will tell.

Pizza at Layla Jones

I had some pieces of a Margarita Pizza from Layla Jones (214 Court St., between Warren St. & Baltic St., 718-624-2361) the other night. Having never eaten there, I had been curious about their pizzas, all of which sound very enticing based on their descriptions. The Margarita had lots of fresh basil and the cheese was real mozzarella, which is always a good thing. The sauce was ok too, a bit chunky, savory and not sweet, but a little thinly spread, which is disappointing. But what was really disappointing was the crust. It was weird. Like, bland and cracker-like. Brittle and airy in a bad way. I don't even understand how that happened.



Needless to say, with all the other places to get a mere decent slice of pizza, I'm not going to be running back anytime soon. I will try their pressed sandwiches, maybe, if that's what's most convenient, but there's too much great food to settle for this.

Dessert at Sweet Melissa

To celebrate an event my boyfriend has been preparing months for, I picked up a few things at Sweet Melissa (276 Court St., Brooklyn, NY 11231, (718) 855-3410 - they also have a Park Slope location on 7th Avenue near 1st Street). There's a lot to choose from here, from pies and cakes to small chocolates and tarts. I started with a big Chocolate Cherry Cookie, which was not too sweet, was deeply chocolatey with a touch of tart cherry. Chocolate chips and dried cherries dotted the cookie.



I also got three Truffles - one Pistachio that was rolled in chopped nuts and tasted nicely nutty, one Dark Chocolate, that was on the bitter side, thick and strong tasting (which I liked) and a Creamy Milk Chocolate one that was light and airy and less flavorful. Such decadent, creamy treats!



I also got a slice of their Pumpkin Bread Pudding with a caramel currant sauce. I love their Classic Bread Pudding and their Chocolate version as well, but this was a little disappointing. The pumpkin flavor was very subtle, and it was very bready, less moist than the other kinds I prefer. It came with a thick caramel sauce with currants in it that also tasted a little like cinnamon too.



Sweet Melissa is also a nice place to go as well. It's like a comfy living room, with bench seating with pillows and a really nice backyard that is twice the size as it once was since they expanded this past year. They serve soup and salads and really great fruit & cheese plates as well. Lovely.

Dinner from Dub Pies, NYC

Long day at work, after a long string of late nights + no food in the house = Take Out! I've been walking by Dub Pies, NYC (193 Columbia St., between Sackett & Degraw, 718-858-8414) for a while now and have been intrigued, but never had the occasion to eat there. It's more of a take out place, with only a few little tables in their space, but a full menu of various, savory mini-pies. There are a few vegetarian options among the chicken and beef pies, plus salad, smoothies and dessert.



I ordered the Dub Plate #2 which is your choice of any pie with one of three salads. I picked the Steak & Mushroom Pie with a "Roman's Russian Special" salad which is a mixture of cucumbers, tomato, radish, peppers, dill, cilantro, onion, black pepper and sour cream on the side. The pie was filled with chunky bits of steak in a very dark brown sauce. The flavors were clean and simple - meaty & earthy - in a shell of flaky crust.



I also ordered Curry Vegetarian Pie which is packed with cauliflower, potato, carrot, zucchini, peas, mushrooms, onions & corn in a garlic, garam masala curry. It was hands down the best thing on the plate - spicy, flavorful with so many different veggies. The pastry is vegetarian too and is perfectly flaky and so delectable.

They also sent some complimentary Sausage Rolls and Spinach & Cheese Rolls (the smaller things next to the pies on the plate). The Spinach & Cheese Rolls were excellent - green, bright & fresh tasting, although my boyfriend said the spinach tasted boiled. The Sausage Rolls were a little disappointing for both of us though. Not very flavorful, not very distinct. The salad was a nice balance with the dense, richness of the pies. It was not dressed, but didn't need to be with the light dusting of black pepper.

I wanted to try one of their desserts too so I ordered the Lamington - a sponge/pound cake with a layer of jam in the middle covered in chocolate & coconut (in the bottom right hand corner of the top photo). It was so light & fluffy with each ingredient shining through. They also sent a little heart-shaped chocolate brownie and a little apple-cinnamon filled, sugar-topped pastry. I was so full, I just took a bit to taste and was happily surprised with the basic, classic flavor. Definitely having it for breakfast!



I'm so happy I tried Dub Pies! The woman on the phone who took my order was so nice and the food was just what I needed after a long day. I'm adding their menu to my regular rotation of Take-Out places!

Pizza at Fascati Pizza

It is only when I'm traveling that I realize how wonderful it is to live in a city where you are never too far from a slice of pizza. It's the best thing to tide you over until the next mealtime, and I find that while there are really good places, even a mediocre slice is good enough for a snack (unless the sauce is on the sweet side, that I cannot accept). The pizza at Fascati Pizza (80 Henry Street, between Pineapple & Orange Streets, 718-237-1278) is certainly better than mediocre though, with savory sauce, plentiful cheese and toppings, and about 8 guys behind the counter, so you'll never have to wait long to place your order.

I stopped in recently for a mid-afternoon bite and walked away with the biggest pepperoni slice I've ever seen, crammed with thick slices of the spicy meat. When the slices cook, they curl up and end up being little bowls full of oil. Nothing a few paper napkins can't fix!



The cheese slice was great too, with plenty of melted, gooey cheese, on a perfectly crunchy crust. I like my pizza with a few shakes of garlic powder, oregano and red pepper...mmmm, delicious!

I know people are really picky and opinionated about their pizza. How does Fascati Pizza rate readers?

Pizza & Ice Cream!

While I tend to steer clear of places that have long lines outside them, Grimaldi's Pizza (19 Old Fulton Street, between Front St. & Water St., 718-858-4300) is so good, I might have to make an exception more often. If you arrive at 11am, you can be sure you'll be a part of the first wave to be seated when they open at 11:30am. Inside, it's a bustling place, with red & white checked tablecloths, photos and newspaper clippings about Frank Sinatra lining the walls in frames, and about 8 waiters, all running this way and that, trying to get everybody's orders in. The huge oven can be seen from all the tables and you can watch while your pizza is made to order.



There's a lot of hype about this pizza, but I believe it stands up to all the hyperbole with delicious, well-made, tasty pizza. The crust is perfect, crispy & thin, but still just doughy enough, and never soggy. The cheese is so fresh and has the best melty consistency, and the sauce is well-seasoned and not sweet at all. This pizza has pepperoni slices on it which are the smaller version, but slightly thicker than usual pepperoni slices and spicy enough to add a little heat. Fresh basil leaves dot the entire pie. Of course, they have lots of options for other toppings. Also, if you can't stand the lines, you can call in your order and pick it up to go.



Afterward, if it's a nice day, take a walk down to the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory at 1 Water Street (or 2 Cadman Plaza West, depending on your map) for dessert (718-246-3963). There are usually 6 or 8 flavors on the menu and all are available on a cone, in a cup or made into a milkshake. It's some of the creamiest, most delicious ice cream out there, made even better by the lovely views of the Brooklyn Bridge from the pier.



These cones are displaying a single scoop of the wonderful coffee ice cream on sugar and wafer cones. Deeee-licious!

Sushi to go from Kotobuki Bistro

So, Koto Sushi is my go-to place, but in an effort to try new places and expand my repertoire, I called up Kotobuki Bistro (192 Columbia Street at Degraw St., 718-246-7980) recently to place an order. I know people who travel from Clinton Hill to eat here (and they do have a nice little garden in the back for dining during the warmer months), so I had high hopes for our meal.

We started out with an order of Steamed Edamame, a nicely sized portion of gorgeously bright green beans, perfectly steamed, slightly salted, crunchy and tasty.



I also ordered the Spider Maki which is one of my most favorite rolls ever. I have to say that Kotobuki's spider roll was fresh and tasted just like the soft shell crab it was made out of. No gloopy mayo dressing smothering the meat, just big pieces of crab rolled up with cucumber, lettuce, and smelt roe. This was quite delicious.



In addition to that I got an order of the Rock'n'Roll with crab meat, salmon skin, avocado & crunch and an order of Spicy Tuna Crunch with tuna, scallion, smelt roe, spicy sauce and asparagus. The Rock'n'Roll was great, with crunchy salmon skin rolled up in moist rice, but the Spicy Tuna was awesome. An initial & quick burning sensation fades away so you can savor the flavor of the fish, which is also fresh and tasty.



I was a little disappointed though, as our Maki came with only six pieces instead of the eight I'm now used to, for the same or a higher price. They also use the dyed pickled ginger which I swear tastes different to me than the naturally colored version. It's a nice place to go to eat out back, but I think I'll stick with Koto for my sushi take-out fix.

Dinner at Cubana Cafe To Go

Rainy weather and long work days combine to result in me wanting to stay home and and order take-out. I have a list of standard that I usually order from and places that I usually don't. Sometimes I want to try something new though, so the other night we placed a fairly large order from Cubana Cafe (272 Smith St., between Sackett St. and Degraw St., 718-858-3980). We were thoroughly disappointed. I'm loathe to even write about our meal, but one of the goals of this blog was to try to write about everything I ate as long as it was from a food business in Brooklyn. This was a meal I ate; so, here goes.

We got a few smaller dishes like the Elote, the grilled Corn on the Cob, slathered with a creamy dressing and sprinkled with spices. This was one of the better dishes - a slow burn developed as I ate the corn, which was nicely cooked and not soggy. It just doesn't look so appetizing.



I also got an order of the coconut shrimp which are covered in batter with shredded coconut and then deep fried. They're pretty greasy, but are a sweet treat in moderation (you can see them in the lower right part of the plate). They came with a yummy mango salsa that had a bit of a bite to it as well! I also ordered the Quesadilla with Shrimp. The flavors were good; spicy and strong with cilantro, fresh tomatoes and topped with Queso Fresco, but the shrimp were disgusting, rubbery pieces barely resembling the succulent little crustaceans. Bah!



My boyfriend ordered the Pulled Pork with a side of Yuca. The pulled pork was OK, kinda basic and boring BUT, the yuca! This was really gross - a slimy, starchy puddle of ickiness that you can see in the top part of the to-go container. Ugh, it was horrible and I shudder to think of it. Plain rice came with dish as well.



I used to have good meals here - the Cuban Sandwich was delicious and they serve a chick pea salad that is delicious, but things have really gone down hill in recent months. I know people also complain about the Carroll Gardens Cubana Cafe as being inauthentic, and the one in Soho being much better. We'll see how they fare over the summer, as they have a few tables in a sort-of "porch area" that are fun to sit at on warm evenings, sipping on exotic fruit cocktails while watching people saunter by.

Thai Food to Go from Em Thai #2

Ooops! I thought today was the 5th! Sorry for the delay with today's post. Happy Eating!

I think I've written before that Thai food is especially popular in my house. I tend to get the same things over and over, but in an effort to expand my palette and offer you, good readers, something new, I ordered a couple of dishes I've never gotten from my favorite place in Carroll Gardens, Em Thai (278 Smith St., between Sackett St. & Degraw St., 718-843-0511)

I started out with the Jeeb Pukk, steamed veggie dumplings with garlic soy sauce. They were OK; a little underwhelming and slightly bland. All of the other appetizers I've had here were much better (fish cakes, dumplings with peanut sauce, curry puffs), so I was a bit disappointed.



We ordered two entrees, one of which was the Pad Lemongrass with duck, finely chopped lemongrass, ginger, carrot, scallions, red onions & cashew nuts in a lemongrass sauce and served with jasmine rice. This was so delicious. The thin slices of crispy, potent lemongrass add a lovely astringent quality to this dish, which is quite heavy with the plentiful slices of tasty duck.



The other entree we ordered was Pad Ginger with mock duck, which is surprisingly "meaty" and even replicates the bumpy "skin" of real duck. This dish comes with red and green bell peppers, oyster mushrooms, carrots, baby corn and more ginger and lemongrass, but has a distinctly different taste than the other dish. This was mellower, with the flavors of the vegetables shining through and the ginger and lemongrass more subtle. It, too, was delicious, and went perfectly over jasmine rice.



It's a good, solid place for eating in (the restaurant has a simple, clean feel with interesting coral-like plastic configurations decroating the walls) or for take-out. Reliable, fast and affordable too!

Pizza from Sal's

On the way home from a movie and in need of a late-night snack, I stopped in at Sal's (305 Court Street, corner of DeGraw Street, 718-852-6890) for a couple of slices. Sal's has been around for a long time and still has those old-style yellow and orange Formica booths lining the walls. In recent years they expanded and installed, in the warm months, a white plastic picket fence that encloses a sliver of sidewalk for enjoying the weather while you dine. Kinda weird to be on the busy corner, but kinda nice to chill with your slice instead of walking and eating which is surely bad for one's digestion.

On this particular trip I got one regular plain slice and one slice with fresh mozzarella and basil. The first thing I noticed was the sauce. It's a bit sweeter than I like my sauce to be. I don't think it's necessary to add sugar to the natural sweetness of the tomato. My grandmother never used sugar in her sauce, so my taste buds have been trained to frown upon its use in this way.



The cheese on both slices was also kinda mediocre. Maybe it was the late hour, but everything was kinda congealed, even after being heated up. The crust was disappointing too, kinda chewy; not crispy enough. There isn't a pizza joint close by, so if you're in a pinch and need a slice, this place is totally fine. I know most of the places in the Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill/Downtown Brooklyn neighborhoods and this one is one of the better in the area. Makes me curious about other pizzerias. Sleepy favorites out there?

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.

Sandwiches from Caputo's Fine Foods

Today is a milestone to celebrate - it's my 101st post! It's been an amazing journey so far, with lots of good food and much appreciated & enjoyed comments from readers. I feel excited by the seemingly endless supply of places to visit, eat at and write about!

If you want good sandwiches, you need to take yourself to Caputo's Fine Foods, Inc. (460 Court St., between 3rd & 4th Place, 718-855-8852). It's an amazing place with so many delicious Italian foods for sale. There are freezers full of pastas and ravioli, the deli counter is loaded down with meats and cheeses and the olive bar has assorted preserved and pickled goods to choose from. They also make a mean sandwich.

I listened to my craving recently and ordered a Sweet Soppresata salami sandwich on Caputo's small Ciabatta bread with pickled roasted red peppers, lettuce and mustard and the thinnest slices of strong Provolone cheese you'll ever see. The bread is perfect - nicely crusty on the outside, dense and chewy on the inside, yet fluffy and airy.



My boyfriend ordered a sandwich with Prosciutto & Smoked Gouda, lettuce, tomato & mustard on the same Ciabatta bread. Again, it was delicious. The thinly sliced cheese adds a hint of flavor, the meat was fresh (also sliced thinner than paper) and everything is perfectly proportioned and goes so well together. These sandwiches aren't loaded down with a ton of ingredients; they make more sense than that, which enables you to enjoy them.



Go here soon, get a sandwich and some ravioli and sauce for dinner later. Yum!

Pork & Meat Vietnamese Sandwiches from Hanco's

Craving Hanco's sandwiches (85 Bergen St., between Smith & Hoyt Streets, 718-858-6818) but wanting something different from what I ALWAYS get, I decided to branch out and try a new flavor as it were. I chose the Classic, thinking it would be better than my usual tofu. It consists of roasted ground pork, Vietnamese ham, pate, mayo, butter, cucumber, pickled carrots & daikon radish and cilantro on a toasted french baguette. Lots going on here, and I found it to be too much. The ham was tasty, but the pate was weird, heavy and salty and the ground pork was questionable. I'm really having a hard time these days eating meat that I don't know the origin of. It just doesn't sit right with me, and therefore, interferes with my enjoyment of the meal.



We also ordered a Pork Chop sandwich, which is grilled pork chop, mayo, butter, cucumber, picked carrots & daikon radish and cilantro on a toasted french baguette. This was disappointing too. The pork had tons of gristley bits, was greasy and was overall kind of gross. Everything else is fresh and tasty and the bread is flaky and soft and perfectly sized. The meat is just not quality enough.



I'm totally going to stick with the Tofu and Sardine sandwiches next time, since they are beyond good and don't make me feel guilty about eating them!

Pizza from Francesco

The other night I met a colleague after work for drinks, and when I got home all I wanted was food, fast. And I only had two beers! It's on these nights that I am particularly thankful for Francesco Pizzeria & Trattoria which is the closest place for me to get slices. I shared these, so don't think I'm that much of a piggy. I can do three of thin crust pizza, but these slices are thicker and denser than those.


So, I got a plain cheese slice, a Pepperoni slice and a slice with Eggplant. The plain slice was good. I tend to like the sauce at Francesco, it's not sweet, it's got a slight touch of hotness and it's thick. There's also a good amount of cheese on the slice, but not overly so, and the cheese has browned in some areas, which I think makes it perfectly gooey.

The pepperoni is good too. It doesn't get covered in oil from the slices of meat which are perfectly thin and nicely covering the slice. Eggplant is one of my favorite toppings for pizza, and here the eggplant is cooked perfectly. It's sliced thin, so it's not stringy and gross, and it's breaded and probably fried, so it's tasty.



The crust on all the slices is perfect. Crusty on the bottom and at the outer edge, and slightly chewy. When the pizzas are fresh, the slices are great. Every once in a while you get a bum slice, but when you're not custom ordering a whole pie, your expectations should be a tad lower, I think. Convenience plays a big role here too. The fact that I can run down, get a few slices and be back in my warm apartment in just 5 minutes is important.

Pastries from Marquet Patisserie

One thing I love to do on Sundays is get some good pastries and sit down with a coffee and the paper and read all morning. On this particular Sunday, I had a craving for the Apricot Danish from Marquet Patisserie (221 Court St., between Warren and Wycoff Streets, 718-855-1289). This little beauty is quite something to behold. The halves of apricot peek out from their cozy pastry nook, tasty sweet cheese is layered throughout, adding denseness to the flaky dough. It's not too sweet, is just the right size and is delicious.



My boyfriend wanted the Almond Croissant, a huge portion of flaky pastry with a layer of almond paste inside and almond slivers on the outside. This lasted us almost all day, as you cannot eat it all in one sitting. If you like almond flavor, then you'll like this. It's on the sweet side though, which adds to the necessity of eating it slowly.



I also got a Pain au Chocolat to round things out. This was pretty amazing. Real chocolate filled the interior, it was baked to perfection and was light and flaky and thoroughly enjoyable.



The coffee is good here as well, and while I've never tried the savory food, I hear they make a mean egg salad sandwich.