Dinner at Verde

Don't forget the Book Giveaway! There are only 3 days left to enter. Just comment on Wednesday's post and you'll be entered to win one of these vegan or raw food cookbooks!

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 Sel de Mer

It's hard to keep up with all the amazing new restaurants opening up around Brooklyn! Luckily I have friends in a number of neighborhoods, and I can combine socializing with checking out the newest spots. Recently I went to check out a friend's new digs and we celebrated her move with dinner at Sel de Mer (374 Graham Ave., between Conselyea St. and Skillman Ave., 718-387-4181). Mmmmm. Everything on the menu looked good and tempted us. Alas, we had to narrow our choices down, but now I have another reason to head to Graham Ave!

We started out by sharing an order of Fried Green Tomatoes with frisee and brie and a tasty, tangy remoulade. The tomatoes were lightly battered and fried and were tender and juicy. The brie was substantial and the wiry frisee added a crunchy bite. Plus it was gorgeous in its presentation.



I chose to order the Mini Fish Sliders with Slaw for my entree. Two nicely sized sandwiches arrived packed with a fishcake, arugula, ruby red tomatoes and tartar sauce AND a big mound of a slightly curry-flavored slaw. Pink and glorious is was tangy, full-flavored and delicious. A nice take on the mayonnaise-heavy classic.



My friend ordered the Burger with Gouda and instead of fries got a side of Corn on the Cob and the Slaw. The burger was served on a toasted English muffin and was juicy, robust and was made with freshly ground beef.



We then decided to get an order of the Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream for dessert. I found it to be underwhelming. The cake was too light & fluffy and I prefer dense, moist and gooey cake. The vanilla ice cream also had a flat flavor to it. I'll make sure to try something else next time.



I really liked Sel de Mer and am excited to go back to taste more of their seafood options like the Mussels, Whole Fish entrees and Smoked Trout Salad. They also have a nice wine list and a cocktail menu with inventive, tasty-sounding drinks.

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.

Dinner at Bar Tano

Trudging through the cold wind-whipped rain is worth it once you've arrived at Bar Tano (457 3rd Avenue at 9th Street, 718-499-3400), a warm & cozy respite from the industrial stretch of 3rd Avenue, near the train trestle spanning the Gowanus canal. They've even got a drink (one among many) called Flats Fixed, a nod to the business across the street, in addition to a good selection of wines and beers. We settled into a corner table and soaked up the place. Old tin ceiling and walls, a beautiful wood & etched glass dividing wall between dining area and bar, and low lighting creating a warm amber glow. Since it was so cold outside, we started with some Butternut Squash soup from the Specials Menu.



It was wonderful. So flavorful and unadulterated. Just a few drops of olive oil and a small sprinkle of fresh basil. We also got two Bruschetta to split. One Baccalá Mantecato (whipped salt cod) and one Fichi (goat cheese & fig spread).



The Baccalá was strong and slightly fishy, but grew on me and ended up being a hearty, savory appetizer. The Fichi was delicious. The tart creamy goat cheese complemented the subtle sweetness of the fig spread. We also split a Spinaci e Pinoli salad made with baby spinach, arugula, fennel, dried figs, toasted pine nuts & balsamic reduction. It was lovely with fresh greens, crunchy fennel and chewy fig tossed in a full-bodied dressing cleansed the palate and got us ready for our pasta entree.



We ordered a special Rigatoni with Smoked Mozzarella and Eggplant in a marinara sauce. The intensity of the smoked cheese was tempered by the earthy eggplant and the sauce was good and simple - not sweet nor complicated.



I'm happy to report that Bar Tano lived up to everything good I had heard. I look forward to my next visit there.

Dinner at Thomas Beisl

I once was waiting for a friend outside of BAM when a gorgeous woman ran out of Thomas Beisl, (25 Lafayette Ave., between St. Felix St. & Ashland Pl., 718-222-5800), across the street and in through the doors I was standing next to. It took me a second, but I quickly realized it was Cate Blanchett (this was during the run of Hedda Gabler). It was a very dramatic moment and has been linked to the restaurant ever since. I went there for the first time recently when I was invited to dine there as part of Austria Wine Month and discovered that it's a cozy sort of pub where warm tones dominate with low lighting, dark wood tables and ochre colored walls.

We started with a glass of the Grüner Veltiner Berger, a crisp, dry, grape-y white. There's a Prix Fixe menu special for the month (which ends Nov. 22) which my boyfriend ordered from. For starters he chose the Liptauer Cheese (made with farmer's cheese and paprika). It comes with toasted bread, pickles (that were incredible) & capers and is a chunky, creamy spread with an mild tangy flavor. It was quite good, and quite filling!



I chose the Palatschinken from the regular menu, a traditional thin crepe-like pancake stuffed with sauerkraut and smoked trout. The sauerkraut was fresh and tangy, but overwhelmed the fish so that I couldn't taste the smokiness. The mushrooms were delicious though, in the sauce, and it, too, was a huge portion. By the end of the first course, we were almost stuffed!



For his main entree, my boyfriend ordered the Paprika Chicken with Spätzle. Chicken can be so hit or miss but this dish was excellent. The meat was wonderfully tender and the sauce flavorful and hearty. The Spätzle was on the crispy side and less creamy than I'm used to. It was also on the bland side, and could have used more salt or spice. It was good with the chicken though, and provided a nice mellow flavor in contrast to the strong one.



I chose from the list of Specials for my entree and picked the Braised Pork Shoulder with Savoy Cabbage. The cut of meat was a little bit like a chop, and while tender, didn't break apart quite like the chicken did. The flavor was nice and the cabbage was great. There was also a little tower of shredded roasted potatoes on the side which were good, but could have used more salt.



Even though we were quite full, I wanted to try a dessert so we ordered the Walnut Cake which comes with a caramel sauce on top. More like a tart or dense pie, it was nutty and hearty, yet light at the same time, with a wonderful burnt-caramel topping & side of whipped cream.



I got to meet Thomas, the owner, who was quite charming, and found the staff friendly and attentive. It does get very crowded before shows at BAM, so go around 7:30 instead when there's something playing. There's a small bar as well, if you're more interested in having a pint or a glass of wine. Cash or Amex only.

Dinner at Fragole #2

Our friends have been staying with us for a few days now, and after a long day walking around, showing them the sights of Brooklyn, we all were in need of some serious comfort food. So we decided to take them to Fragole, (394 Court, between Carroll & 1st Place, 718-522-7133) a place where you're certain to have a wonderfully delicious meal. We started with some salads. My boyfriend and I split the Insalata Barbietola, made with roasted beet, arugula, avocado and marinated goat cheese, with hazelnut oil-balsamic vinaigrette. Everything is so fresh, the flavors of the individual ingredients pop - the beets, the arugula, the goat cheese, each one stands out but blend together to make one fantastic dish.



Our friends picked a salad from the Specials menu made with apples and provolone, mixed greens and toasted hazelnuts. It, too, was delicious. Each ingredient tasty on it's own, but made into something more special when combined with each other.



Two of us chose another dish the Specials Menu for our entrees - the Fettucine with Wild Boar Ragu. Hearty, a bit gamey and intense, there was lots of meat in the dark red sauce, poured over the tender, home-made daily pasta. Your choice for fresh grated cheese and pepper on top.



I ordered the Spaghetti with cherry tomatoes, porcini mushrooms and fresh ricotta salata grated on top. It was lightly flavored and more subtle than most of the dishes I've had at Fragole. While good, it didn't surpass the Firenze I usually get.



There was also an order of the Papardelle con ragu del carne, made with honey-braised short rib ragu. This is quite hearty, and has lots of pieces of tender rib meat. The honey is barely noticeable, and probably adds more to texture than to taste. It was delicious.



We ended up splitting a dessert between the four of us, and the Chocolate Cake did a fine job. It was thick and creamy, almost like fudge or mousse, and was dotted with little pieces of hazelnut. Dollops of fresh whipped cream accompanied the cake and made for a wonderfully decadent finish to our meal.



Another incredible meal, impressed guests and satisfied diners. Also, they have a large selection of wines all priced at $27 which makes it easy to have a bottle with your meal.

Dinner at Brook-Vin

About a year ago, Brookvin (381 7th Avenue between 11th & 12th Streets, 718-768-9463) opened in Park Slope, boasting a long list of wines in addition to beer, a full bar and homemade infused alcohols used in specialty cocktails like The Glazed Ham made with Bacon Infused Bourbon, maple syrup & pork cracklin'. I wanted wine, so I asked the bartender for some suggestions. He helpfully steered me toward a wine I really enjoyed by offering me a taste of a few before I settled on the Renacer "Punto Final" Malbec from Argentina, a deep, full-bodied red. I also started with some Marinated Olives while I waited for my friend to join me for dinner.



They were fresh, not too strong and slightly lemony with marinated pieces of pepper in the mix.

Once my friend arrived, we ordered a few plates to share, starting with the housemade Bratwurst with warm bacon potato salad. This was a delicious sausage - juicy, flavorful and fresh, and the potato salad with chunks of bacon was a nice, homey addition.

We also got the roasted cauliflower salad with garlic confit, capers and anchovies. The anchovies were the best I've ever had. Fresh & tender with no noticeable bones; it wasn't gritty at all, nor was it overwhelmingly salty. This dish was a lovely mix of flavors and textures.



We rounded things out with an order of the Tartine with Goat Cheese, marinated mushrooms and fresh parsley. The mushrooms were meaty and deliciously strong - too vinegary for my friend, but delectable to me. The goat cheese was creamy and light and the fresh herbs on top cut the acid of the vinegar nicely.



I really liked everything about my evening here, from the uber-friendly bartender to the tasty food to the comfortable decor. They also have a backyard garden to enjoy in the warmer months.

Dinner at Lot 2

A colleague recently told me about Lot 2 (687 6th Avenue, at 20th St., 718-499-5623) and it's been high on my list ever since. I was fortunate enough to go last Friday, to celebrate something my boyfriend has been working towards for a very long time. As soon as I walked in the door I liked it. Low lighting, browns & exposed brick, with wooden tables in addition to a small-ish bar are all that fill the space. The waitstaff was friendly and knowledgeable, and the menu was enticing. We started out with some salads, all of which were delicious. My step-father ordered the Arugula with Pickled & Roasted Beets which was wonderful. The dressing was slightly lemon-y, and the plate was piled high with crisp leaves of arugula with fresh beets, earthy and flavorful.



My mom got the Roasted Mushroom and Herb Salad with slices of tender Porcini and Chanterelle mushrooms, in a light, tangy dressing. Celery leaves were mixed in with the greens, adding a nice, clean flavor.



My boyfriend and I shared an order of the Cauliflower & Romanesco with Capers and Mint. This was great - chunks of roasted cauliflower and pieces of romanesco (aka summer cauliflower), mixed with tangy capers & fresh mint. Served warm, it was an excellent way to whet our appetites.



My step-dad got the Buttered Noodles with Yellow Wax Beans, Summer Squash & Lemon for his entree. While a basic dish, it still offered a complex array of flavors, from the green squash to the citrus-y lemon to the comforting butter. It was quite good!



My mom chose to order a bowl of white bean & escarole in broth that was really tasty. It was slightly on the salty side, but the beans were cooked to a perfect consistency and the escarole provided a nice veggie balance.



I picked the Steamed Clams, Roasted Tomato, fresh chives & garlic bread for my entree, and split it with my boyfriend. A bowl full of smaller sized clams arrived in a wonderful broth - I only wished I had more garlic bread to sop it up with! I thought the clams were good, he felt like they were a little on the fishy side.



We also split the "Slow & Low", a dish with Beef Brisket, Pork Jowl, Lamb Rib & Carrots and Potatoes. The brisket was some of the best I've ever tasted - tender, rich and meaty, while the pork jowl while flavorful was mostly fat. The Lamb Rib was also good, with melt in your mouth meat that falls off the bone, all in a broth that was so flavorful, again, I wanted more bread, but also didn't want to fill up on bread!



Even though we were quite full, we couldn't completely pass up dessert, so we ordered the Vanilla Cheesecake with Almonds and Nectarines. I loved the sliced fruit splayed against the cheesecake, but I've been spoiled on cheesecake growing up with my Italian grandfather. This was so light, it was more like Pannacotta or a dish of Mascarpone, which, while nice, isn't what I'm expecting when I order Cheesecake. I wanted something denser and richer.



I really liked Lot 2, and would recommend it to someone looking for someplace nice to have dinner. They also serve grass-fed, locally-raised meats, which adds points in my book. Go and see for yourself - and just so you know, they specialize in Bourbons and Whiskeys, so don't go when you're craving a Vodka Martini.

Dinner at Enoteca on Court

Over the summer a new restaurant popped up on Court St. in Carroll Gardens called Enoteca on Court (347 Court St., between Union & President, 718-243-1000). They boast a menu with tons of wine, pizza, panini and an assortment of Italian dishes from Bruschetta & stuffed artichoke to meats, cheeses & small dishes from the oven like octopus, meatballs and chicken. They also have a lovely garden in which they host viewings of Italian movies on Sundays through mid-October. The garden is quite nice (I found the interior to be a bit too air-conditioned and the music was playing too loudly), with flowers, and little fountain and a wall of shutters that makes you feel as if you're in a genuine courtyard in Florence, perhaps.



Our waitress brought over this plate with a basic tomato & garlic Bruschetta (on the house) which was delicious - lots of garlic, fresh tomato and just a sprinkling of cheese and parsley. It definitely whet my appetite and made me eager for my meal. I chose the Romana pizza with tomato, mozzarella, anchovies, capers, olives & oregano. There were plenty of anchovy filets, flavorful whole cured olives & fresh cheese. The crust was thin and slightly sour, and just chewy enough at the ends. I really liked it.



My boyfriend ordered the Melanzana - eggplant, tomato sauce, basil & parmigiano regianno baked in a dish in the wood-burning oven. It came out steaming, was wonderfully cheesy but was a bit bland and needed salt. The eggplant was cooked well though, and there were no thick, chewy bits.



He also got a Panini with porchetta AND mortadella, provolone, pickles, caramelized shallots & roasted garlic aioli. This was really heavy, and he was only able to eat half (I got to have the rest for lunch the next day). The pickles were a perfect touch, and everything blended together really well.



Enoteca on Court definitely surprised me in a good way, and I'm happy to have another nice place to go in the area with a quiet backyard. They also offer flights of red wine so you can sample a few. I picked the Italian Red Ramble which included three delicious reds from Italy. I recommend going here when you want something besides pasta in a mellow, relaxing environment.

Dinner at The JakeWalk

So, The JakeWalk (282 Smith St., at the corner of Sackett St., 718-347-599-0294) has been around for a little while, and I kept walking by and would think, "Have to go there", but it took all this time to finally make it there. Boy, were we happily surprised. Our food was really good, and I really like how they have the place set up, with table inside and tables along the wall outside and a big hole cut into the wall so that it feels open and airy. It's definitely worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood. They have a long list of wines, a short list of beers and a number of interesting cocktails. I ordered the Brooklyn Rumble which is made with Rum, Lime, Framboise and Angostura Bitters. It was refreshing and tart, and ever so slightly sweet.



We started with one cheese and one meat. We picked the Fiore Sardo, a Pasteurized Sheep Milk & the Braesola, which I mentioned in a post last week. I told you it's my new favorite thing. The cheese was crumbly and rich, a bit nutty, and delicious. The braesola, well, it was fantastic. A bit sweeter than at Flatbush Farm, but wonderful with the cheese and fig jam!



We also got a salad of Mesclun Greens with pickled haricot verts. Phew, this was quite a mouth experience! Very vinegary, but I like that, and so tasty, with big croutons that helped cut the tangy haricot verts.



BUT, the dish of the evening was the Pulled Pork sandwich with pickles and Avocado Cole slaw. This was incredible. It was slightly sweet, like it had some maple syrup in it, and not smoky or BBQ-y at all. It was more like something my Italian grandmother would make, a slow, stewed pork, wonderfully flavored, tender, juicy and amazing. The spicy Dijon mustard cut through the sweetness and the pickles were nice but there weren't many of them so they kind of got lost amidst all that falling-apart meat. The bread was crusty and the slaw was really good. So creative with avocado instead of mayo, crunchy and flavorful, it was all eaten up!



I'll definitely go back to try some of the other stuff on the menu, like the venison sausage and maybe the fondue. I was told the meat was from an organic farm, but there was no signage on the menu.