Duck, Quail & Risotto at Le Petit Cafe

Apparently the new Buttermilk Channel is closed on Mondays, so my boyfriend and I ended up at Le Petit Cafe (502 Court St., between Nelson & Luquer Streets, 718-596-7060) for dinner as we were in the area and too hungry to look for anything else. I've eaten here for breakfast and lunch, but never for dinner, and was pleasantly surprised. Le Petit Cafe is a bit of a weird place though. The front is an unassuming little cafe, with a glass enclosed counter with baked goods and during the holidays, a little train that runs on a track just below the ceiling, high above your head. But walk to the back and you find yourself in a whole other world. There are two huge rooms, set up to look like a grotto, complete with stonework, metal trees and all manner of plants and ivy climbing up the walls. There is also a new, outdoor space utilized in the warmer months. There are candles placed here and there, and the sound of a small stream or fountain adds to the ambiance, but I couldn't find the source. It is lovely, and it's nice to be in such a unique space, but there's something slightly off that I can't quite put my finger on.

Once we had ordered, we were given a basket of slices of crusty French bread and a dish with olives & roasted garlic cloves in oil and vinegar for dipping. The roasted garlic was a nice touch, and always a delicious little treat.



I ordered the salad of Poached Pear, Blue Cheese, Toasted Walnuts over Mixed Greens in a House Vinaigrette and the Creamy Vegetable Risotto with Crispy Basil. The salad was nice and flavorful, with plenty slices of pear and loads of cheese. The cheese though, was not as good as it could have been and was too cold as well. Lots of crunchy pieces of walnuts were scattered about the the greens were fresh and crisp.



The Risotto however, was amazing. It was creamy and loaded with uniformly-cut pieces of eggplant, carrot, red & green bell pepper, yellow squash and zucchini. It was cooked perfectly and the crispy basil was basil leaves that had been sauteed in butter so that they turned into crispy chip-like entities. This seemed to enhance their flavor and added to the hearty, comforting dish. The portion looks small in the photo, but I ended up taking home half.



My boyfriend got the Duo of Duck and Quail with Red Cabbage & Lentils in a BBQ Glaze. This was fantastic. The duck was served perfectly rare on top of the quail which was deliciously gamey. The red cabbage and lentil combination was delicious and the BBQ glaze, while it sounds weird, totally worked with all the flavors on the plate. This too was generously portioned, and half came home with us.



I really like this quirky little spot, and would definitely go back for any meal of the day.

Burger from Pit Stop

Today's post takes a look at Pit Stop (127 Columbia Street, between Kane and Degraw Streets, 718-875-4664), a cozy, fun auto racing-themed French Bistro in the Columbia Street Waterfront District. The front dining room is really small and cozy, with only a handful of booths & tables, but the backyard is spacious. It takes up three lots and includes a deck with tables, two Petanque courts and a whole driveway lined with big-wheel type driving toys for kids to play with while their adults eat. It's great, and the food is good too.

One night however, I found myself getting home late and in the mood for a burger. I had ordered the burgers at Pit Stop before and found them to be delicious, so I decided to get one to go. What came was a huge burger, on a huge bun, covered in melted blue cheese with diced tomatoes and some lettuce and a side of thinly sliced and well-salted french fries. It was delicious, and satisfied my burger craving, but it was HUGE, like I mentioned, and there's too much bun. I ended up taking off the top and having it open-faced.



In an attempt to be a little healthy, I also ordered a side of sauteed green beans. While the portion was nice, they were overcooked with tons of butter and therefore mushy. While well seasoned with big slices of garlic, I ate only a few as they were pretty disappointing.



On a previous occasion, I stopped in to Pit Stop for their amazing, incredible, wonderful Warm Chocolate Cake. Filled with melty, gooey goodness, this dessert is one of my favorites, and so well done here. Decorated with whipped cream and a yummy raspberry sauce, this dessert is worth the trip.

Brunch at Char No. 4

We tried to go to Miriam's on Court St. this weekend for brunch, as it was packed only a week ago and the menu looked good, but it's closed! I think there's bad juju in that spot, as many restaurants have occupied that space in the last twenty years, and none have had much luck. So, we wandered over to Smith St. and ended up at Char No. 4 (196 Smith St., between Warren and Baltic Streets, 718-643-2106). We had a pretty amazing dinner here when it first opened, and I've been wanting to go back to try their already famous in-house bacon, so in we went.

It was still early, so there was only one other couple dining (it picks up at 11:30, FYI). We were served coffee right away and soon decided on what to get. We chose two meals to split, one being the main brunch option of one poached egg over smoked ham, with crispy potatoes, apple sauce, fig jam and a buttermilk biscuit, as well as coffee and orange juice. The egg was perfectly poached with no clear white bits whatsoever, and the yolk was thick yet just runny enough to be soaked up by the biscuit. The potatoes were also some of the best I've ever had. Nicely browned and seasoned with salt and chives, they tasted a bit like sour cream and onion chips, but real. The applesauce was chunky and the fig jam tasted just like my grandmother used to make from the fig trees in her backyard. Incredible. I would have preferred two eggs though.



We also go the buttermilk pancakes with raspberry sauce and pecan butter. Three cakes to an order with a warm raspberry sauce and buttery pecan butter on top. They tasted great, but quickly filled me up since they were so dense & doughy. Three is a lot too. Next time I think I'll try something else - maybe the fig yogurt with granola and honey.



I also got a side of the bacon I've heard so much about. We were served two THICK slices of smoked bacon which is AMAZING. It's like Peter Luger bacon, but way better. Each slice is about 1/4 inch, smoked to perfection, salty enough to almost make your mouth hurt, and so rich. No matter what I get next time I'm here I'm ordering a side of bacon. Delicious. And next time I'll be sure to try one of their brunch cocktails (Chipotle Bourbon Bloody Mary's anyone, with homemade pickles???).



This place is great. You do end up smelling like you've been sitting around a campfire after eating there, so if that bothers you don't go. The bar area is charming, with cool lighting fixtures that I previously described as looking like upside down ottomans. The back dining area is cozy with big booths for larger groups along one side and tables for two lining the other. There's also a small outdoor area which will be nice when the warm weather returns. Char No. 4 has definitely earned a spot in my regular rotation of restaurants!