Dinner at Lokal

I was recently invited to have dinner at Lokal (905 Lorimer St., at Bedford, 718-384-6777), a Mediterranean Bistro on the Greenpoint/Williamsburg border, overlooking McCarren Park and the Automotive High School. From the outside the place doesn't look like much, and the font of the signage outside is even a little cheesy. But inside is a warm, tastefully appointed space, all blues & greens & warm orange. It's lovely and comfortable.

We started out with the Warm Spinach salad, with pine nuts, raisins, red peppers, caramelized red onions and feta cheese and served with paprika yoghurt. The salad was delicious - slightly sweet, tangy and earthy. The paprika yoghurt wasn't very potent, so didn't add much.



I ordered the special Salmon dish, served over parmesean covered pieces of yellow squash, in a light tomato & red pepper sauce, sprinkled with capers. It was nicely done, well-cooked and quite flavorful. So often a piece of salmon is ruined with either an overwhelming flavor or by being cooked to death, but this was neither.



We also got a Lamb Burger served on a Brioche Bun with grilled onion, tomato and a cucumber & dill relish that was delicious, and it was all topped with feta cheese. It was a nice alternative to beef and had a subtle flavor. The bun was excellent and flaky, and the thick cut fries, sprinkled with salt and rosemary were perfect.



We ALSO got dessert. We couldn't resist ordering the Bread Pudding, and we were impressed with the execution. Served warm, with a dollop of vanilla ice cream, with hints of cinnamon & nutmeg, it was delicious and decadent comfort food. Not overly sweet either, but just right.



So, I'm happy to report that the food at Lokal is really good. It's made with fresh ingredients, well prepared and nicely served. Check it out when you're in the area. The prices are reasonable, and they have a range of items sure to please anybody (pastas, a few pizzas, sandwiches - all with a Mediterranean flavor).

Dinner at Brucie

Brucie (234 Court St., between Kane & Baltic Streets, 347-987-4961) is a cute, new spot in Cobble Hill - half restaurant, half country store. The menu lists various pastas and salad, as well as meats and cheeses, while for sale you can find jars of pickled veggies, pasta, sauce, pints of Blue Marble & People's Pops. There's a large room in the back set with two tables big enough for 6 - 8 people, whereas in the front there's counter space and a large table for communal seating. The stools at the counters are made from tractor seats, and the soft lighting creates a warm coziness.

I met a friend and we decided to share a few things. First was an order of Caponata. It was boldly flavored and quite salty, but I liked that. It was also made with golden raisins; an off-beat touch which worked nicely, providing a different texture, and a slightly sweet flavor.



For our main dish we ordered the Goat Cheese Stuffed Rigatoni with mushrooms and vodka sauce. This was made with extra-large rigatoni, stuffed with gooey cheese and topped with plentiful mushrooms and sauce. It was quite delicious, and satisfying. We could have stopped there, but our eyes were bigger than our stomachs and we forged on with an order of the Panelle Sandwich.



Two, large chickpea cutlets topped a large roll, with vinegar peppers, ricotta and honey. The peppers were a nice addition, cutting through the dense, heavy cutlets. The ricotta was creamy, and the hint of sweet enhanced the flavors even more.



At this point, we were so full, we had to stop, despite being intrigued by the Rosewater Panna Cotta with Cherries. Another visit has been scheduled to sample the desserts, which also included a Chocolate Pudding Pie. Yum!

Breaking News! Peter Pan Donuts available at Farmacy!!!

I think it's just a weekend thing, but at 10am today, Farmacy (513 Henry St., at Sackett St., 718-522-6260) had Peter Pan Donuts available for sale, fresh from Greenpoint's most awesomest bakery. How happy this made me! The husband lived mere blocks from Peter Pan when we were dating, so I was able to get them whenever I wanted, but now that we're a train ride away, indulging in the delicious treats is a rarer occurrence (perhaps for the best, but nevertheless, disappointing!). Today we had a glazed, red velvet Old Fashioned (eaten immediately and therefore no photographic evidence exists). It was perfect, especially with a glass of cold milk. Farmacy keeps on getting better and better. Make sure to check it out - it's worth the trip!