Frankies 457

Frankies 457 is the perfect Brooklyn lunch spot. I'm not gonna lie and say it is my all time favorite place, but Frankies is always good for solid, homey Italian food with a backyard patio that makes you feel like you're in Europe. Instead of fighting the crowds and waiting for hours or dining at 11 pm, go on a beautiful spring day and sit outside in the back garden. The service is usually pretty good, and the atmosphere has that rustic old school italian restaurant in Brooklyn vibe. The portions are on the small side, so I  suggest ordering a bunch of things and sharing. They have a nice selection of vegetarian options included more than 6 different salads, a whole slew of vegetable sides, cheese plates, crostinis, and pastas.

The Fennel Salad with celery root, parsley, red onions lemon and pecorino is a must order. I like the Italian Tuna Salad with herb mayo, but note it is not really much of a "salad". The Farro Salad with wild mushrooms and ricotta salata is also pretty good, and has nice flavors. I love the Stracciotella cheese here, it is stringly, creamy and delicious. Another amazing thing to get is the Crostini with cannellini, capers, lemon and anchovy. Insane!! The Vegetable Plate is pretty straightforward and a little boring. Skip this and order something a little more exciting. Some rave about the Gnocci with marinara and ricotta cheese, but I found it a bit overrated. 

Overall, I like Frankies. I'm just not gonna marry him. The food while for the most part delicious, is not transcendental. Certain items are definitely better than others. Frankies has become a Brooklyn staple, and if you've never been I would definitely suggest a visit. The same guys also opened a Frankies Spuntino in the West Village. I'm sure I will find myself back here time and time again and with so many options in this Carroll Gardens sect of Brooklyn, that is usually a pretty good sign.  

 Neighborhood: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn 

Bite Mark: ***

Good For: Lunch, Outdoor Dining, Italian Food, Small Parties, Girl's Night 

Frankies 457, 457 Court Street www.frankiesspuntino.com

The Grocery

Easily rated one of my favorite Brooklyn spots, The Grocery serves as the quintessential neighborhood joint. The service is friendly, there is not usually an excessive wait (call ahead), and the food is always fresh and delicious.

There's nothing super fancy about The Grocery. In fact, the decor is pretty much non existent. But if you are okay sitting in a tiny room overhearing your neighbors conversations, and you can overlook or even appreciate Charlie's swarthy/funny remarks, you will find yourself an incredible and memorable meal. 
The menu here changes based on what's fresh and in season, but no matter what they put on, you will not leave disappointed. There's always so many vegetarian options! It's crazy. On an average Thursday night the first 8 items listed were all sans meat and shellfish, and the toughest decision of the night was what we should omit. 

After an amuse of Parsnip Soup, we decided on the Fried Cauliflower with green lentils, serrano chili and sherry vinegar and the Braised Artichokes with garlic bread, escarole, white wine and chili flakes. Both were great. Be forewarned the portions lay on the small side, so you are going to want to get a bunch of things, and the meal will not be cheap. But ah, it will be gooooood. 

Next came the Local Lettuces with grilled cheese and red wine vinaigrette. It sounds like such a simple dish, but the salad and the grilled cheese were both really excellent. The Grilled Asparagus with melted feta and fried egg was another winner. All these dishes have components that works really well together to bring out the simple flavors of delicious fresh food. How can you go wrong with that?

We really love the House made Pasta with spring garlic, young greens, poblano, white wine, brown butter, and grana padano cheese. Really, I don't think we disliked one dish we had all night. The Fluke with white beans that were pillowy soft, roasted garlic and lemon dijon vinagrette was also delicious. The fish itself was not my favorite of the night, but the butter beans and sauce made us lick up our plates.

 For dessert they brought a trio of yummy Sorbets, and we had the special dessert of the night which was a Mocha Bread Pudding with ice cream and hot fudge. 
All in all, it was another great meal at the Grocery. Charlie and Susan are doing something right. Can't wait for the weather to get a drop warmer so I can take advantage of their outdoor garden. The Grocery is a Smith Street stop that never goes out of season. As all new young and fun trendy spots come and go, The Grocery is one that will stand true and delicious and be there for you when others let you down (or you just can't wait 2 hours at Battersby). 



Neighborhood: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn 

Bite Mark: ****

Good For: Family Dinner, Date Spot, Small Parties, Neighborhood Joint

The Grocery, 288 Smith Street  www.thegroceryrestaurant.com

La Vara

There are wonderful things happening at this quiet tucked away restaurant on Clinton Street in Cobble Hill. La Vara is a clean, cozy, nicely designed tapas spot with white tables and chairs and exposed brick. The hostess and waitresses are all extremely nice and helpful and get extra props for their amazing pronunciation of the difficult to say spanish dishes. The chef Alex Raij along with her husband and partner Eder Montero (Txikito and El Quinto Pino), are using top ingredients and producing food that is well executed and delicious. Dinner Thursday night would be my second visit to La Vara, and I was excited for this one. 

La Vara is named for a Jewish Newspaper written in Ladino, that was run in New York until 1948. The food is considered to be Jewish influenced Spanish Food. Coming from a Syrian background, I can definitely recognize these influences in the fabulous food coming out of this kitchen. Think eggplant, chickpeas, rice, artichokes, dates and almonds, infused with spices such as cumin and saffron. 

On my first trip here we were with another couple and although I remember enjoying the meal, the portions are small and I don't think I really got a true sense of any specific dish. Even though La Vara is one of the few Brooklyn spots that take reservations (for parties of 4 or more), I almost recommend coming just 2 people. Last night we were able to sit at the comfortable bar, we got a ton of great food to share, and left feeling satisfied and happy. 

We started with the Citrus & Herb Marinated Olives, Spiced Fried Chickpeas, and Fried Artichokes with Anchovy Aioli. Get all of these. The chickpeas were addictive, artichokes crispy and perfect, and the olives were warm and spiced. We also got the Anchovies with crispy bread, sesame and hazelnuts. I like anchovies and enjoyed but if you are not a fan you can skip. Do not miss the Crispy Eggplant with Honey, Melted Cheese, and Nigella Seed. Don't be fooled by its unassuming appearance, it's DELICIOUS.  

The flash fried Peppers were a special that night, and if you like these they are salty and spicy at La Vara. Another don't miss item if you enjoy a whole fish, is the Salt Baked Fish (was a Spanish Dourado on my visit) that comes whole and you can lick the meat right off the bones it was that tender and flaky. I don't know what is in the sauce but it was tangy but also sweet and really was fabulous.

For dessert we went for the Egipcio which is orange blossom scented date and walnut tart with lemon curd and sweet cream. Perfect. Not being a huge dessert fan, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed. Great end to a great meal. 
La Vara is a great addition to the Brooklyn neighborhood. It actually does live up to the hype. Try it. I know I will surely be back. 


Neighborhood: Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

Bite Mark: ***

Good For: Date Spot, Neighborhood Gem

La Vara, 268 Clinton Street bet Congress & Veranda Pl  718-422-0065 

Battersby

A while back, I stumbled upon a charming, tiny, hole in the wall on Smith Street called Battersby. The whole restaurant consists of about 5 tables and a few bar stools (and an outdoor patio in the nicer weather). At the time, we grabbed the last 2 open seats at the bar, ordered a salad, fish, and pasta and not knowing what to expect, were blown away by the SPECTACULAR food. 

Jump ahead a year and Battersby has completely BLOWN UP. It is on every Brooklyn restaurant list, and is constantly being written up about. I've tried to return a number of times to no avail. After doing some research, I found that a reservation can be secured for a 5 or 7 course tasting (for a mere $65 / $85 per person). I gladly reserved a table for four about a month in advance and eagerly anticipated the upcoming date.

Thursday evening 8pm, and we are here! We quickly recognized the man behind the counter as our favorite bartender from Franny's, Matthew, who lives nearby and works here as well. This was a good sign. After just a few minutes wait, our party was escorted to an intimate little enclave in the back corner with the open kitchen on one side and the back wall of the bathroom on the other. We definitely had our privacy, and we were told this table was often sought after. We were ready. 


Little side note before we get to the good stuff. We went in to the tasting explaining that our party does not eat meat or shellfish (!) This is scary enough for a tiny restaurant to accommodate multiple tastings. But then we went on to confess that one person in our party also does not eat cheese. I didn't realize that the chef would go on to make the entire tasting (7 courses not including dessert!), meat free, shellfish free, and cheese free. I would have cried if I had known this going in. I am a cheese whore. But the amazng thing is that Batterbsy managed to pull off one of the most spectacular meals I've had in ages, with courteous and friendly service to boot.  I'm impressed. 

My friend, the wine connoisseur, ordered us a bottle of Chatea Pradeaux (2006). I'm not going to pretend I know the first thing about wine, but WOW. Every sip had complex levels of flavor. Amazing. 

Without further ado, the courses: 

Lemon Grass, Coconut, Lime Soup. Wow. What was that?!


1. Greek Yogurt, Dehydrated Veggies. Amazing. So small but so good. Tease.


Homemade Rosemary Foccacia Bread with Ricotta. I am salivated just remembering this.

  2. Cauliflower, Hazelnuts, Capers. WOW.

 3. Kale Salad. Crispy, sweet, tangy, delicious.

 4. Pasta Puttanesca, (crazy) Breadcrumbs. In running for the best thing we ate all night.

                          

                                                                                             

7. Sea Bass, Spinach, Mushrooms. Crispy, full of flavor. Licked our plates clean. 

8. Arctic Char, Fennel. Good, but one of the less exciting things we sampled. 

   

9. Cannelloni Beans, Egg - OMG. Please don't tell me it's over...

  Banana Pudding with Chocolate Stout. Creamy. Divine. 

Blood orange creamsicle. Orange Julius on crack. YUM.

Macaroons with ice cream (?) in the middle. Wow. 

                                                                                          
 What an ending to such a special meal. We left the restaurant saying this has definitely been one of the best meals we've had. Period. Everything that came out, course after course, was flavorful and delicious. I don't think we left one plate unfinished.
Bon Appetit claims Battersby is one of the best restaurants in America. Judge for youself,  but The Brooklyn Bite has no complaints. Go to Battersby and drink in the kool-aid. 

Neighborhood: Brooklyn, Cobble Hill 

Bite Mark: ****

Good For: Date Night, Foodies, Outdoor Dining 

Battersby; 255 Smith Street between Douglass & Degraw, Brooklyn, 718-852-8321 battersbybrooklyn.com

Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto vs. Brucie

Today we have the ultimate Italian showdown. New York City vs. Brooklyn. Upper East Side vs. Cobble Hill. Tablecloths vs. barstools. Not that these 2 restaurants have anything to do with each other besides for the fact that both are Italian and I happened to frequent both this past week. Nevertheless, we shall see how they measure up.

Salumeria Rosi Pamacotto, the new Italian bistro on 72nd and Madison is the brainchild of Cesar Casella who has a restaurant of the same name on the Upper West Side. I had a nice lunch there the other day while meeting up with a good friend that lives close by. I had heard about Cesar's place on the UWS and there was some foodie buzz going around about this new location. The UES is generally not touted as a hot restaurant area so when a new spot does open, it's sort of a big deal. 

Salumeria has all the marking of an old school UES Italian trattoria. Tablecloths - check, dark painted walls with Italian statues - check, foreign languages being spoken - check. In the front there is a retail counter filled with cured meats and cheese. From the moment I entered, on a weekday afternoon, the staff seemed buttoned up and attentive. As far as the crowd, there was the usual mix of older expensive looking gentlemen with younger women, ladies who lunch, and tourists. Not my favorite crowd but ok, we are not in Brooklyn anymore. 

There is an extensive selection of Italian wines on the menu, and the food overall was good. Not great, but good. Bread was served (with no condiment or salt). A cauliflower soup was a little too heavy on the cream. The cauliflower steak with some sort of a melted mozzarella (?) cheese and forbidden rice could have been excellent but I found to be slightly under seasoned. For the main course we shared a rigatoni with eggplant and mozzarella which was truly delicious and flavorful and I would probably get again should I return here. The black bass with spaghetti squash and roasted tomatoes was just fair. The fish was a little mushy not crispy like a good black bass should be and the broth tasted like tomato water. 

 Overall was a good experience, and is a convenient area for those shopping around Madison Avenue. The pasta truly was exceptional, but the rest of the meal was not. You can probably find better food in this area, but you won't be too disappointed either. I should probably also mention that lunch for 2 people ordering only the 4 items mentioned (no drinks either) cost a whopping $70 each. 

Next time maybe I can convince my friend to come to Brooklyn. 

Neighborhood: Upper East Side 

Good for:  impressing out of towners, corporate cards, business lunches, ladies who lunch

Bite mark: **and a half 

Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto; 903 Madison Avenue bet 72nd & 73rd 212-517-770 salumeriarosi.com



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Thursday night we went out with another couple to Brucie, an Italian spot in Cobble Hills Brooklyn, not far from the Cobble Hill movie theatre. It's dimly lit but casual, with bar stools and a long table in the front, bar area, and back room. I found this restaurant to be very "Brooklyn", charming and homey but still casual and comfortable. Who couldn't love a place that divides its menu into "Biggie" and "Smalls" ?!

The waiter was friendly and knowledgable, and we had some good beer, and a great drink with grapefruit and tequila. We started with the Caesar Salad with butternut squash, Aracini Rice Balls, Root Vegetable Salad with winter radish, carrots, romanesco, pistachio, and the Marinated Anchovies with roasted peppers, house burrata and. Wow. The egg was slightly soft in the center and complimented the cheeses and anchovies really well. I really enjoyed this dish. All the appetizers were really amazing.

Next came the Tagliatelle with house burrata, brussel sprouts and tomato butter. WOW. We got a second one of this, one just wasn't enough. Delicous, not too heavy, perfect. The Cannelloni with trumpet mushrooms, kale, and house ricotta was also delicious, baked in the oven, warm and gooey. 

 

















For dessert the waiter insisted we try the house made Ricotta Ice Cream. I don't know what they put in this but it was salty yet sweet, satisfying yet still light. I think he said something about orange peels and sea salt. 

Overall I really enjoyed Brucie. Casual ambience, good service, and solid food always works. And the menu changes so you never get bored. It was not my first time there and will not be my last. It's also not one of those places that make you wait 2 hours on a Thursday night (key for those who like to dine out on Thursday or Saturday nights). It was full but not packed and the food really delivered. The Brooklyn Bite definitely approves. 

Neighborhood: Brooklyn, Cobble Hill 

Good For: date night, girls night, lunch, groups

Bite Mark: *** and a half

Brucie; 234 Court Street @ Baltic Street. Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. 347-987-4961 www.brucienyc.com

 Between Brucie and Salumeria, what can I say? I am a Brooklyn girl at heart. Strictly based on the food, I would say Brucie wins out. But obviously they are very different dining experiences and are each serve different purposes. 

Try them and share your experience....