Blog Update

 Although I am no longer writing up restaurant reviews, I do keep the lists updated so please keep checking to see the latest and great in NYC and Brooklyn dining. :-)

Bergen Hill

I'll say it again.  I have only love for Bergen Hill. 

I'd go so far as to say that although I've only been a couple of times, this has become one of my new favorites. 

I'm going to keep this review short and sweet. If you dig raw fish, good vibes, and that open kitchen homey feel, Bergen Hill is for you. Pass on the long wait at Dover across the street, and come here instead. Chef Andrew D'Ambrosi (yes, that one, of Top Chef fame)has some great things going on. The place is tiny, and if it's open, definitely grab some seats at the bar / chef's counter. It's truly amazing the delicious food coming out of this 2 by nothing space. Each dish presented is beautifully plated and well thought out, always fresh and always unique. Chat it up with the chefs, sip on some delicious cocktails and just wait for the magic to happen. Make sure to get the toasts. In early fall the Pea toast with goat cheese mint and pea puree was incredible. The winter brought a cauliflower toast with raisins pine nuts capers and grapes also addictive. Kale panzanella and Hen of the Woods are some more winners. The burrata tuna creation (pictured above) was probably one of my least favorite dishes here, but even that was solid just not my thing. We didn't even get started yet with the actual fish yet! Tuna, yes. Fluke, double yes. Hamachi, Salmon, yes, yes. Order it all, there will be no leftovers. 

Probably the only real gripe is that the portions are on the small side so you need to order a bunch, and the prices add up. It's not a huge bust-out, but it ain't no cheap eats either. When you're being fed as well as you are here it's still hard to complain. 

For someone like me, who really has a true love (obsession) with food and the restaurant world, Bergen Hill really hits home. This is what it's all about folks. Excellent food, cozy space, friendly staff and good music. I hate to sound repetitive, but trust me, this is the real deal. Run, don't walk to Bergen Hill and you will thank me.

Neighborhood: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn


Cuisine: Seafood


Bite Mark: ****

Good For: Neighborhood Joint, Out with Friends, Seafood Lover

Bergen Hill, 387 Court Street 718-858-5483

Milk & Honey (Ditmas Park)

Milk & Honey is a wonderful and desperately needed cafe in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn. I am always on the look out for new places around here since I live so close, but besides for the few staple spots on Cortelyou Road, it's been slim pickings. 

Milk & Honey opened a few months back on the quiet corner of Newkirk and Westminster Road, and is owned and run by Max, of Qathra on Cortelyou. 

There are a couple of good things going for M & H.

1. Free Wi-Fi and a bunch of outlets
2. Good, cheap coffee from Counter Culture
3. $5 pretty decent breakfast sandwiches 
4. Homemade yummy pastries

The space is open, airy, and beautiful, definitely the nicest vibe in the neighborhood. Besides for the uncomfortable metal stools (mostly backless), you can station yourself here and just chill out, have a cup of joe, do some work on your laptop, or catch up with friends. They have a decent selection of eggs, flatbreads, sandwiches and salads and although the food is not mind blowing, it it not terrible either. I've had the egyptian poached eggs, smoked salmon eggs benny as well as a few of the flatbreads, all of which have been satisfying and keep me coming back. The pastries are delicious, as is their coffee. 

This is no destination location, but if you live nearby, it is definitely worth checking out. 

Neighborhood: Ditmas Park, Brooklyn

Cuisine: Coffeehouse / Cafe

Bite Mark: ***

Good For: Breakfast / Brunch, Neighborhood Joint, Cheap Eats, Free Wi-Fi 

Milk & Honey, 1119 Newkirk Avenue 718-513-0441

Blue Hill at Stone Barns

Blue Hill at Stone Barns might very well be my most memorable food experience of all time. It is top notch, unique, and unlike anything else out there. Forget Per Se and Eleven Madison and imagine for a moment the formality of a fine dining establishment coupled with the casual, rustic vibe of a farm. This is the place to bring foodies. And your nutritionist best friend. And your grandmother. Barns is for anyone who can appreciate good, fresh, delicious food. It is close to a perfect meal, and definitely one of the best I've ever had. From the knowledgable waitstaff, beautiful dining room, elegantly presented food, to the incredible flavors, Blue Hill at Stone Barns is gourmet heaven.

First off, the basics. Blue Hill at Stone Barns is located in Pocantico Hills, NY 30 miles or about a 45 minute drive North from NYC. The restaurant opened in 2004 within the Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture. Dan Barber (also of Blue Hill in NYC), is the executive chef who's mission is to "create a consciousness about the effect of everyday food choices" (bluehillfarm.com). A meal here is not so much a meal as it is an experience. There are no menus. Most everything served is sourced on the surrounding fields and pastures, as well as local farms along the Hudson Valley. Expect to find a multi course feast of small plates for your palate using only the best ever-changing ingredients based on the current harvest.

 Tips to have the ultimate BH @ SB experience:

• Go early and walk around. The ambiance of the farm and the restaurant itself, is so special and unique. Take it all in. If you arrive once it is already dark, you miss out on a lot. Also, this is not a quick meal so unless you are okay with sitting until 2AM, an early reservation is recommended.
• Do the Pecking, Grazing, and Rooting option. It's a little more pricey ($208 a head!) but well worth it. Although there are about 20 courses that come, this is not one of those places that wait 20 minutes between bites leaving you restless and exhausted by the time your meal is over. Food just keeps coming. You came all the way here and are prepared to bounce (big time) so go for it, sit back relax and don't forget to breathe.
• Wine Pairing is recommended. I had to be rolled out of here, but it truly was an exceptional night. From bubbly, to whites, an ale or two, to some deep rich reds, the wines were all delicious and paired beautifully with the meal. I will say the wines of white-heavy so if you are more of a reds kind of guy, you may be better off order a nice bottle or two and pass on the pairing. 
• There are no formal menus and the offerings change on a daily if not hourly basis based on what is fresh and in season. Every time you come it is a completely new and different experience. 
• We were lucky enough to have one of our courses INSIDE of Dan Barber's kitchen. Watching the culinary magic first hand felt close to a holy experience. 
• Be prepared for tiny bites, often consumed sans utensils in unique and fun ways. Keep an open mind. Carving off your own brussel sprouts and snipping pea pods is part of the fun.
• Take a deep breathe, make yourself comfortable, and enjoy this experience. 

I won't get into too many food details as the rewas at least 20 courses and as I mentioned it is constantly changing.  I honestly couldn't keep track of everything we ate, but I will say it was definitely vegetable heavy and a lot of fun surprises. Beet hamburgers, crunchy kale, baby vegetables to just name a few. Tomato tartare with a quail egg, delicious homemade ricotta with fresh baked bread, delectable pasta, I could go on and on….

Ultimately, if you care enough about food to be reading this blog, this is a must try place. It is worth the shlep, and worth the hefty price tag.  I know I'm starting to sound repetitive but BH @ SB is epic, definitely an experience you will not easily forget. 

Neighborhood: Pocantico Hills, NY 

Cuisine: American

Bite Mark: *****

Good For: Foodies, Special Occasion

Blue Hill at Stone Barns, 630 Bedford Road. MetroNorth train to Tarrytown then a 10 minute cab ride, or 45 minute drive from NYC. www.bluehillfarm.com 

Ample Hills Creamery

I know what you're thinking. Its 30 degrees outside, what business do I have eating, let alone reviewing an ice creamery in mid November? The answer is simply, it's that good. Ample Hills Creamery is the real deal. The brainchild of Brian Smith, who started off by selling his homemade hormone-free ice cream out of a cart in Prospect Park, AHC quickly grew so popular that a brick and mortar location was opened in Prospect Heights. 

Best known for their unique flavors and delicious varieties, you get the feeling here that whoever thought these flavors up may have been puffing a little too much of the funny stuff. My all time favorite has to be the Caramel Crack Caramel made of salted butter caramel ice cream with pieces of Deb's crack cookies, saltines, sugar and chocolate. Addicting, creamy, perfect. Munchies is a combination of pretzel infused ice cream with bits of potato chips, pretzels, ritz crackers and m&m's. There's also Maple Bacon, Stout n Pretzels, Drunken Pumpkin, and Ooey Gooey St Louis Buttercake amongst the 16 ever changing flavors.

Besides for the outstanding ice cream, the staff at AHC really go above and beyond and are so extra friendly. You are free to sample as many favors as you need to (and trust me, you will need to). There is also an adorable play space in the back complete with play kitchen and toy ice cream trucks that light up and sing. There's even a ledge for the kids to stand on to see the ice cream flavors (genius move guys). Trust me, your kids won't want to leave. And once you taste the ice cream, neither will you. 

So bundle up, this place is worth the trek, no matter what the weather. Ample Hills Creamery could very well be the best ice cream Brooklyn has ever seen. 

Neighborhood: Prospect Heights, Brooklyn

Cuisine: Ice Cream

Bite Mark: *****

Good For: Kids, Kids at heart!, Birthday Cakes 

Ample Hills Creamery, 623 Vanderbilt Ave www.amplehills.com 

The Pickle Shack

What happens when you cross Shamus Jones, owner of  Brooklyn Brine's famous hipster-chic pickles with Dogfish Head Brewery owner Sam Calagione? The Pickle Shack (duh).

The Pickle Shack is the new Vegetarian centric gastropub located on 4th Avenue in Gowanus area of Brooklyn. It's a small 35 seat eatery with 8 draft beers on tap, a simple layout, and a menu full of salads, sandwiches and sides. 

Although not marketed as a vegetarian spot, and no "fake meat" in sight, the focus here is on hearty delicious vegetarian options, with some Brooklyn Brine pickles thrown in for good measure. There are a bunch of sandwiches on the menu, and the bread is baked fresh down the block at Runner + Stone.  Some other veggie-licious  grub I've sampled is the grilled kale, butternut squash salad with grainy mustard and a mushroom veggie burger with grilled onions and a side of pickle.

Although this place sounds like a pickle loving vegetarian's dream come true, honestly, the best thing I had the 2 times I visited is the fried hop pickles with lemon aioli. The kale salad was a little too sweet, and the fried oyster mushrooms too bready. On my last visit I shared the aforementioned veggie shroom burger and grilled cheese sandwich. Both were good, but probably not worth going back for. 

I would give this place one more try, they are still pretty new and getting their act together. In the meantime definitely pass by for a nice beer on tap and those crazy good fried pickles. 

Neighborhood: Gowanus / South Slope, Brooklyn

Cuisine: Sandwiches, Gastropub

Bite Mark: ** & a half

Good For: Beer on draft, Vegetarians, quick lunch, PICKLES! 

The Pickle Shack, 256 4th Ave & President Street  www.brooklynbrine.com

Antica Pesa

Welcome to the new, new Williamsburg. Say goodbye to hipster chic farm-to-table establishments, and hello to ultra posh hangout of Madonna and Morgan Freeman, roaring fireplace, mustachioed Italian men, and sometimes Jazz band.

The above scene describes the relatively new "modern Roman" restaurant, Antica Pesa that opened a few months back on Berry Street in Williamsburg.  The original Antica, located in Rome, has been run by 4 generations of the same Italian family and has a reputation for delicious Italian food and a celebrity clientele. 


I can't speak for their Italian counterpart, but here in Brooklyn Antica Pesa seems to be off to a good start. I like the ambience. It's fun. A large dark room (hence the terrible dark photos) with an awesome lounge area filled with overstuffed sofas is offset with white mod lighting and wood tables  giving it a rustic yet modern vibe. The crowd is a mix of young, cool people,  a lot from Brooklyn, with some Manhattanites and tourists thrown in for good measure. I read some reviews crying long waits and terrible service, but that was not my experience at all. Our waiter Alec, was a perfect gentleman; friendly, attentive, and well, adorable. Antica Pesa is perfect for a change of pace. Although I found the food to be good, not great,  it's not your typical neighborhood hang, and could be fun on the right night with the right crowd. 

After airing delightful bottle of rich red wine, a wooden chest arrives at the table with a selection of warm bread. This is always a good start. The food comes out in 3 courses. Autumn Salad with figs and artichokes, a Cheese Plate accompanied with honey and orange bitters and a Vegetable tasting (including beets, fried phyllo, and some interesting yet delicious hummus). Everything is tasty, if not mind blowing.

 Next up,  Cacio e Pepe, their signature dish. Wow. Creamy and buttery but not too overwhelming or heavy. Spot on. Best dish of the night. The Ravioli filled with potatoes and a leek cream, though presented beautifully, is hard and undercooked. Risotto with mushrooms topped with goat cheese is creamy and excellent. 

 Looking back, we probably should've stopped here. A selection of Mushrooms, roasted and fried, and the waiter recommended Bacala comes next. We liked the shrooms. They're tasty, the roasted ones more so than the fried which felt overwhelmed with breading. Bacala was just okay, the fish was small and somewhat bland. 

 Undecided for dessert, we went for the off the menu Homemade Gelatos. Tonight's included amaretto, white chocolate and pistachio. White chocolate was the best of the bunch if you have that sweet tooth craving. 

You'll have a good time at Antica Pesa. The atmosphere, attentive service, and cool vibe make up for some of the food shortcomings. And that cacio e pepe was really really good. 

Neighborhood: Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Bite Mark: *** & a half

Good For: Date Night, Fun Night Out, Entertaining Out of Towners 

Antica Pesa, 115 Berry Street bet 7th & 8th St  www.anticapesa.com