No. 7

7 Greene Street, Fort Greene

It was the bartender's first day, and it took quite a while to get a drink. But the bar was comfortable, and there were hooks for bags under the bar. Very important.

Melissa Kai and I shared a an arugula salad with a "butter crouton," which was really like a toasted brioche with lots of butter . My roast pork came with the arugula salad, and deep fried eggs. The pork was super tender, and pink, the color of make-up blush. Melissa had a fried broccoli, which Kai proclaimed was the best broccoli he'd ever had. Significant praise from a man who hates vegetables. It was breaded in maybe panko and then fried, and there may have been some cheese involved within. These gargantuan fried things, which could have been mistaken for fried chicken, sat on a black bean puree. More arugula.

Then the main courses. I had a seared cod with a light broth, with 3 flavorpacked cockles. There were slivers of jalapenos. The cod was more of a salted bacalhau style; in fact, the portugese would have gone apeshit at the excellent preparation. Melissa and Kai both had the hangar steak(not much choice, since they were out of chicken and the lasagne, the only other option would have been smoked salmon. boring.)

They nailed the hangar steak. Perfect temperature. And the kimchi pierogis were surprisingly tasty. "Toothsome" was the word I used, right after I swallowed a mouthful of what tasted like a bean and kimchi puree.

We didn't skip dessert, but we wish we had. The vanilla pudding was soapy, and the sesame devil's food situation was all wrong. Really bad dessert.

Bar Milano

Bar Milano
24th & 3rd

Kai had a Hendricks and tonic, in a highball with a swizzle, with dense handcut ice.

We started with octopus, incredibly tender, juicy, evenly charry. There was a spring vegetable bagna cauda, with just the right about of fishy bite. A linguine with bolognese, which was way too salty, the chard-filled ravioli had something weird and crunchy on top.

There was a thick pork chop on the bone, which was excellent. There was a roast chicken, which was also fantastic. it had speck and spaetzle.

Mia Dona

Mia Dona
58th & 2nd

Kai and I like to have dinner here, late, after a screening at the DGA or Flo Go. We've tried most of the menu, but all I can remember is the Sicilian ice cream sandwich. It should be outlawed. its buttery and gooey and rich and hot and cold and soft.

ROUND 1
We started with a white asparagus salad, I think it had lovage. Then the gnudi, which was predictably pillowy and cheesy. Then the polpettone, which was a herby meatloaf with a hard boiled egg on top, with all kinds of juice. Then dessert. We ate at the bar, and the bartender was quite accommodating. I didnt like the first wine I picked so he gave me a Pouilly-Fuisse which was better. I asked for a nip of red wine for the polpettone, he obliged without a sneer. Nice guy, nice meal.

ROUND 2
The next time I had the grilled octopus, which was salty. Kai had hangar steak, more florentine style with rosemary and pre-sliced. We shared bigoli, with rapini, sweet sausage, and way too much cheese. It was salty and fatty, intense.

Rosewater

Rosewater
Park Slope

I just had a $53 brunch. That's right, $53.

The vegetarian plate was called "grits with lamb's quarters." I asked what lamb's quarters were. It sounded like leg of lamb. It was actually a "diamond shaped green."

It tasted like bitter greens that had been boiled then lightly sauteed in oil and dusted with salt.

There were also 2 poached eggs on top of grits, and a slightly asian salad of cucumbers, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, and scallions.

the slow cooked pork sandwich was pork on a brioche, topped with cheddar, mustard, cornichons, and greens, maybe arugula. the fries with pimenton was soggy with a red pepper puree.

not moved by this breakfast. not at all.

Dressler

Dressler
Williamsburg

Easily the best meal I've had in a long time.
Ben had lamb, a Colorado lamb. Flavorful, juicy, cooked to perfection, every possible accolade. He had some kind of salad with beets and maybe mandarin oranges.

Rungthip had the skate. It was sweet, and tasted of the sea. I'll bet it had never been frozen. The texture was wonderful, like fish with bounce. She also had a soft shell crab, which was nice, but I can't remember

Joan had veal. It was good. I can't remember anything else about it. She also had a artichoke salad, maybe parmesan. Good balance.

I had chicken with swiss chard. Excellent flavor.

Kai had steak, or rabbit, or something. He ate it all. Noone got to taste it. Im sure it was tasty.

The desserts were just OK. semifreddo was weird. the cake was weird. the panna cotta was weird. In a rare instance, the main courses outshone the apps and desserts.

Gemma

http://eater.com/archives/2007/07/eater_inside_un.php

see comment #5

Upstairs at Bouley

months later.

i seem to go to upstairs only for special occasions: a celebration, a friend in town, that kind of thing.

this time just plain sucked. my old standby - the calamari salad - i think i found 2 charry bits of calamari hidden in the watery greens and sloppy dressing. my bowl of bigoli was sloppy. the pasta was cooked well, but the chopped chunks of sausage, the melting chunks of parmesan, and even the chanterelle mushrooms didnt wow me.

jenny's gnocchi was overcooked. and the bolognese sauce was dry.

the burger looked great, and kept from falling to pieces by a wooden skewer.
the same 8" wooden skewer was found in jenny'y lychee martini.

how do great restaurants become such terrible restaurants, anyhow?

pinkberry

Pinkberry
Spring Street

is sour. i tried the green tea fro-yo, and it was sour. i tried the plain, and it was sour.

sour in a good way, but sour nonetheless. good texture, dense, and 5 oz. goes a long way.

the decor is fun, bright colors and ikea on acid! i liked the pebble flooring the best.

Sfoglia

i quite enjoyed dinner, and then i puked it.

afettati misti figs, mint paste, some other paste, on toasted bread.
house cured plate of bresaola, prosciutto, sopressata.
baby caesar salad
gnocchi with summer pesto
pappardelle bolognese, superb.

i had a glass of pinot de rose which was wonderful, followed by a glass of inky wonderful wine i cannot recall the name.

was ok until 1AM, and then i got really sick.

Rooftop BBQ

No, it's not the name of a restaurant, although it would be a good one. Went to a BBQ at Jen's rooftop in Boerum Hill. A very diverse crowd of thirty-somethings nibbled on saucissson, cheese and crackers, chips and salsa, drank some wine. We were waiting for the grill to be hot enough for the steaks.

Then the good stuff was unveiled: Jen's mother made deviled eggs, potato salad with hard boiled eggs, and a simple salad of greens and tomatoes, dressed in - get this - ketchup and mayonnaise.

The steaks were rubbed with some simple seasoning, and was served with a side of baked beans. There were some hot dogs and hamburgers, too, but the steaks were excellent, and even better with A-1 sauce.

Steaks, potato salad, greens dressed in pink sauce, baked beans? Why don't we eat like this more often, so simply? Why all the fussy cheese and fancy olives in this country, when we have deviled eggs?!?!

For dessert we had an apple pie (of course) and some boxed cookies. Then we played Balderdash.

I want to eat like this more often.