Food and Drink: March 2006 Archives

So Brooklyn is weird about its restaurant week. I called a few weeks ago and they refused to give me any information, saying they couldn't release it until the press conference. I mentioned that it might be helpful to have the info before the actual event, and they were not moved. It's finally been released, and the list of restaurants is on the Brooklyn Tourism's website. Here's the deal: For most of the restaurants it's three courses for $20.06, with "no attitude on the side." A few restaurants have a two people for $20.06 deal. The specials run from April 3 to April 11.  I wouldn't bank on the lack of attitude, but, hey, the price is right.

My recommendations for 3 courses for $20.06
Applewood (D), prepare your arteries, rich, indulgent fare
Bar Minnow (D), cute name, great fish shack
Blue Ribbon/Sushi (D), ashamed that I haven't been
Bouillabaisse 126 (D), nice French on the "waterfront"
Bubby's (D), especially if you have kids
Chestnut (D), elevated home cooking
Crave (D), normally overpriced, but always tasty
Fornino (L, D), inventive pizza in hipsterville
ici (L, D), no personal experience, but I hear good things
Maria's Mexican Bistro (D), a must-go anytime
Patois (D), love to hear those Frenchies
Waterfront Ale House (L, D), if only for the history

My recommendations in the two for $20.06 category
Atlantic Chipshop (L, D), get your fried English food on
Schnack (L, D), you already know how I feel*
Zipi Zape (D), yum, yum, yum, tapas, yum

*Schnack was kind enough to email me its menu:
-basket of 1/2 fries, 1/2 onion rings
-deep-fried biscuit single w/lettuce, tomato, bacon
-choice of ribs or 1/2 chicken
-scoop of RC gelato from Il Laboratorio del Gelato
-two glasses of fountain soda, or Swag beer if available

I'm not one to overly dwell on the apocolypse of Brooklyn's Manhattanification, but I can't say I'm super excited about Lizzie Grubman, Drew Barrymore or Strokes' drummer Fabrizio Moretti invading the neighborhood when Shopsin comes to Carroll Gardens, as reported by NYMetro and noted on Eater and Chowhound. I do think that the owner has a handle on the old-school Brooklyn ways, however. Kenny Shopskin's answer to questions about the move was written thusly in NYMetro:  "Why don’t you just make something fucking up?” he said. “That’s what you’re going to do anyway.” Now that's Brooklyn style, keep it up Kenny!

Any word on where this new "brunchery" (what a ridiculous word) will be? Oh, and is the food any good? I've never been.

Blogs dedicated to a single food item. I know there must be more out there ...

Burgers A Hamburger Today
Pizza Slice
Hot Dogs Hot Dog Spot
Bacon I Love Bacon
Donuts Blognut
Cupcakes¹ All Cupcakes
Burritos¹ Burrito Blog
Candy² Candy Blog
Chips² Taquitos

¹Thanks Adam
²Thanks Krista

I think there's some sort of deeper meaning in here somewhere ...
I took the photo on Sunday in Williamsburg, on Wythe Avenue near the very cool 20th century modern furniture store, Two Jakes. I took it after having brunch at Bonita, so I was happy. If you've never been to Bonita for brunch or dinner, you are missing a treat. Whatever you get, make sure it has mole.

The American Apparel store is open at 237 Smith Street. Don't miss your chance to get all horny and buy lots of Made in the USA clothing. Right next to the new clothing boutique, Banania at 241 Smith Street has closed and will open up under a new name in April. The brunch, according to a sign in the window, will stay the same. Opening soon a few blocks up at 139 Smith Street is Coco Roco, an outpost of the Park Slope Peruvian restaurant that many people love (I've never been).

Two topics that are close to ABrooklynLife's gullet: burgers and donuts. Leave it to the New York Times' Frank Bruni to connect the two in his new blog that seems meant to create warm fuzzies between the reigning food critic and the commoner through Bruni's pedestrian episodes at Hooters and Mars 2112.

Frank brings us what is quite possibly the most disgusting food combination ever. Krispy Kreme, have you sunk so low that you think you need a burger sandwiched between two of your highly caloric offerings actually improves your image?

I do love a good, hot Krispy Kreme glazed donut (which I have never had in New York City), but defiling either burger or donut with the other is just ... unacceptable. What makes this worse is that the Gateway Grizzlies apparently got the idea from Mulligan's, a tavern in my recent home of Atlanta. Turns out the restaurant has a bacon cheeseburger served on a Krispy Kreme donut bun that the general manager of the team found enticing. Unless the Gateway Grizzlies also provide a gateway drug at the gate, I'm guessing that people won't be buying.

Oh, and this makes the Schnack wheat bun seem downright acceptable.

UPDATE: Go here for updated info on Dine In Brooklyn.

According to the Brooklyn tourism calendar, the next Dine In Brooklyn (Brooklyn's answer to Manhattan's Restaurant Week) starts on April 3rd and runs through the 11th. No word on participating restaurants, but I did see something posted about it in Crave's window. These reservations tend to go quickly, so might be worth calling up the favorites (Blue Ribbon, etc.) to nab a spot now. Don't forget to specify you're making reservations for Dine In Brooklyn, as some of the restaurants have constraints on which days or type of meal is served (lunch vs. dinner).

Midweek is the perfect time to start thinking about the weekend again. And what activity more thrills the hearts of Brooklynites everywhere? Brunch! I had a good one last weekend at the Stone Park Cafe on  5th Avenue. Gothamist recently gave the bistro a nod for its egg-topped burger (known as the short-rib sandwich), and not too long after it opened, Frank Bruni raved about it for its bone marrow in the Times. While I'm sure both of these are excellent, do try the brunch.

I love a good omelet as much as the next person, but there's a certain brunch menu that gets mixed and matched across restaurants for an often predictable weekend eating experience. It was the relative inventiveness of Stone Park's brunch menu that got me off my ass and over to Park Slope (that, and our brunch friends offered to drive us there in their car--thank you!). I sampled the Hangtown Fry (eggs, fried oysters, bacon, cheddar) and the bluefish cakes, topped with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. The biscuits and gravy also tempted the Southern taste buds in me, but I'll have to save that for my next trip.

Of course, any good brunch place has to be measured by the spiciness of its Bloody Mary, and I'm happy to report that Stone Park's, garnished with a very cute caper berry, packs the expected punch.

Brownstoner has already jumped into the Dunkin' Donuts fray by reporting that people who eat and drink at the establishment are lazy about where they throw their trash. I will make no such assertion, but I will start what I hope is a trend: calling out local businesses caught with their hands in the  Dunkin' Donuts cookie jar. The first award goes to the workers at 9-D Thai who on Saturday night had a box of the donuts out for all their customers to see. Please send your DD box and crumb sightings our way.

The amusing cartoon image is from a Fast Company story about the chain's encroachment into Starbucks territory.

I know I post quite frequently about Schnack, but it is part of my life--and a frequent part at that.  When I go to Schnack, it is not for a particularly healthy meal. Granted, you could eat healthily there if you wanted to, but that seems to defeat the purpose of the Schnack. And so I usually indulge in onion rings and french fries and have never been afraid of licking the Schnack sauce off the plate. What I find peculiar, however, is the move toward the whole wheat bun. It is the appearance (and taste) of healthiness where I did not want it.  When I make sandwiches at home, it is true, I usually use whole wheat bread. And sometimes I buy whole wheat pita for variety. However, when I have my two mini burgers, as I did last night, I can't help but thinking that there's something about wheat that's just not right.