Elle "Bromography" B.'s Profile

The daytime menu offers a number of attractive choices. I got the Chicken Salad (a substantial little tower of chopped chicken, raisins, apples, and curry, on a bed of mesclun and drizzled with balsamic vinegar) and loved it.  Pungent, full of texture, rich, and satisfying.  Not overwhelming, just right.  Others got the Crab Omelet  (jumbo lump crab with tomato and pepper jack in a three- egg omelet served with a mesclun salad) and the Seafood Cobb (seared scallops and shrimp, on a bed of mesclun topped with crab, tomatoes, scallions, with a tomato garlic aioli).  My fellow diners were heard to murmur "mmmmmmm" --I confess I did the same.

Cesar's empanadas always hit the spot.  The little pockets of flavor are addictive!  I find myself adjusting my commute just to get an empanada.

Today was a rather less than fabulous day,  food wise.   I had a successful early meeting with some clients, and my associates and I decided to celebrate by going out to lunch.  We decided to venture into a new place called Spanish Tavern that advertised tapas. As a Latina, I love tapas.  Well... Spanish Taberna is definitely not new. From the decor,  it appears as if it has been around for about 40 to 50 years, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. And the service was excellent, probably the best I've had in the area.  Also,  the place was spotless, with rather formal place settings.  We were served fresh bread immediately.  All good, yes?

Well...

Prices were rather high considering we were there for lunch.  No lunch menu. Entrees ranged from $15 to $40.  Fine, I'll gladly pay for good food.  Hmmm...  My associates seemed fine with their selections. From the chocolate mouse, to the Ham & Cheese platter. For whatever the reason, they only ordered appetizers and dessert.  Makes me wonder now if they knew something I didn't, because I was the only one that ordered an entree. Cappellini Primavera.  Should have been easy,  right??

Worse I ever had! Presentation was poor.  Sauce should have been a white cream sauce, I was served a red sauce. Sent it back. The white sauce was worse, no flavor.  It should have been a simple angel hair pasta with vegetables in a  basic alfredo sauce.  :-(    What were they thinking????

If the owner/chef ever reads this, please allow me to make some suggestions:

   * Please create a simple and reasonable lunch menu.  Your restaurant is in midtown Manhattan and you should take more advantage of the lunch crowd looking for  a decent place for a business lunche.

   * Please learn to make the simple dishes well... seriously...

Until my suggestions are considered, I think I'll pass on future visits.  You might want to do the same. If your experience was completely different from mine, please share.  Maybe I missed something.

This is one of those local places that you go because it is an easy, laid-back kind of place. Everyone is really nice, no one  rushes you out, and, more, importantly, everything is always good!   The food is always fresh.  One key element is that  they bake their own pitas and make their own hummus.  The chicken wrap, falafels and pizza are my personal favorites.  The prices are good.

But please note this is not FAST food.  So,  don't go in there thinking you'll be out in a couple of minutes.  Everything is made to order, so please go when you have the time to enjoy it.

Despite the lovely neighborhood vibe, Park Slope, Brooklyn, can be somewhat cutthroat on a Sunday afternoon.  Many restaurants vie for the brunch crowds.  The really good places for brunch usually have a bit of wait time.  Too often, this atmosphere results in irritated patrons being rushed by impatient staff seeking faster turnover.

Rose Water manages to avoid all this, despite being quite popular.  The  interior ambiance immediately conveys a relaxed feeling that is very Brooklyn.  The staff contributes to the feeling by providing excellent service without being intrusive.  The core of the Rose Water's success is the thoughtful and creative menu.  Rose Water is committed to working with local, regional, organic and sustainably raised foods.  Even more important, the kitchen seems committed to offering delicious food.  On a recent visit with some friends, the duck confit sandwich, smoked cod cake and baked polenta with goat cheese were all delicious and wonderfully executed.  The pumpkin bread was disappointing, but pumpkin season is coming to a close.

A visit to Rose Water is definitely worth the trip, especially with a $14  prix fixe brunch!

Chicken wings seem to be designed by nature as the perfect snack food.  They are conveniently sized and manage to hang on to whatever flavors are thrown at them.  Given the popularity of this snack food, there are good and not-so-good  versions.  I recently discovered some of the best wings around.

While perusing a local paper, I was surprised by an article indicating that (1) the best wings in Brooklyn were only three miles from my home; (2) these wings beat Bobby Flay in a Throwdown; and (3) the wings were prepared by a native of my family's homeland.  I was shocked that, given these facts, Super Wings NY had not come to my notice earlier!  I wasted no time in sampling these wings myself.

Super Wings offers ten  Caribbean-inspired flavors which are definitely not typical.  After trying the Trini Tamarind, Chili Cilantro and Ginger Buff varieties, I knew that all the accolades were well deserved.  The wings were obviously prepared with fresh ingredients and a skillful approach to balancing flavors.  The selection also offers heat levels for every palate.  Despite the fact that the wings garner all the attention, I  believe that the genius of Super Wings lies in the combo pairings.  The combos pair the flavorful wings with cool, crisp salads which offer a refreshing counterpoint. There are five salad options, including Corn Basil and Cucumber Mango.

Super Wings offers more that the typical hot wings.  A lot of thought and care goes into the food preparation.  If you give it a try, you'll find that they are definitely not "wingin it!"

Plus:  Great Concept: Custom breakfast, lunch or dessert under one roof.

Plus: As a certified pickEone, I respect any effort toward customization and variety.  Not only did Fresh allow me to have breakfast at lunch time, but I also chose every element which went into my meal.

Minus: There were elements of the cereal choices which eliminated vast sections of the menu.  Once I saw Lucky Charms under the cold section of the menu, cold cereal was out!  I could buy an entire box of poison... I mean...commercial cereal at the price of one bowl.

Plus: The staff was friendly.  They accommodated my questions and permitted me to sample  ingredients before adding it to my Monkey cereal.  Per the menu, Monkey cereal included steel cut oats, banana, brown sugar, graham bites and syrup.

Minus: As a real food advocate, I was disturbed by the "syrup" they would have incorporated into my Monkey oatmeal.  This "syrup" was not the wholesome, flavorful maple syrup, but the formerly HFCS's newly improved, steal your life-force, genetically modified beet sugar, imitation maple syrup.  I passed on the syrup.

Plus: I allowed them to put the graham crackers (with hydrogenated oil, ugh) into my oatmeal.  Much to my surprise, they slowly dissolved and complemented my oatmeal with the annoyingly large, chunks of fresh banana.

Conclusion: Fresh, is worth a go.

Some of the best discoveries are made when you are not looking for anything at all.  I recently made a trip to Tampa, Florida from New York.  In keeping with the spirit of the venture (not a pleasure trip), I had a lay-over in the Chicago O'Hare International Airport. For me, air travel is now reminiscent  of pioneer days when the only sustenance  available consisted of whatever items you could carry.   I usually walk through the airport with my mind focused on my destination with only a good book for a distraction.

However, while making the long trek from one gate to another in the large terminal, I was stopped in my tracks by the display case of the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.    Something about the rows upon rows  of crisp granny smith apples covered in sweet delights  was just mesmerizing!  I am rarely attracted to candied apples.  (They inspire visions of mushy apples covered in over-sweet coatings which result in unpleasant dental visits.) The display somehow made me feel that this would be different.  It was!

The walnut caramel apple that I purchased was perfect.  The granny smith apple was firm and crisp with just the right level of tartness.  The caramel was smooth, creamy and not too sweet.  The balance of flavors was just lovely.  The walnut coating added a beautiful nuttiness and great texture.  It was one of those moments when food makes you feel that all is right in your world.  It almost makes me want to add another unnecessary Chicago layover to my next trip!

Carnival celebrations (a.k.a mardi gras) around the world are all unique.   Rome, New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro and Trinidad, all have quite different carnivale traditions.  (They are all  great parties, though!!)  For Catholics, the celebrations were originally intended as a last "hurrah" before the religious constraints of the season of Lent.  Although each culture  adds its own distinctive elements to the party,  many have traditions which refer to the "devil".  Apparently, the devil likes to party!

Diablo Royale, a Mexican restaurant, located in the West Village neighborhood of New York seems to bear this out.   The festive and lively atmosphere is a great for unwinding with a group of friends.   The dining room is filled with large and vocal groups.  The freely flowing margaritas  and tequila help sustain a carnival atmosphere.  The food is adequate with a nice selection of fish tacos, but not particularly special.  Unexpectedly, I found the ensalade verde to be really good.  The vinaigrette is on pointe!  This is not the place for a quiet dinner and deep conversation; however, it is a great place to meet some friends, and get started on the weekend.

In case you did not know, I am a New Yorker and a Brooklyn Girl.  While I roam the entire city in search of great food, I pay special attention to the eateries located in my home borough, so I was pleased to hear about the opening of a  5 Burro Cafe in Brooklyn.  Earlier this year, I visited the the original 5 Burros location in Forest Hills, Queens which you can read about here.

The new 5 Burro is located  on the Columbia Street Waterfront just south of Brooklyn Bridge Park.  The park, which has a planned extension all along Columbia Street, offers spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline.  It is a perfect place to soak in that 'New York!' feeling.

The cafe is so new that it squeaks.  Everything is shiny and new, even the staff.  As I was seated, it became apparent that while the slightly worn,  homey feeling of the original had not yet developed, the management had recreated the welcoming, local hang-out vibe  which characterizes  5 Burro Forest Hills.  A key element is the great garden dining area.  The garden practically begs you to linger over a few pitchers of margaritas with some good friends.  It is equipped with a flat screen tv, heated tent, wooden deck and a mix of tables, both large and small.  The garden also  boasts a play area for toddlers which is a magnet for the stroller crowd before sunset.

The Burro still needs some breaking in.  The waitstaff is pleasant and energetic, but still a bit uncertain.  The  kitchen is also still finding its feet. My food ranged  from very right to wrong.  I will note that the 'wrong' was apologetically and promptly corrected.

Between the great setting, welcoming vibe and good margaritas, I will definitely be back  again to see 5 Burro hit its stride.  Hope to see you there!