Guest Post: Lunching with the judges of the Greenest Block in Brooklyn Contest

Judging the Food and the Gardens

Guest Post by Jeanne Rostaing

Want to make 4 plant and food lovers really really happy? Then do what the nice people at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden did this summer.  The ladies that run GreenBridge, the community outreach arm of the garden, hired 3 colleagues and myself to spend two weeks traveling around the borough. 

Photos by Jeanne Rostaing unless otherwise noted

Our assignment was to assess the efforts of the nearly 200 blocks that had entered this year’s Greenest Block in Brooklyn Contest.

Getting the judging job would have been wonderful in itself, but then they told us: “lunch is on us and you get to pick the places.”  As my fellow judge Susan Steinbrock exclaimed, “This is the best gig in town!”

What an amazing opportunity to see some brilliant urban gardening and assess the state of dining opportunities in Brooklyn.  Trust me, that state is doing impressively well.  

What follows is a little travelogue of our lunch spots along with a few detours we made along the way. Use it as a guide if you are also planning to travel around Brooklyn anytime soon.  Bon Appetite!

MONDAY: Early on we decided to try for a different ethnic cuisine everyday.  We started off with an American classic: pit barbeque.  The place was Fletcher’s, a low-key joint located on Third Avenue.  No need to go south to Texas or the Carolina’s. 

Photo courtesy of Traci Cappiello

Succulent ribs, pork, brisket and chicken are available right here in Gowanus.  These people are serious about what they are doing.  

The day we stopped in they were explaining their methods to a group of out-of-town enthusiasts visiting for the annual Madison Square Park BBQ Block Party. The carnivores in our group praised the meaty offerings.  The vegetarian loved the veggie chili and the silky mac and cheese.

TUESDAY: Our next lunch was at Café Tibet in Ditmas Park.  It’s a tiny, cheery place right next to a subway station on Cortelyou Road.  The food, which is reminiscent of Indian cuisine, is delicious, plentiful and inexpensive.  We ordered vegetarian momo…

Veggie Momo


large dumplings that are a specialty of the house and are available in non-vegetarian options. 

Chicken curry thali

Rock and Roll Fried noodles with salmon

Roy had lamb curry and Ryan had the chicken curry thali… a sampler platter which turned out to be so huge he took the leftovers home and had them for dinner.  Susan and I both had “Rock n Roll” fried noodles… hers with a slab of salmon, mine with tofu.  It was all scrumptious.  1510 Cortelyou Rd., 718 941-2725, 12:30-11:00 pm everyday, cash only, BYOB.

Pizza makers at work in Roberta's

WEDNESDAY:  Next we ventured into Bushwick to Roberta’s for some artisanal pizza.  The young hipster population is burgeoning in this hard bitten post-industrial neighborhood, but it’s still a shock when you enter Roberta’s.  Walk through the door and you leave the hard streets of Bushwick behind for a place where well-heeled artistes are lingering over pricey lunches.  

Can you imagine a more delicious looking pizza?

No question why the place is packed: the coal oven pies are delicious.  We tried the Bee Sting which adds chili, honey and soppressata to tomato and mozzarella and the Famous Original with tomato, chili flakes, caciocavallo and parmigiana.  No leftovers here. 

THURSDAY:  It was one of those days when we all needed an extra caffeine boost so we made a quick stop at the Qathra Coffee Shop on Cortelyou Rd.  

The lattes and cappuccinos were notable but we plan to return to sample the iced coffee, a special brew made in a blown glass gizmo that looks like it belongs in a mad scientist’s laboratory. 

Lunch was Turkish food at Taci’s Beyti on Coney Island Avenue.  This spacious, comfortable place has been here since 1988.  We ordered a selection of classic appetizers including stuffed grape leaves, eggplant with spicy tomato sauce and eggplant spread… all fresh and yummy.  

stuffed grape leaves at Tacis Beyti

Eggplant with spicy tomato sauce at Tacis Beyti

Those not watching their weight might want to indulge in the delicious Sugara Boregi : feta cheese wrapped in fillo.  It’s as rich as dessert and you don’t have to wait for the end of the meal to get it. The men in our party happily polished off lamb and chicken kababs.

FRIDAY:  We wound up the week at  Ali’s Original Roti Shop on Utica Avenue.  We stood in line with other working stiffs to place our orders.  We noted the lack of hipsters.

The rotis were tasty and huge.  The vegetarian one contained an especially flavorful tofu curry.  

We washed down our lunch with some exotic Caribbean beverages: sorrel and a green, somewhat mossy tasting drink called Mauby.  We left full and well under budget. 337 Utica Avenue, 718 778-7329

MONDAY: It’s hard to believe The Farm on Adderley has been feeding Ditmas Park since 2006.  It was a pioneering effort, Ditmas Park being a beautiful neighborhood that was also a food desert back then.  Not anymore. The Farm on Adderly is open seven days a week for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. The food is locally sourced and carefully prepared.  

We loved our burgers, French dip and yummy “adult grilled cheese” with cheddar, apple and caramelized onion.  We ate in the cool and comfortable dining room but they also serve in a lovely garden in back.  

garden at the Farm on Adderly

TUESDAY: Note to self or anyone with a car: it is crazy to drive in downtown Brooklyn at mid-day during the week. We had to see some blocks in Brooklyn Heights, Red Hook, Dumbo and in a tiny townhouse enclave downtown.  Traffic was snarled everywhere we went.  

Shrimp Obento Box at Hibino

What a relief when it was lunch time and we discovered Hibino, a peaceful little Cobble Hill sushi place.  We took advantage of the specials.  Susan had Obento Box with shrimp (beautiful and delicious, she says).  

The rest of us opted for the 2 sushi rolls that came with salad and soup.   No brown rice at Hibino and the salad was a little tired but we left quite satisfied.  

WEDNESDAY: On our way to a morning of judging in Bedford Stuyvesant we screeched to a stop on Bedford Avenue.  People were lined up outside a very interesting looking building. We suspected the presence of good coffee and maybe even some delicious snacks. 

The sign said Scratchbread and it turned out to be a storefront containing a very busy and fragrant bakery.

Morning wares at Scratchbread

Around the corner, food and drink were being dispensed through a window on the street. You supply your own seating. We got coffees and snacks including a loaf of focaccia bread hot out of the oven. 

Ryan, our calm and patient driver (he’s from L.A.), is a partner/founder of North Brooklyn Farms in Williamsburgh near the old Domino Sugar factory. We stopped by to take a look and then he led us over to Berry St. and an absolutely amazing Mexican restaurant: La Superior.

It is a tiny place that started life as a food truck.  Do not be deterred by the graffiti covered atm standing guard near the door.  





This place doesn’t look like much, but one bite of food there will dispel any doubts you might have about its wonderfulness.

Let’s start with the tortilla soup.  It is my go to dish in Mexican restaurants.  This soup was the best ever.  The vegetarian broth was rich, spicy but not too spicy, the tortilla strips marinated just to the perfect chewy consistancy  All around me my colleagues were eating things like tacos carnitas, chorizo papas and taco mole.  We didn’t talk much, but I know they liked it because the plates were clean at the end.  

THURSDAY: Bedford Stuyvesant is the neighborhood with the most entries in the Greenest Block Contest.  We spent our last two days of judging walking its tree-lined streets.  

Lunch on Thursday was at the neighborhood stalwart, Peaches, for soul food.  The style is classic southern.  Order ice tea and sweet tea is served automatically.  Corn bread is hefty and chewy. Susan and I ordered a tasty apple, pecan and arugula salad.

 

Roy had a burger and Ryan went for the turkey meatloaf sandwich with cheddar and onions and sweet potato fries.  

Service is very pleasant but leisurely, so relax and enjoy a mini  vacation down south.

FRIDAY: On our last day of judging, hot and hungry, we spotted something going on in a yard behind an old mansion. There were some picnic tables, some planters filled with flowers and a menu written in chalk on a piece of blackboard.  

Further investigation revealed this is a brand new sandwich shop called Bread Love.  It consists of a charming food store in an old garage.

The staff is friendly and offers fresh salads and other prepared food.  They will also whip up tasty grilled cheese or turkey sandwiches for take-out or to be consumed outside at picnic tables under the magnolia tree.  

Coffee and tempting baked goods are also specialties.  While we were there moms came by with small kids who liked the food but especially enjoyed the outdoor playtime. 

After lunch the owner, Lloyd, came over and told us that the mansion used to be the original Brooklyn borough hall before the current one downtown replaced it. While we were mulling over that amazing fact, he took our picture to immortalize both our memorable trip to Bread Love and our happy two weeks together as co-workers exploring the riches of Brooklyn.

The crew from left to right: Jeanne Rostaing, judge; Roy Martin, Million Trees NYC; Ryan Watson, driver/farmer; Susan Steinbrock, judge

Thanks to our benevolent bosses at GreenBridge: Robin Simmen, and Nina Browne and  to our colleague Maureen O’Brien.  Also a nod of gratitude to Borough President Marty Markowitz and the Brooklyn Community Foundation for their continued support of the Greenest Block in Brooklyn Contest.