Rachels and Chela changed places in a magic act. Go to 408 5th AV for the shazam

Tex Mex Rachel's was exceedingly casual but the Tex Mex food overlapped with their Tortilla house a few doors away..so they did the Abracadabra Mexican-style and moved on up.to classic upscale but affordable   Superb Duck Mole with pomegranate ....and wines less Frat house jug like than the Rachel's choices .... and more carefully chosen.  And the Margaritas have had an upgrade as well. An amuse bouche chicken soup in a small cup packed  a kick.  Supreme guacamole  and salsa with warm double layered chips.The tricks extend to the decor with Rachel's skeleton but after it bulked up on style . Earnest and cordial staff who all seemed to be as glad to be there as we were. Hola!
Chela !

Guac and salsa and warm chips

rice and beans

Duck mole

Veg enchilada

CECCONI's Dumbo NY; Proof of life

Outdoor seating with skyline view

 The walk here was worth it. After Sandy, Dumbo was in pain. I hadn't been there since the merry-go- round had revived. The maitre d
at River Cafe escorted us for a look at their better than ever dining room. Vinegar Hill had landed with an elegant off shoot at 55 Water that was part of several embellishments to the river front park's fortress.
             THE NEW OPPORTUNITY WE VISITED MIGHT HAVE BEEN NAMED FOR AN ITALIAN SOCCER STAR (JUST A GUESS). CECCONI WAS BOOKED BUT AFTER A WAIT AT THE BAR WE WERE SEATED.  THE LENTIL SOUP WAS LACKING A GARNISH BUT JEANNE LOVED IT .WITH A GLASS OF GAVI IN HAND WE ORDERED THE DIP AND THE DIPPERS....RADISH/CARROT/CELERY.  THEN HEIRLOOMS AND CREAMY BURRATA. LOBSTER AND SPAGHETTI  WAS MEATY AND THE PASTA WAS AL DENTE.

merry go round

Pizza oven and show

Vinegar Hill House has an annex next also in 55
Water st/Empire Stores

Heirloom tomatoes  and burrata

Lobster and spaghetti

Le French Tart . 579 5 av Park Slope(16 st)

New for fresh made Chips and Croissant and crepe and omelettes and baguettes and French groceries
and sandwiches and salads and AND...
      My friend Frank and my Francophiles and my Frankophiles will love this Parisian Cafe. When Sophie at 5 went to France I asked her how it was..."They have a lot of Eiffel Towers there!" she exclaimed. They do here as well little metal ones on each table . AND they have treats everywhere.
Bonjour Le Tart...welcome to the Slope. Abiento!

LADY'S 572 Fulton St

Downtown Brooklyn once meant Juniors. It still means Juniors but also BAM. And now it means Lady's . Across from the Harvey and up from a grand food court there is now a place to complete the theatre and dinner...

or  Movie and Brunch goal.  

As a child the Million Dollar movie introduced me to stylish restaurants that looked so different from Himrod street I came to think those hazy dreamy places became Voisin and Luchows .

But now there is an update: Lady's.  Grand open kitchen and comfortable spacious seating

and pro wait service from thoughtful people like Ashanti. And the menu brings more likes from  varied guests than I usually encounter.  The food itself rang pleasure bells.

1. The crispy cheesy roasted potatoes were irresistible.
2. The cavatelli scored a 10
3. Agnalotti were ricotta stuffed pillows in an asparagus pesto and olive gush. 
4. The margharita pizza was ...even for BK outstanding ...especially the crust thin and fried and maybe with kind of an olive oil fried fluff without being fried ...but airy....oh try it.
5. The allagash draft and erbaluce white were also favored.

crispy cheesy potatoes with rosemary

cavatelli

agnalotti

Indian Table 234 Court St Brooklyn ....Cobble Hill

There are many Indian restaurants in Brooklyn that never seem to have more than one table filled.
SO it was encouraging to see the swarm of customers filling seats between 7 and 720 on a Friday.
The food explained the action. Beet croquettes lacked grease and were loaded with flowery spices.
Kerala Shrimp in a tomato based sauce had the perfect chew and the spicy veg subzi was a a hot and flavorful thrill. Roti was better than most.   BYOB for now.  BYOS (bring your own self) Now.

Beet Croquette

Kerala Shrimp

Sookhi  Subzi

Roti

Fork in Philly

There are 2 kinds of friendly restaurants....those where staff are trained to be friendly and those where they hire friendly people. This is the latter. And what they are cooking here ain't bad either. In fact the decor and food are beyond appealing. A highlight of a great weekend in Philadelphia.
       The winter salad and celery root baked and soaked with bitter greens...grapefruit sorbet. All taste and eye appealing.



A word for BING BING DIM SUM one passyunk ave...great soup and veggie dumplings.

Celery root

IPIC in the South Street Seaport

Head east on Fulton till you come to this theatre with recliners and lobster rolls and paninis...drinks soft and hard...and for us Hidden Figures a great movie for Jan 20. I even liked the art work which readers of my blog will appreciate.

Surfish...park slope 5th&5th SURPRISE/REPRISE

When Sunfish first opened several years ago we began enjoying a Peruvian variety of tastes presented by Chef Miguel ...a Chopped TV competitor and winner. He was the key to understanding the restaurant name...a combination of his two loves :surfing and fish. Then with a new larger location in the South Slope they closed.  The S Slope location is still cookin' but without interest in why, the original has reopened better than ever.   Clam curry,short ribs (above the surf and above excellent), hamachi, salmon and tacos. For dessert shaved ice with passion fruit,berries and cream (OMG!).
                   For warmer weather there is a garden, but in the winter the cozy interior will surf-ice. Welcome back friends.

POLLO  Stirfry

Ribs

Salmon

Tacos  ...special request Veggie version