ESME 999 MANHATTAN AVE. GREENPOINT BK

THE IMPORTANT TOAST

BREWERY

CLAMS

VEGGIE BURGER

Tutt Appost 289 5th AV .....PARK SLOPE

It has been awhile since I have blogged about restaurants. Not much eating out. Too many great restaurants closing. Too many people out of work. But new restaurants are emerging. And i have been waiting for one that revives the longing to tell all to all. 

I HAVE FOUND SUCH A PLACE.  THEY CALL THEMSELVES A RESTAURANT AND PIZZA BAR. CONFESSION: i didn't have pizza . I did have a tasty tangy beet salad  (Barbabietole) and  the best 

lasagna  I have had for 50 years.  The white Fiano wine was new to me , but we are now friends. This had been a fine place that also made crafty pizzas called Gristmill. I hope the GRISTMILLERS 

are well. They left their hut shaped oven. I hope to return soon to begin sampling the pizzas.

 

LEFT:The back room tent stacked with fire wood for the pizza oven.

Right The LASAGNA (half which i am going to eat now)

UPDATE : LAST WEEK WE RETURNED AND ORDERED A PIE. NOT ALL GREAT PIZZA IS ALIKE. THIS ONE HAD A UNIQUELY CRISPY CRUST AND A SAUCE THAT WOVE OREGANO AND BASIL AND VIRGIN OLIVE OIL TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT MADE YOU THINK"AHHHHH".

SEE TOP PHOTO

LE JARDINIER 610 LEXINGTON AVE

OUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY AND THE BEST RESTAURANT FOR IT(THANKS TO PHOEBE AND JONATHAN FOR SUGGESTING).
         SPACIOUS WELL LIT... AND FOOD INSURED AGAINST ANYTHING BUT LOVE.
I LOVED THAT THE WHITE WINE I CHOSE SHARES ITS NAME WITH JEANNE...ROSTAING. SOME OF HER ROOTS ARE IN FRANCE...COTE DE ROTIE? MAYBE. THOUGH I DOUBT THEY ARE HER VINES.

JEANNE SAID EVERY MEMBER OF THE STAFF WAS
AMAZING

BEETS

MOUSSE W DARK CHOCOLATE
CRISP

LOBSTER

A KEY LIME SURPRISE

EVEN COFFEE TEA WERE SERVED IN CUPS
DESIGNED TO PLEASE
(CUP-WITHIN-A -CUP)

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
WITH TOMATILLOS AND
SUNFLOWER SEEDS AND CURRY

HAPPY

HOEK PIZZA...117 FERRIS ST RED HOOK

EVERYONE IN NYC HAS THE BEST PLACE NYC PLACE FOR PIZZA...EXCEPT FOR ED LEVINE, THE FOOD WRITER, WHO SENDS YOU TO SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA(I HAVE TRIED IT . AND ASIDE FROM THE 2 HOUR WAIT IT WAS GOOD).  BUT YOU PROBABLY WONT NEED TO WAIT...YET...FOR HOEK, DUTCH FOR HOOK.
               AND YOU WILL HAVE GREAT ROMAN PIZZA INTRODUCED TO US BY SUSAN AND DAVID. SECOND TRIP TO THIS REMOTE/CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE (THINK PRIVATE STATUE OF LIBERTY AND MANHATTAN SKYLINE VIEW ) WAS WITH  TIM AND ANA . UPON ENTERING WE GREETED ANNA THE PROPRIETOR(WHOM I KNOW FROM OTHER WORLDS) AND BEGAN TALKING ABOUT WHAT A GREAT PLACE FOR A PARTY...AND SAID HI TO RESTAURATEUR ANDREA(REMEMBER THE WONDERFUL VAH BEH?) . 

        THE PIZZA IS PIE-LICIOUS...WHETHER THE MARGARITA OR THE TRUFFLE/HAM . OR THE WHITE  ZUCCHINI

WOOD BURNING OVEN

ZUCHINI...ALL SPECIAL THE POLISH /ITALIAN TIRAMISU WAS A ROYAL JOY.   BONUS ALERT : A FEW BLOCKS AWAY IS SUNNY'S ...A MARITIME BAR WITH A 9PM SAT BLUE GRASS JAM. STANDING ROOM VIEW OF A WEEKLY FEST.

IL PORTO...RISTORANTE&BRICK OVEN PIZZA

THEY HAVE BEEN AT 37 WASHINGTON AVE FOR 11 YEARS AND NOW TEY ARE ALSO NEAR TE NEW WEGMANS. OUR FIRST VISIT WAS AN IMPULSE . LAST NIGHT. A GOOD IMPULSE. CAVERN LIKE SETTING WITH WINDOWS AND A NAVY YARD NEIGHBOR.

BELLA DONNA

AND THEN WE FOUND THERE WOULD BE MUSIC   BY Charlie APPICELLA'S IRON CITY AND JAZZ  STYLINGS  BY MAYRA CASALES  [THURS, FRI,SAT].
DARK AND TASTY BAKED CLAMS...A VARIETY OF PIZZAS....

AND CAPER OLIVE AND CHERRY TOMATOES

CREATED A KIND OF PUTTANESCA.

MURAL LOOKS LIKE IT REMAINS FROM IN EARLIER TIME

 

INSALATA DI POMODORO

insalata di pomodoro

spagehetti bella donna

TIKKA ARRIVES ON 5TH AVE IN PARK SLOPE

 HOW GREAT ,WE THOUGHT ,A NEW INDIAN RESTAURANT IN PARK SLOPE. WITH MAUREEN AND TIM WE ORDERED TAKE OUT FROM MASALA . IT WAS GOOD....THEN GONE. FAST. WE WORRIED FOR OUR NEW NEIGHBORS. MYSTERY.
                       WEEKS LATER THE SIGN IS SWITCHED: TIKKA. GARDEN  SEATING IN BACK. BUT ON OUR FIRST HOT NIGHT, TIKKA DINING WAS ATTRACTIVELY COOL....
AND THE FOOD WAS JUST RIGHT. FOR JEANNE... ALOO GOBI WITH POTATOES AND CAULIFLOWER. CRUNCHY COCONUT SHRIMP AND JUST SO PEPPER CHICKEN.
WE TRIED PARATHA WITH MANGO CHUTNEY TOO.   SLOPE RESTAURANT WORLD IS LIKE A 3 RING CIRCUS OF FOODS. THERE Are RINGMASTERS WHO REMAIN  RELIABLE RING

MASTERS LIKE STONE PARK BUT YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE THREE RINGS FOR THE NEXT ACTS.  HERE COME THE CLOWNS AND THE JUGGLERS AND THE HOOP LEAPING TIGERS.....AND HEY GANG NOW THE  TINGLY TASTY TIKKA !

NORTH=ALOO GOBI   SOUTH= PEPPER CHICKEN

COCONUT SHRIMP

GARGIULO'S OF CONEY ISLAND . 2911 W 15ST

 The last time I saw my friend Teddy Gargiulo it was 1964. I have been in Coney since but food came via Nathans or Totono's Pizza. This walk on the boardwalk brought us to the place Teddy's
family once owned. The new owner said a member of that family had recently been in.
For us, this visit was a perfect end to a Brighton and Coney boardwalk hike.





The Caesar salad was just right for sharing and Jeanne enjoyed her Ravioli. The 2 and1/2 lb lobster I had could have been shared by a family,but mine was not with us...so...all gone. and no red sauce on my shirt.


Bib free without disgrace. Desert offers included Spumoni and Tartuffo and Cannoli but we opted for the Tortoni in a paper accordion folded cup with the almond crust...as part of the time travel experience. Jerry was the waiter and he was a cross between my HS friend Angelo and the finest
full fledged waiter.

Lobster Fra Diavolo with Penne

Smith and 9st Bklyn F train to Coney