Giovanni's Brooklyn Eats

A winner of a corner spot where the best of old school Brooklyn Italian meets it's more updated cousin. The menu here is so varied it would be hard not to find something you like. I picked a new and old school choice. Bread is tasty with their own olive oil. I ordered an arugula salad ($6.95) to accompany my main, which sadly arrived first. Service here is a little on the confused side. Next up was the main, veal cutlet parmigiana with a side of spaghetti($14) The side was $3 extra which was still reasonable for the quality of food. The arugula salad with slight lemon undertones and generous parmesan was good not as good as Co. or other ones I have tried. The veal parm. on the other hand, so satisfied my longing for a favorite longtime dish. Perfectly crisped veal and cheese lovingly melted under the flatttop. The spaghetti, perfectly cooked aldente with a killer sauce. Will return for the veal parm. A lunch of $9.95 for two courses till 4PM is a quite a good value. GO!

Cafe Frida

With a view of the Museum of Natural History, Cafe Frieda has a prime location and some upscale eats. They have a wide variety of salsas to sample and I went with three for $3. The dissapointing part of the salsas is the non-housemade chips. This spot features upmarket Mexican street food and while the salsas were all good, they would have been made better with house fried chips. The main on the other hand, a salmon flavored with achiote and bitter orange for $22 hit the mark. The salmon was served in a banana leaf with chipotle mashed plantains. Here's the zing. Perfectly cooked salmon with mega flavor set off by the sweet/spicy plantain mash. After this early meal along came strollers and screaming children. Also, the service was inattentive and rushed at the end of the meal. SLOWGO!

Capizzi

Across from the bowels of Port Authority, Capizzi is an Italian owned and operated pizza restaurant with a wood burning oven. The owners are from Staten Island run La Bella there. The wood fired oven creates a searingly hot and delicious pie- period! The restaurant is decorated with vintage goodies like an old tv, working refrigerator and a picture of the I love Lucy crew in the bathroom. It is an adorably decorated place. The pizza is perfection! The margharita comes out of the oven dark not charred. Crust has a little chew, lovely mozzarella, sublime sauce and pieces of fresh basil. Love this pizza! MUST GO!

Forcella

The "Montonarra" or deep fried pizza is the draw here and it is delicious. Forcella has won accolades in a pizza saturated town. Starting with a wonderful eggplant(melanzane) appetizer you can see the love in the food. The sauce here is so fresh and simple yet so delicious. The accancino(rice and potato balls) are also good. The star is the deep fried pizza. Frying the dough adds a sweetness, much like a zeppole and with the five star sauce is soooo super tasty. Reasonably priced at $10 you could splurge a little at this Bowery joint. GO!

Sarabet's Tribecca

AMERICANA meets Tribecca at this Sarabeth outpost. The redone Bazzini space is a treat to eat in. Like a modern country inn Tribecca style. The breakfast/brunch here is pure American goodness. Hot chocolate was a suprise hit- rich and dark w/ some whipped creme. French toast was standard good fare. My buttermilk pancakes were not dark as ordered, but pretty on the plate with extra butter and warmed syrup. Fresh donuts with Sarabeth's jam of course, were not as good as the Bowery diner, but added some homespun goodness. The space here does trump the food. GO!

Pequena

This little, cute spot in Fort Greene beckoned on a beautiful day, with their front Florida like room. I was suprised with house made chips and pico de gallo. For lunch there is good selection of specials under $10. I went with a stuffed poblano with cheese and rice and beans. An order of guacamole at lunch is $1.50. The food was fresh, uber tasty and the spot was nice respite in Fort Greene. Definitely a place to return for some good grub.
GO!

Beso

Away from the brunch madness of Madhattan is Beso, close to the ferry in St. George. A recluse of stucco and decorative fireplace. There is a guitar player playing for the $19.95 brunch. Sangria, mimosa or bloody mary is included. Nice bread with garlicky oil and large, tasty Spanish olives. I went with the salad to start. Fresh greens nicely tossed with sherry vinaigrette. The main of salmon with avocado mousse and tequila with saffron rice was delicious. A tres leches cake with maccerated fruit topped off this sedate and seductive brunch.
GO!

Bowery Diner

Upmarket diners are a source of comfort to new fangled New Yorkers seeking better Americana chow. Like the Comfort Diner of yore and "The Diner" on 14th St. to the defunt MWells(Canadian American) upmarket diners offer retro and delicous comfort. Bowery Diner attempts this and accomplishes it somewhat. Retro decor, milkshake machine whirring away, lovely housemade donuts displayed all point to good food. I started with a clam chowder($7) which I later sent back. The expectation of a creamy chowder with potatoes and bacon was met with watery clam broth, overcooked carrots, not potatoes and no flavor. The fried chicken with apple pancake($19) redeemed itself as did the MAC'in mac & cheese($8) The fried chicken which was fried to order was splendid balanced by the sweet apple pancake(fritter) Mac and cheese with it's multi cheesed cheesy crust was delish. Donuts which are $2.50 each are spot on- orange blossom with a lime glaze and chocolate topped are tops. The toilet I used had no paper and one stall was closed- not cute.
SLOW GO!

WhiteHall

Modern British fare done splendidly in a long narrow Village space. We started with oysters Kilpatrick- oysters in bacon & Wostershire sauce. Also the Whitehall salad with minced onions, poached egg, and pear vinaigrette was a crowd pleaser. House baked Parker house rolls with butter are homey-goodness. My pork chop with minced apples in hard cider was perfectly cooked, salted to perfection. A butterscotch pudding shot at the end the meal so satisfied. Total for two with a gin drink- $108 and worth every nickel.
Must Go!

Coffee Shop

How can this spot once the highest grossing restaurant on the isle Manhattan still be around? It is old school glam- like being transported to Miami without leaving the island. Is the food amazing? No! Is it good enough? Yes? Feel like you are part of a scene and be served by models and model wannabe's. A Brazilian/Latin twist to the food is what's on the menu. A seafood with lime was quite good with a rich broth, lots of seafood and a little hollandaisish sauce on top. Quesadilla of the day- grilled chicken was meager on the chicken, but served with guacamole and sour cream was tasty.
GO once!

The Castello Plan

Clever Costello on Cortelyou Road. A gem of a little spot with a side outdoor space. Under-hyped for the fab fine fare featured. Grapefruit with honey and sea salt is so simple and so delectable. The grilled fontina cheese sandwich with Serrano ham is nothing short of amazing. Perfectly grilled goey fontina on country bread. This grilled cheese is a home run. A side salad of baby greens, cukes, & tomatoes is a perfect compliment. Cheese comes from Murray's the waiter proudly states. Can't wait to return for this killer sandwich and more.
MUST GO!

La Palina

While Parm seeks to recreate "old school" " red sauce" Italian, La Palina has been serving it since 1930. A dining room that is packed with big tables and comfortable chairs that look the same since dining here with my family as a child. The spot and it's food is reminicent of other beloved joints like "Carolinas" in Coney Island with good food and great local bread. The bread comes with cold butter and garlic bread. This bread is authentic and delicous and something about cold butter on fresh bread. Good garlic bread with garlic and parsley. Went with baked clams and escarole soup to start. Baked clams were spot on 7 for $8 and so tasty. Escarole soup with al dente escarole was soothing. Best pasta was the simple spaghetti and tomato sauce whose tomato sauce tasted exactly as it had when I was a kid. Full of tomato bits, same great flavor- loved it. Chianti added a little Italian flavor to this classic "old school" joint.
GO!