Coffee Shop

On the eve of the impending storm- Sandy, I ate at Coffee Shop. Disasters in NY tend to bring out an odd collection of locals looking for a momentary thrill, before oncoming uncertainty. coffee Shop holds memories of the 80's in all it's glory. The apathetic modelesque servers, the booths and banquettes are all retro fun. The Brazilian/Latin influenced food is a hit or miss and that night it was a big hit. The roast chicken dinner $15.95 took twenty minutes to come out, but when it did it was a thing of beauty. Roast perfectly, darkly with yellow rice, red beans and big pieces of well cooked sweet plantains(maduros). The resulting meal offered comfort on a night most of us needed it. The really should renovate those black, club-club like cubicles called the ladies room Coffee Shop was once-upon a time the highest grossing restaurant in Manhattan and they could well affford it. GO!

Brooklyn Central

There is a "pizza party" at Brooklyn Central on 5th Ave. where the "old school" meets the "new school" in a perfect marriage of flavor. The menu at Brooklyn Central offers traditional pizzas with imported ingredients or "new fangled" pizzas with local ingredients. Friendly service offers delicious "wood fired" Neapolitan pies which are pillowy and slightly charred. I started with a kale salad with candied pecans and citrus with some parmesan($9). The salad was fresh, and flavorful offering a tasty tease before the main event. The Colony pie(pictured) is a new school pie. Tomatoes, local mozzarella, local pepperoni, pickled chilies and honey($15). Amazing, pillowy pie, porkly, spicy and balanced with the sweetness of the honey. The menu here is very well thought out and offers something for everyone. GO! GO!

Maison Harlem

Fantastic French newcomer to Harlem. This corner spot exudes charm in a killer space with a colored windowed pane kitchen. The food here is amazing. Hot, house baked bread with butter is served. Addictive hot bread is the perfect complement to the meal. I stuck with a mushroom theme- cream of mushroom soup(soup of the day) and mushroom risotto. The soup was spot on- and a little bread- a hearty starter. The mushroom risotto with veggies and cheese finished with a balsamic glaze was so unusually delicious- unlike Italian risotto- a wicked flavor. Total- $25. Alot, of inventive desserts are on the menu as well like a pina/colada cake- there will be a next time. GO! GO! Uptown baby!

Tavola

Tavola opened in the Manganarro's Grosseria Itlaliana spot. The signage and old fans are amazing. That is were the amazement ends. The menu here is a bit run of the mill with a lovely pizza oven that unfortunately both undercooked and overcooked my calzone more on that later. My appetizer of pasta fagioli was hearty with nice veggies and al dente pasta plus pancetta- very good. The calzone which I ordered after seeing my table neighbors perfectly cooked version and hearing of the soppresata inside I changed my order to. My calzone big and undercooked arrived sadly. I sad put it back for a second. Big mistake it came out charred and not in a good way. Portions of pasta looked small and the service here was amatuerish. Better off going to Capizzi- Tavola is a... SLOW GO!

The Americano

The Americano is the hotel restaurant of the same name. It is a sleek, spacious and modern room with outstanding service. We went for breakfast and the room was half-full with mostly hotel guests. The joy of eating here is the amazing Latin inspired food with soft Brazilian music piped in and the gracious service. I went with the Huevos Mexicanos and LaColombe coffee. The sweets here are all baked in-house and the croissant was eggy, soft perfection. My huevos were a deconstructed eggs with onions and tomatoes with lovely refried beans, fresh avocado and green salsa with tortillas. A masterful dish, so simple yet paired with the coffee so delcious. A smoothie with peach, coconut and banana was the perfect tropical accompaniment. My father's organic eggs(pictured) also showed deft kitchen skill in their simplicity. Overall, a great spot for breakfast. We hear brunch has a live bossa nova band and would love to return for that. GO! GO!

David's Brisket House

The new outpost of the Bed-Stuy original. I always wanted to try David's and since I was headed out to BayRidge- why not. It is a sparse and generally unwelcoming space. The counterman gave me a taste of pastrami and brisket. The pastrami was good, but lacked oomph. The brisket, moist, and slightly fatty was a definite yes. I went with the brisket on rye and a side of potato salad. They give you a side of jus to eat with the sandwich. The potato salad was very homey and tasty. Pickles were out of a jar. My only complaint was that the other counterman did not want to serve me tap water until I insisted. A spot like this needs a pitcher- you can't force folks to buy a drink. SLOW GO!