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.
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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.
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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.
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La Boulangerie

Authentic French boulangerie where the baguette is warm and crunch outside and soft inside. Owned by a Frenchman, the newish Forest Hills spot brings breads, pastries and some savories to this carb starved hamlet. Prices are reasonable @ $2.50 for a baguette this good and warm. A madeline $1 is lemony and add a little fresh preserves kept at wooden farmhouse table is pretty perfect. Only downside to this spot is lack of a loo. Otherwise.......
MUST GO!

Parm

Parm the quintessential NY description of eggplant, chicken or meatball parmigiana satisfies with old school recipes revisited. The setting a lunch counter with wallpaper reminicent of grandma's kitchen is small, and the tunes like Volare and When the Moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie take you back. If you come early before 6 you will likely get a table, after that name on a list. I came early and sat at the counter. I ordered the garlic knots, baked clams, eggplant parm platter with Sunday salad. The baked clams are simply divine sauce meant to dip and slurp. Garlic knots are light a little sweet, heavy on the garlic and delish. Eggplant was dry sitting under the broiler way too long where it should have been moist with sauce and cheese like Monte's meatballs and polenta. Sunday salad was authentic with ice-berg, California olives, peppers and a good vinaigrette. Fun spot to relive memories.
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Monte's

The resurrected Monte's in a spot also resurrected by time moves into an updated Italian menu. A wood fired oven is the centerpiece and churns out high quality delicious pies. Renovated and reopened it drew quite a crowd on a Saturday night. Meatballs over polenta cooked in the oven satisfies with a hearty sauce and high quality mozzarella ($9) The special pie of escarole, sausage and mozzarella hot out of the oven was pizza perfection. Charred with al dente escarole it had a magnificent flavor reminicent of Zero Otto Noves pies. Thicker not paper thin, lots of flavor.($17) Larger pies called metros are big enough for a family to share. Mighty fine!
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Frasers Bake Shop

Open since 1902, this old school bakery treasure from old Yorkville sits on 1st Ave. near 87St. I am drawn in by it's goods and knowing that I have discovered a remnant of things past. The enormus oven(coal) speaks to the rustic quality of some of the baked goods. Challah looks bandmade and slighly charred on top. Originally a bread bakery when opened they expanded to cakes and pastries. All looked lovely. I went with some classics- black and white cookie, peecan danish, cheese danish, chocolate cupcake($1.25). The danishes which were properly darkly daked and properly delicious. Must get a challah next time.
MUST GO!

Ai Fiori

High end, hotel restaurant in the newish Setai Hotel on 5th Ave. and 37th St. Large dining room on second floor overlooking less glamarous 5th. Ave. The lunch on Saturday boasts all sections of the menu at megawatt prices. We were seated at a four top and enjoyed the moment. A Fisher amber from the Alsace comes in a pretty bottle and is tasty. Ai Fiori has an extensive wine list as well. My friend and I shared two pastas. A Ligurian crustacean of seafood finely added over black squid pasta. The other dish was a tortelli(large ravioli) with ricotta and a sauce of marscapone and a red wine glaze. Total cost of the small plate pastas was close to $50. They were fine, dishes- the seafood pasta ligtly creamy and delicate pieces of scallop and sepia. The tortelli(pictured) glistened and also was mighty fine. For dessert a chocolate caramel(chemuex) with vanilla ice-cream was a divinely decadent finish to a pricey albeit tasty meal.
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