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!

Battersby

Battersby was voted one of Bon Appetit magazine's ten best restaurants in America. Is it? Well it certainly is an eclectic albeit eccentric addition to one of new Brooklyn's original food strips- Smith St. Battersby takes no reservations and about half an hour after opening it is full. I sat at the bar in the corner which was fine. The bartender was attentive much different from my Happy Hour nosh at Ed's Chowder House. A crostini with chicken liver and a sliver of a mushroom arrives first- tasty. The rosemary flatbread with seasalt and accompanied by housemade ricotta is amazing. I went with the chowder. Smoked bacon, peeky-toe crab, and corn adorn this smoky, delicious chowder. Potatoes were slightly overcooked within the chowder. I also ordered a half wheat beer on draft which made me happy. For the main, I went with the green ravioli with earthy vegetables in a lemony brown butter sauce- delish. Finishing my meal with a banana-lime tart with dulce de leche and housemade whipped cream from an upstate creamery. Quite good though for such an eccentric meal, I would have preferred a more rustic finish. Total- $50 GO! GO!

Speedy Romeo

Speedy Romeo is on a new "Brooklyn Food Strip" on burgeoning Classon Ave close to the Classon Ave train station. It is a large corner spot in what used to be a garage. The light bright spot sports an open kitchen and has that hipster vibe one expects in this corner of Brooklyn. The brunch hosts breakfast and lunch foods which is great. I started with the butternut squash soup finished with creme fraiche and hazelnuts for $10. This was a stellar soup- rich and delicious. The pizzas which Speedy Romeo is known for is what I opted for. The Casey Moore($14) promised baked clams, spinach, and bechamel, plus tarragon. While the brick oven baked pizza was perfectly cooked and mega tasty- I was expecting clams with breadcrumbs and garlic. Otherwise, a nice Brooklyn spot. GO!

Ed's Chowder House

Ed's Chowder House is a pricey albeit fancy Lincoln Center Fish House. The views of Lincoln Center from it's second floor location are quite pretty. The "happy hour" daily offers budget conscious folks the chance to sample the chow at a bargain. Dollar littlenecks(pictured) are fresh and good. A sandwich of tuna with spicy aoili plus some NE chowder added on for $3.50 was a tasty light bite. The chowder is fine and creamy lacking the big potatoes of my fave at Extra Fancy in Brooklyn, but still quite good. Rolls and cornbread served are quite delish. The bar stools are cushioney and the views priceless. GO!

Felidia

Felidia's $29.50 weekday lunch is a genuine bargain for this level of food. In an elegant townhouse on the Upper East Side in what was once the premier dining destination. The prix fixe lunch includes an appetizer, entree and dessert. The food here is ever evolving high end cuisine and every dish speaks volumes. Bread arrives with two rolls stuck in like lollipops ala Donatella & Burke. A raw pesto and cannelini beans is a tasty accompaniment. When I asked for sea salt it arrived promptly in a cute little bottle. Lots of servers answer your every dining whim. My appetizer of Maine Diver sea scallops in a fava bean puree was quite good. Even better was my friend's tagliatelle with beef, veal and pork ragu plated tableside and perfectly aldente, rich, complex and meaty. A good bottled beer selection and we went with the Lagunita which was very good. The salmon entree with mustard sauce was also quite good, but the grilled seafood($15 supplement) was quite astounding. Grilled lobster, shrimp, scallops, and razor clams with parmigiana had a Clams Casino flavor- this is a stellar dish. We finished with a palinchinko(Eastern European pancake) and housemade gelato with chocolate sauce. Best palinchinko I have ever tried and lucscious vanilla and strawberry gelato and rich chocolate sauce. Brava Felidia! GO! GO!

Tomasso's

Tomasso's is an uber charming old school restaurant in a formerly Itlalian restaurant heavy section of Brooklyn. Filled with family photos and momentos, Tomosso's makes you feel right at home. A piano and an opera singer add a lovely, nostalgic feel to the spot. The bread comes with lovely pesto and an arancini(rice ball) which was good. There is a three-course $27 prix fixe meal that includes an appetizer, entree and dessert. The appetizer I chose- stuffed artichoke was unavailable so I went with baked clams which were standard. The main of lasagna was an over-cooked mess with Polly-O tasting ricotta. The dessert of Italian cheesecake dusted with powdered sugar was a better choice and quite good. SLOW GO!

Acme

The old Acme was a favorite of ours in the 80's and 90's with it;s honkey tomk decor and walls lined with hot sauce from all over the country. The new Acme is a highly touted Scandanavian restaurant and rightly so. Went for brunch and it was pretty amazing. The bread pudding pancake pictured with diced rhubarb and raw maple syrup was dark and delectable having the consistency of a potato pancake. The baked eggs that my dad ordered arrived in a cast iron skillet with slab bacon. We both had the rhubarb, blood orange and watermelon juice a creative combo. Overall, the food here is inventive, and uber tasty. Not cheap, but worth it. GO!

Sapori

A lovely neigborhood spot in Murray Hill. Best part is the Roman style garden in back. Solid Italian with great pizzas. We went with the spaghetti and clams in red sauce and the risotto special. The clams with red sauce were reasonable, but underseasoned. The special risotto with rock shrimp in a pink sauce really rocked out with toms of flavor. It took awhile for the bread and white bean dip to arrive. Nice alfreso dining if you are in the mood for Italian. Go!