Blue Ribbon Brasserie (250 5th Ave., Brooklyn)

Continuing my food-filled weekend, I ventured out to Park Slope last week to test out the seafood mecca Blue Ribbon Brasserie. It was a busy Saturday night, so we knew we were in for a wait. Luckily, we know the bartender & managed to snag some primo seats at the bar pretty quickly. There were 5 of us, so we decided to just order a bunch of stuff & share.

We started with 18 oysters & half a chilled lobster. Having already begun to stuff our collective faces before I remembered my camera, this picture really doesn't do the plate justice. I preferred the East coast oysters (the name escapes me) & I'm not much of a lobster man, but I did manage to beat the rush & get to the delicious claw meat before the vultures descended.

Next up was the Escargot; they did not last very long. Extremely tasty & slathered in garlic, oil & parsley, we eagerly mopped up every last bit with the country bread that accompanied the dish.


We moved onto some Steak Tartare which was good, but nothing to write home about. I'm a bit biased here as I'm not a big fan of egg yolk (raw, cooked, whatever) & the yolk was already mixed into the tartare. The cross-cut chips were very good as well.

Pierogies were next on the menu. Half were steamed, the others were fried, I couldn't decide which of the two I preferred, but they were good, nothing special.

Which happily brings me to the final entrée that we ordered, a massive 40 oz. Black Angus steak:

Served with Mash & sautéed spinach, I had to do a double take... We basically picked the thing clean to the bone, it was that good. Blue Ribbon is best known for it's seafood, but this steak was to die for! Bravo!

Just when I thought I possible couldn't eat more, out came dessert, Chocolate Bruno. This rich, flourless cake was served with 3 flavors of ice cream & drizzled with chocolate syrup. Heaven on a plate!




We finished this excellent meal with shots (probably not a good idea considering how much we had to drink already). Dining at Blue Ribbon was an amazing experience, check it out for yourself!

Cafe Moto (394 Broadway, Brooklyn)

Nestled under the elevated J/M train in south Billyburg is a real gem; Cafe Moto. With an Unassuming exterior, you'd barely notice the place unless you were looking for it. Upon opening the doors, you're greeted with a triangular shaped dining room, a 'mini-horseshoe' bar & most likely, some live music. The dining area has tables lining each side of the 'triangle' leading to a well stocked bar.

Myself, Dan & Christie (who manages the joint) turned up around 11:15 last night & the place was jumping. It's a bit cramped if you ask me, but regulars to the blog will know that like Larry Craig, I have a 'wide stance' & I like my space when I eat. As we were with Christie, we got seated immediately at the front of the join, right by the 4-piece band who rocked.

We decided to share the starters; 'Deviled Eggs' (not sure what it was actually called, it's a hard boiled egg, minus the yolk & stuffed with tuna & anchovies, yum!), Artichoke w/dipping sauce, Fondue (I forget the cheeses in this dish as I had been drinking since 4) & the special of the night; a spicy Shrimp & Calamari Curry.

Wow! What a start, I really enjoyed each dish particularly the fondue & the eggs. We had to ask for more bread as we eagerly mopped up the rich fondue & the deliciously spicy curry. The artichoke dish really reminded me of my youth, Dad used to make this dish as a treat for us kids.

1 bottle of red (Don Martinho) down & another one (A tasty Chilean Carmenere) open & breathing, we headed onto the main courses. I had the ribs, which were insanely good; juicy & very flavorful. Dan had the chicken, which, I admit was even better (I'll be getting this on my next visit) & Christie had the sea bass. Unfortunately they were out of mashed potatoes which I've heard are excellent, so we got salads with our mains. Dinner was followed up with quite possibly the best dessert I've ever eaten a sponge cake made with dates & smothered in what I can only describe as caramel treacle with crème fraîche on the side.

A heck of a lot of great food & 2 bottles of red later, we left, contented. I really like this spot & although it's out of my normal stomping grounds, I'll be going back to Moto (& getting the chicken).

AOC Bistro, Park Slope

On arrival at 8.30pm, we found a suspiciously quiet restaurant and in true Gallic fashion, it's 2 waiters were standing outside smoking. So far so good. This place might be the real deal.

Instead of the thumping French pop music and heaving crowds others had described, there was only a handful of customers (well, it was Sunday) and they'd taken note and switched the Eurotrash for some sort of dinner jazz compilation. Our waiter sat us at a table for two, prodded us with a couple of large menus and asked us what we'd like to drink. Like other French rip-offs in New York, AOC Bistro on Fifth Avenue has a classic 'French' menu and without even looking at the damn thing, I knew what was going to be on it. Yes, there was French onion soup. Yes, there was onglet and fries with a choice of sauces, and yes, (yawn) there were burgers and salade Nicoise. There were very few things worth a special mention, but the menu did promise some fresh fish, a lobster risotto and a traditional French cassoulet. After a brisk walk from 6th Street in the cold air I thought cassoulet would be just the thing to put the blood back in my cheeks.

I really wanted to find out what the bloke in the kitchen could do and I was intent on testing his mettle so I ordered French onion soup and a herring salad to start, while the wife opted for a chicken salad and the onglet. With the cassoulet, we had all the bases covered.

The herring and potato salad came to our table under a pound of grated carrot and I didn't really see the point. It was not seasoned, it didn't add anything and it just made a mess. Good job then, that the herring was nicely cured with good flavor and some give in the flesh. The dressing was good, and the spuds were, well, spuds. I wasn't sure how to tackle the onion soup, as it's cheesy hat looked like it might be about an inch thick.I needed something to pierce the thing to minimise the risk of spraying the table and my dining companion with boiling onion liquor. A steak knife was the answer, and as I drilled down through the gooey crust the aroma of the sweet onions came up in little puffs. It smelt great, but the sea of earthy richness I was expecting just wasn't there. I think there was about a cup's worth of the soup itself and the rest of the bowl was filled with soggy bread glued together with cheese. Most disappointing. I heard no complaints from the wife about her chicken salad. It was enormous. They could probably serve a salad half the size and it would still be a generous portion. They might even sell more main courses.

Our man rushed over a sizzling steak with fries which looked and smelled brilliant. The meat had a nice dark crust on it, and the wife enthusiastically sliced into it to reveal perfect medium cooked steak. Her fries weren't bad either. My cassoulet tasted pretty good, although I suspect the chunky items in it (garlic sausage, duck confit, smoked pork) were cooked individually and added to the white beans a la moment. There was no trace of a skin (that wonderfully thick skin that forms on a real cassoulet) and the beans looked too much like beans, possibly meaning they'd not been cooked long and slow, but it did taste great as I said. What could go wrong with mixed meats and beans?

Our waiter did a great job of tempting us with the dessert menu and coffee. In the end we gave in to his persuasions, despite full bellies. He waxed lyrical about the tarte tatin, another French classic, and I went with that and nice big coffee, ditto for the lady. What turned up wasn't tarte tatin, it looked more like a soggy apple pie minus the lid. Surely the pastry in tarte tatin should be crisp? Well this wasn't and it had the texture of wet cardboard. Still, it didn't taste too bad and I managed to eat half of it.

Clearly, there's some room for improvement at AOC. The menu is brief, there were no specials on the board on the evening I went in and honestly, if you're going to have a French bistro, you'd better get the basics right. The service was great but the food just wasn't up to scratch. There's far too much competition on 5th Avenue and frankly if you're churning out average meals, you're a goner. I'm disappointed I chanced on a new pretender rather than walked a couple of blocks further and dined in a proper French place.

Wells Ales & Lagers

Shortly after stuffing ourselves silly at Teddy's house (see Adam's previous post), we all headed out to Williamsburg for some much needed liquid refreshment. We were lucky enough to stumble across Wells Ales & Lagers (303 Bedford Ave. @ South 2nd). I could feel my eyes welling up a bit when I looked up & saw the insane selection of beers. I can pretty much guarantee that Teddy, Adam & Mike felt the same. Sitting @ the bar, we asked our knowledgable bartender to basically give use a tasting of his favorite beers.


We drank late into the night & headed across the street to Dumont Burger for some much needed red meat. If you like beer & a re in Billyburg, check out Wells Ales & Lager!

Coney Island! Nathans & More!

I really don't hang out in Brooklyn much at all. I have the ocassional trip out to Park Slope to dine/drink with the boys, but that's about it. I finally decided that it was time to see Coney Island before the 'Evil Machine' tore it all down.



I've been there 3 times in the past 2 weeks to eat, drink & watch the Brooklyn Cyclones. I'm really angry at myself for not having gone long ago.

Coming off of the F train, Nathan's (on the corner of Surf & Stillwell Avenues) looms large. It was very,very foggy the 2nd time we went, giving an eerie feeling.





The Noble Hot Dog has a bad rap in the culinary world. People scoff at it & often make reference to the 'mystery meat' contained within. Nathan's dogs are meant to be some of the best, so I didn't mind waiting in the huge pre-game line, but the service there is atrocious. It took forever to be served, but trust me, it was worth the wait.




There's something uniquely satisfying about finally getting your dog(s) & setting up shop at one of the high tables & putting together all of your condiments. With so much history in this place you just know that the food is going to rock.






The chili dog I ordered was insane - I was in meat heaven (yet, I'm gonna get cheese on that bad boy next time). I've also had the Corn Dog & a regular dog topped in onions & peppers. Yum!

By our third visit, we pretty much had our routine down pat. Jump on the F, eat at Nathan's, then head to Ruby's. Boasting a laid back attitude, killer jukebox, views of the ocean & boardwalk & a 45 foot long bar, Ruby's Old Tyme Bar and Grill (1213 Riegelmann Boardwalk) is my type of bar. Perfect for some pre-game beers. It being the off-season, the place is pretty empty, which is fine by me. Google it & you can see pics of the place during the summer, packed to the gills!

The Brooklyn Cyclones games are a lot of fun. At $14 for the most expensive seat in the house, moderately priced beers & great cheeseburgers (don't eat at the park stalls, go to the outdoor BBQ by section 17), Keyspan Park is a baseball/beer/beef-lover's wet dream!



After the final game we stopped at the restaurant next to Nathan's for beer, dogs & Blue Points. Rock on! I really suggest that you go & hang out in Coney Island before it's completely destroyed by fascist developers.

Restaurant Saul

What can I say about Saul Bolton? The bloke's got it licked.

I'd heard that his restaurant on Smith Street's restaurant row had become a neighbourhood favourite and a few local residents had patronised it at least 4o times. Well that's pretty good PR I'd say. Looking for some goodly portions of delicious food on the Friday before Labor Day, the missus and I thought we'd get off the F train a couple of stops early and see what all the fuss is about. When I discovered that he's trained with some of NYC's greatest (David Bouley at Bouley, Eric Ripert at Le Bernadin) I got a little giddy with excitement. Generating faultless and grand dishes with those boys is bound to have an effect, and I'm glad to say Mr. Bolton had absorbed a lot of their technique and he didn't disappoint.

The surroundings are austere with plainly laid tables, no artwork on the walls, no frills, no fuss. I kind of like that, because a restaurant's decor can sometimes divert one's attention away from the plate and we were here to eat, not sit around in a plush room. We were primed and ready to scan the menu. There were some very tempting appetizer dishes on there too, including a foie gras with rhubarb, a duck confit with grits, sushi-grade hamachi. I opted for the seafood chowder, and the wife went straight for a warm Summer salad of an unknown-to-us grain 'frikh', HOTW mushrooms, fava beans, peas and a poached egg. We ordered and we were immediately given something to think about. Two small dishes were whipped out of the kitchen and onto our table, each with about a cup of intensely green liquid at the bottom. Our waiter said it was cucumber, mint and dill soup, (I believe). And that's exactly what it tasted like. It was chilled, refreshing and so far so good. Onto the starters! My shellfish chowder was a slick concoction of haddock, scallops and smoke lardons, all huddled together and keeping warm in a delicious broth, rich with butter and speckled with finely cut chives. The wife had a twinkle in her eye when her salad showed up, I must say it looked delicious. I couldn't resist the temptation to reach across and steal a mouthful. It had a great texture with some garlic 'chips' in there combining with the peas and barely-cooked egg.

The best was yet to come. The entrees were just as tempting as the appetizers (or entrees???) and I wanted to eat them all: Wild salmon, snapper and bass, steak, squab and rabbit tenderloin. I had spied a rabbit 'en crepinette' on their website's sample menu and I was hoping that was on, but in it's absence I plumped for squab. It turned out to be 'squab of the century'. I just don't know how he cooked the breasts so perfectly but was able to get some very decent colour and crunchiness to the skin. It was the legs that really got me all hot and bothered. They were embellished with a deep brown colour and crackly skin suggesting a very hot roast, and yet the meat beneath that crisp toothsome outer was soft and moistly yielding. I smacked my lips in delight at the gaminess (I must find out where he gets his pigeon) and hastily flagged down the waiter as one might flag down a speeding yellow cab when you're busting for a slash and need to get home, sharpish. "Tell me a secret my friend, how the hell do these legs remain so moist when they're so crispy on the outside?" Within seconds my man was gone, sporting a cheeky grin, and returned with my answer shortly after. "He makes a confit of pigeon leg first, then crisps them up under the grill." Well, of course he does! I was amazed by my own stupidity. The number of times I've reheated D'Artagnan duck confit under a hot grill, with the same results, and I still couldn't work it out. Perhaps the properties of Saul's excellent cellar was starting to have an effect. I was drinking a summery Rose rather too quickly.

Feeling rosy cheeked and full of well being, I was presented with the dessert menu which looked delicious too. I couldn't tell you exactly what was on it, but I do know we ended up with an astonishingly good lemon tart and a really stinky wedge of Valdeon, which we disposed of aided by two sturdy glasses of aged port. You can't have blue cheese without it, right? We were given garlic bread with the Valdeon, which disappointed. I'd have much rather had a club cracker or a nice Digestive biscuit, but it was a finely aged cheese and there was no mistaking it.

We weren’t hurried out or made to feel that we had to do one to make way for the next wave (we could see people were starting to form a line outside) and we were grateful for that. Cradling my new food baby in my arms, I managed to get up out of the chair, slip our excellent waiter a few bob and staggered into the cool night air for a smoke.

I can't wait to go back, not for the decor, not for the desserts but to sample each and every one of Saul's savoury offerings. I think the bloke's got real talent.

Thursday Club 06/28/07

The gang descended on Brooklyn to sample some of Teddy's skills. With enough wine to sink a ship, we were ready to roll.

- Brandade de morue (gratin of salt cod).
- Beetroot & apple salad w/horseradish cream.
- Walnut & mushroom ravioli. morels & black truffle butter.
- Duck confit, bing cherries & truffled duck liver sauce.
- Wine-poached pear with blackberry coulis, bleu d'auvergne shortbread.



The salt cod starter was simply delightful. Salty, creamy & topped with cheese, it was an excellent opening dish.





Now here's where I'm going to have fun. Ever since Teddy's scathing review of my Japanese-inspired meal a few weeks ago (Ok, I'll admit that it was a half-assed attempt) I've been looking for a chance at some payback. Teddy's 2nd course was actually pretty bad, which is rare for T-diddy, but hey, it happens, right?

Teddy redeemed himself with the ravioli. Flavorful, buttery, excellent.






The duck followed & boy was that a treat! The richness of the liver sauce when mixed with the sweetness of the cherries was pure heaven!





With barely an inch to spare in my gut, Teddy brought out the final course which was very light & really tasty. Nicely done Diddy!

Bacchus Bistro, Brooklyn.

So, we all met up in Brooklyn for Teddy's '60th' birthday over the weekend & threw down. Converging on Bacchus (409 Atlantic Avenue) we were in for some primo French Fare. I wasn't so sure what to expect as I'm so used to the amazing food at Casimir. While Bacchus did not disappoint, some dishes had their flaws.



Teddy & I shared starters; Scallops & a Duck Gizzard salad, both were excellent, particularly the salad which I cannot find the words to describe.






Here are a few of the other starters that were had...







I had the duck confit which I found to be VERY dry. Teddy had the skate which was really salty. While these weren't really deal breakers, I wish the food was better on the night. That having been said, I did have a good time at Bacchus.




We went to a local bar afterwards & made complete idiots out of ourselves - good stuff!