Smorgasburg & Brooklyn Flea

Lately my weekend mornings have started like this: wake up, stretch, and stroll over to the Williamsburg waterfront to get some grub. On Saturdays, Smorgasburg has dozens of food vendors from all over Brooklyn. On Sundays the space is shared with vendors selling jewelry and antiques and other overpriced junk at the Brooklyn Flea, so the food selection is smaller. Either way, it's a great summer alternative to brunch.

We usually start with a Vietnamese iced coffee made from a blend of Viet style coffee, Cafe du Monde and condensed milk. Sometimes I taste a bit of chocolate in there. Really sweet and refreshing.

Then its onto the food. On super hot days when I need something light and cool, I really like the Cheong Fun noodle from Noodle Lane. It's kind of like a deconstructed summer roll with cucumbers, scallions, sprouts and peanut sauce.

Or if heat's not an issue, a whole pie right out of the oven from Pizza Moto is not a bad choice. Featured here is the pepperoni with basil.

If its meaty sandwiches you crave, there's a Porchetta stand, and we know how I feel about that. But there's also another great choice -- the Smoked Meat sandwich from Mile End. Cured and smoked brisket with just the right amount of mustard. The meat is fall-apart tender.

Speaking of brisket. I'm not a huge hot dog person, but even so I can appreciate a good weiner from Brooklyn Bangers. The brainchild of Saul Bolton, Brooklyn Bangers serves up dogs made with 100% brisket. 

As for the things I wouldn't go out of my way for, the short rib Takumi Taco is a bit overpriced and not so memorable, and the original sandwich from Bombay was a bit carb-heavy with the potatoes. Plus it got a little mushy.

I like to end things on a sweet note. If it's ice cream you crave, Blue Marble is a very respectable choice. 

But I personally cannot leave the waterfront without a donut from Dough. They made fun of me when I got a plain 'ol sugar cinnamon, so today I had the chocolate frosted with cocoa nibs, the bitter chocolate balancing the sweet amazingly. I have no idea how they get these donuts so high and fluffy. They might even be better than Peter Pan, but I think further research is necessary before I make such a crazy statement. I still have to try the dulce de leche, blood orange and cafe au lait flavors... to start, at least.

Smorgasburg and Brooklyn Flea 
East River Waterfront
Entrance at N. 7th and Kent Ave
Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Jazz Fest Food: Hydration

This is the last post about Jazz Fest, I promise. There was plenty of beer for the afternoon, but the morning required a good combination of caffeine and cool refreshments to keep our thirst down in the sun.

The best drink by far was the strawberry lemonade. People lined up for this longer than any other food or drink item at the festival. More sweet than tart, with fresh strawberries floating on top. For $5, you get a pretty giant cup large enough to sip on for over an hour. And that's the crazy part. You can sip as slow as you want and the last few slurps aren't watered down or undrinkable. In fact, its still cold -- and still good! -- much later than you would expect. Not sure how they pulled this off.

The iced teas were good, but not as good as the lemonade. They offered rose mint and mandarin -- both fun to try once, but not worth heading back to.

And, of course, our morning cafe au laits, creamy and sweet, from either Cafe du Monde or the New Orleans Coffee Company. A pretty awesome way to start any day in the Big Easy.

Strawberry Lemonade
Café Reconcile
New Orleans, LA

Rosemint Iced Tea, Mandarin Orange Iced Tea
Sunshine Concessions
Covington, LA

Café Au Lait
New Orleans Coffee Company
New Orleans, LA

Weekend Treats

Cupcakes from Sprinkles (I prefer the black and white, though this dark chocolate one's prettier).

And the New Orleans iced coffee from Blue Bottle with stout coffee cake. 

Montreal

In the four days I spent in Montreal last week, I did not have one bad meal. In fact, I didn't even have one sub-par meal. And we didn't even venture out to any of the truly extraordinary places we were supposed to, like Au Pied du Cochon. Even places we went to by accident and had very slow service by well-meaning teenage volunteers pumped out good food (it was called Robin des Bois, which yes, means "Robin Hood," and yes, we are the "rich" in this situation.)


Best meal by far was at Joe Beef. This was actually one of the best dinners I've ever had anywhere. Meaty pork belly with a savory sauce and small salad of frisee paired amazingly with my 2009 Quinta dos Roques Touriga Nacional. A creamy foie gras "parfait" accompanied by home made granola bars. Spread the foie gras on top, lose your ability to speak. I might have teared up a little it was so good. Small scallops with a lemon caper sauce better than any I've ever had. A crazy unique special of shredded chicken, duck and quail reassembled back on a single bone with a Vietnamese-inspired broth. An insanely huge "baked potato" for dessert -- a meringue coated in chocolate powder with house made banana-chocolate soft serve and drizzled with chocolate sauce.  

I fell in love with Montreal-style bagels. Made by hand from a huge pile of dough at Fairmount, then wood-fired. Half the size of NY bagels, less doughy, less salty, and yet, still addicting, especially with a thick smear of cream cheese. Fairmount bagels stand up much better at local coffeeshops too -- just a quick toast and its almost as good as fresh from the store. Well, not really. But better than secondhand bagels in NY for sure. Below: Fairmount bagels, one fresh, one panini'ed at Cafe Veritas, my favorite coffee spot for the week. And the dough and ovens at Fairmount.

We happened to visit during their annual light winter light festival -- Montreal en Lumiere. The street food here was fantastic. Poutin from Frite Alors!, thin french fries topped with a savory, salty, almost bacon-y gravy and cheese curds. My first poutin experience. Then waffles with chocolate baked into them at Gaufrabec. The guy was so excited when I told him their waffles were way better than Waffles & Dinges. Pressing the chocolate into the batter made all the difference.

One of our favorite lunches was at Brit & Chips. Each kind of fish comes with its own batter. I had haddock with a minimally sweet maple syrup batter, Rob had cod with their signature Burgundy Lion batter. The fish itself was tender and juice within a hot, crunchy crust. We both opted for an order of chips. We couldn't finish them. By the end of lunch, we felt too greasy to rush back the next day, but I was intrigued by the Guinness-battered salmon and hake with orange crush batter. Next time.

I had a slightly disappointing lunch at Soupesoup. Great space, tall ceilings, lots of light. The lentil soup was good, but the huevos rancheros sandwich came cold. What gives? Maybe it was just a fluke, as Rob's bolognese soup and grilled cheese was hot. They had great coffee, though. 

Finally, a parting breakfast at La Croissanterie Figaro. The Bonjour special -- a croissant topped with ham, tomatoes and cheese, fresh fruit, orange juice, cafe au lait. Hot chocolate for Rob. And a chocolate croissant for the ride home.

On the list for next time -- Au Pied du Cochon, La Salle a Manger, Le Comptoir (they couldn't accommodate last time, hence Robin Hood meal), Le Local, where I smelled something amazing simmering around lunchtime, and Juni for sushi after a local foodie tipped me off about them.

Weekend Fix at Blue Bottle

I'm not a coffee snob during the week, but when Saturday and Sunday come around I need a smoother, craftier caffeine fix than the usual grande bold blend from Starbucks. Even though its a bit of a walk, and sometimes its a bit chilly out, and there's ALWAYS a line out the door, I head to Blue Bottle Coffee in Williamsburg to get a special weekend treat before catching the L train to Manhattan. 

Even when its cold out, I have to get a cold-brewed New Orleans iced coffee. It's a bold and flavorful, but with a solid pour of milk (they balance it themselves), its super smooth, a little sweet and adequately creamy. Just check out the deep, nutty-brown color of that iced coffee. Doesn't get much better than that! I only wish they served it in a normal iced coffee cup with a straw.

They also have a fantastic hot chocolate featuring cacao crafted from the bearded Mast Brothers down the street.

I still have yet to try other drip coffees here, but so far, the New Orleans is a winner.

Blue Bottle Coffee
160 Berry Street (betw. N. 4th and N. 5th), Brooklyn, NY

718-387-4160

Cafes in Quito

Ecuador has great coffee, beautiful rainforests and some really sweet, friendly people. One thing Ecuador does not seem to have is good restaurants (at least not anywhere we went in Quito). I'm not one to post pictures of mediocre food, but can you BELIEVE this is what you get when you order a blue cheese burger?

I ordered a filet mignon another night that I have to say, although it was not neon in color, was definitely not prime beef.

However, we did find one cute little mom and pop cafe that was fairly decent. Doesn't Cafeto have the cutest little sign? Every hotel, museum, yarn shop and cafe in Quito had the exact same style. It gave the city a nice feeling of continuity. I loved it.

This place served up some pretty serious Ecuadorian coffee, rich sopas, good tamales and decent sandwiches. They also had some good looking sweets in the counter (cheesecakes!) but we tried to play it safe and smart this trip.

I'm already itchin' to go back to warm South America...

El Cafeto

Chile 930 & Flores Old Town 

Quito, Ecuador

Van Leeuwen Steps Out of the Truck

Sometimes, when I take the L train to Bedford Ave, I'll treat myself to a cone from the Van Leeuwen ice cream truck. The flavors are basic but special: pistachio made exclusively from Sicilian nuts, hazelnut made from a special smoky and buttery Italian grade. They all have a clean, creamy appeal.

A few months ago, Van Leeuwen opened a shop in Greenpoint, down on Manhattan Ave. It was still chilly out when I decided to check them out for a first time sundae.

The shop is small and cute. Flowers on every table. The man behind the tiny counter scoops the ice cream and brews the coffee.


The menu contains the same flavors as the truck, plus a few sundae options. The coffee menu spans the basics: espresso, americano, cappuccino, etc.

A hand drawn image of the original Van Leeuwen truck pays homage to its roots.


Rob and I split a mint chip sundae with hot fudge, nuts, fresh whipped cream and a cherry that tasted like it was marinading in something alcoholic. A very adultlike sundae.

I have a feeling that this place will get very busy this summer!

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream
632 Manhattan Ave
(718) 701-1630

Adventures in San Fran: Cafes, Bakeries and Ice Cream

While running from the Full House house to the Mrs. Doubtfire house and delivering sick hummingbirds (OK... hummingbird) to the animal hospital, we needed caffeine and a lot of fast snacks. Luckily there are tons of great spots all over the city, and Rob mapped a few of them out so we could visit quickly as we shuttled along.I had the first iced coffee of 2010 at Cafe Murano, a cute neighborhood wifi spot on Steiner Street. Tasted like good high-quality coffee, but with too much ice it was a little watered down too fast. It was definitely refreshing after a hike up the hill to Alta Plaza, a quiet little park with a great view of the city.

Cafe Murano
1777 Steiner Street (between Post St & Sutter St)
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 771-0888

That afternoon we were stuck in touristy Fisherman's Wharf, with no viable food options beyond a Bubba Gump Shrimp. I did a quick search on Yelp and found a highly rated Argentinean truck called Tanguito with quiet off-strip outdoor seating. Score! We shared a fresh, flaky ham and cheese empanada, then we each had two huge sandwiches on French bread. My steak sandwich had peppers, onions, mushrooms and a fantastic homemade chimichurri sauce; Rob had a sausage sandwich with similar toppings. We were only looking for a late afternoon snack, but it was so much food we were good for the rest of the day... until we made our way to Ghirardelli Square.

I know it sounds gimmicky and touristy but I really think this was the best hot fudge sundae I've ever had. The homemade chocolate chip ice cream was thick, creamy, actual good vanilla with lots of chips, topped with melted dark Ghirardelli chocolate, heavy whipped cream and walnuts. I could have sat by the fountain people watching with this sundae all night.

Rob had the sea salt caramel hot chocolate. I didn't find it all that salty or caramelly but then again I was pretty engrossed in the sundae.

Ghirardelli Square
900 N Point St
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 775-5500

The next day, after an afternoon at the Botanical Gardens, we headed over to Arizmendi Bakery for a coffee and snack. Every day they have a special pizza (this particular day it was artichokes, tomatoes, basil and rosemary oil) that people seem to go crazy for; they actually ran out while we were visiting and a lot of disappointed customers ensued. They also specialize in pastries and breads, all of which looked fresh and enticing. We finally decided on a cheddar scone. Wow. Hard, crunchy sections of cheddar melted along the sides, contrasted well with the softer insides, ended with a nice spice from red pepper. I wish we had time to try more here... but we had places to go.


Arizmendi Bakery
1331 9th Ave (between Irving St & Judah St)
San Francisco, CA
94122 (415) 566-3117

One day we got up ridiculously early to rent a car and head up to Oakland and eventually Napa. A block down the street from our hotel was a little cafe called Em's Place with very decent coffee and fairly awesome breakfast sandwiches. I had an egg and cheese on a cheese bagel, it was too cheesy to even take a picture. Rob's ham, bacon and egg sandwich held up much better under the poppyseed bagel and made a great Bay Bridge car breakfast.


Em's Place
154 McAllister St (at Hyde St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 552-8379

While driving through Napa we looped around through Yountville so I could see the French Laundry in the flesh (er.. stone?). Just down the street is Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery, which also exists in New York at Columbus Circle. They have a few good sandwiches here, like the turkey with cranberry. They don't stuff the sandwiches all that much -- it was only about a single slice of turkey -- but the bread is so freshly baked that it doesn't really matter that it makes up 85% of the whole sandwich. They'll even toast it for you too if you aren't in a rush.



The most impressive part of this bakery though, is the macarons. I'm embarrassed to say that I was a macaron virgin before Yountville, and this place has turned me into a full-fledged believer. Or have I just been ruined for macarons? Damn you Thomas Keller.

I guess I can't compare them to other macarons, but I think they were everything they were supposed to be -- crusty on the outside, chewy beneath the crust, creamy and flavorful on the inside. The sweet buttercream gave me tiny sugar rush headaches, but they were worth it.

We tried just about every kind there was. We came back after visiting a few wineries to bring more home. We ate them one at a time the next day at different benches in the Marin Headlands. We tried to savor them as much as possible.

I think my favorite one was the seasonal -- orange cream. Then the espresso and hazelnut. The vanilla, chocolate and caramel weren't so shabby, either.

I'll definitely be back here next time I go to Napa. Maybe then I'll give the regular Bouchon a try -- or (do I dare to dream?) the French Laundry!

Bouchon Bakery

6528 Washington St
Yountville, CA 94599

(707) 944-2253

French Laundry
6640 Washington Street
Yountville, CA 94599

(707) 944-2380