Fried Pizza for Brunch

I admit I was disappointed when Gypsy bar on Greenpoint Ave closed down. Even though one of the bartenders and I didn't always see eye to eye, I liked being around the corner from a bar that was home to Punk Rope happy hours, giant plates of mac 'n' cheese and long group Jenga games.

But then Adelina's moved in and wooed me instantly with five words: fried pizza with house-made mozzarella. Rob and I hit it up on a Friday night and even though Adelina's was clearly still working out the kinks service-wise, the pizza was pretty awesome. Think fried dough pizza from the fair, only with real, chewy mozzarella instead of soggy Parmesan mess that usually ensues.

Brunch was better, if only because it was much emptier. Maybe people still see it more as a bar than a morning restaurant, or because they play heavily on the wine bar thing. I have to say that I like this wine-on-tap thing very much. At night, of course.

The brunch menu, like the dinner menu, is very reasonably priced. For around $12 they offer a prix fixe with a super-charged Americano, a fresh squeezed OJ and entree. Their pizza special on Saturday included speck with the fresh mozz and egg, adding a much-needed amount of saltiness that I thought was missing from their nighttime pesto pie.

Rob had the truffled egg with fontina and asparagus. It was tasty but on the small side and neither of us tasted any truffle. Stick with the pizza here. But go quickly, because this space has been about five different things since it was an Internet cafe when we first moved to Greenpoint six plus years ago.

Adelina's
159 Greenpoint Ave

Chocolate, Hot and Cold

First, the hot. The dark hot chocolate from Lily O-Brien's reminds me of the inside of a molten chocolate cake. The milk and the white hot chocolates are good too, but not as rich. Lily O'Brien's uses 55% cocoa in it so it can get a little bitter. An extra packet of sugar does the trick. Plus, they add in a little treat.

Now the cold. This morning's frozen Mayan chocolate with pasilla chili, espresso and whipped cream from Brooklyn Label. Spicy, icy caffeination.

The Brooklyn French Toast made with creamy challah and topped with cranberry pecan butter completed the sugar rush.

Lily O'Briens
36 West 40th St.
Manhattan


Brooklyn Label
180 Franklin St.
Brooklyn

The Five Leaves Burger

Okay, so I know I was just talking about how great a classic burger is and how special its non-specialness is and all that, but I have to talk about the concept of the Five Leaves burger now. It's fantastic. I've had it a little overdone or underdone or generally not that great in the past and it seems like they've finally nailed it.

The Five Leaves burger is a big, high-quality, somewhat fatty beef chuck topped with a grilled pineapple ring, pickled beets and a sunny-side-up egg with harissa mayo on a ciabatta bun. The end result is a fantastic combination of sweet, spicy and beefy, the egg adding a level of creaminess and the pineapple and beets contributing a little vinegar in addition to its unique flavors. (Strange illumination of picture below due to combination of 2009 iPhone pic in dim light and misunderstanding of Photoshop techniques in general).

I knew that the burger had the potential to be this good because I've made this at home before! Yup, one of my favorite recipe books, The New Brooklyn Cookbook, includes the burger from Five Leaves (and also the brick chicken from Marlow & Sons, duck legs and dirty rice from Egg, and the hanger steak from Dressler... hard to find a more awesome book). It was a bit of advanced cooking in terms of timing and patience making this at home, but it also gave me an appreciation for what goes into it. The pineapple ring is cooked in vinegar, honey, ginger and a few other ingredients before sitting overnight in the fridge. It's grilled right before its placed on the burger. The harissa mayo is whipped up at home with a little lime zest and lime juice. The eggs have to be fried just right. The buns need to be grilled with butter and the burgers need to be shaped and cooked to a perfect medium rare.

If you're feeling crafty, you should give it a try. Or go to Nights and Weekends for a few drinks, because your table at Five Leaves won't be ready for at least another hour.

Five Leaves
18 Bedford Ave

Cupcakes, Donuts & Gelato

Sweet things I like:

The Pain Perdu (french toast) from Le Gamin on Franklin Street in Greenpoint.

 The macarons from Cookie Road practically next door. They're fun to stack.

Cupcakes with extra sprinkles from (where else) Sprinkles. And who else is excited about their experimental cupcake ATM in LA?

And, speaking of cupcakes, did you know they offered wine pairings for your cupcake choice at Sweet Revenge? This one (from mid-summer) came with something sweet and bubbly.

Love Gelato.

And those irresistible coconut cream donuts from the Donut Plant. Will cause major blood sugar spike.

Greenpoint Groupons, Goodies & Gems

We've been keeping it local lately. It's too cold to go venturing out on long walks like we do in the summer. Even walks along the bus route is risky. Does the B62 even exist anymore? Luckily we've had some Groupons and new openings around Greenpoint to keep us occupied.

Spritzenhaus, right on McCarren Park, is fun and lively even in the winter. Our Groupon got us an order of double dipped fries with a homemade condiment (we chose sweet & spicy bbq and Greek yogurt sauce), and any sausage or brat with any topping. I had the artisanal Argentinian (beef sausage, rosemary, garlic) with caramelized onions and peppers; he had the duck sausage with bacon, jalapeno and fig spread topped with sauerkraut. Both very good and hot off the grill. It reminded me a little bit of San Francisco's Rosamunde Sausage Grill, but it's not quite as good as the west coast.

Ah, Paulie Gees. Seems like PG gets so much press, the place is always crowded, people rave about how its the best pizza ever. I'm trying to like it, but can't quite get there. No doubt they've done wonderful things with the space since it was quiet and secretive Paloma. We went when they first opened awhile back, and the service was slow and the dough was undersalted. We had Motorino nearby then, so we didn't see a need to come back. But now that Motorino's out of the neighborhood and we're starved for quality pizza, we headed back to see if changes had been made. Yes, and no. The salt problem seems to be resolved, but the bottom of the pizza is SO unforgivably soggy. And the balance is all off. The Hellboy sounds like my ideal pizza (Fior di Latte, Italian tomatoes, soppressata picante, parmesan and hot honey) but there was so much pork and so little cheese and sauce that it just felt sloppily thrown together. Same with the Cheek Corea salad, with chick peas, hardened bits of old pasta, red onion and lemon juice. But the crispy guanciale was good at least.

No. 7 Sub opened a block away from us on Wednesday, at the corner of Manhattan Ave and Kent St. I'm excited, but it also makes me nervous for the neighborhood. Usually Manhattan transplants head for Bedford Ave (like the Meatball Shop). I wonder if this will set off a chain reaction.

Anyway, I'm a fan of No. 7 Sub, but I wasn't too impressed with what we brought home Wednesday. The General Tso's Tofu had way too much ginger, and the beef brisket was a little fatty. I'll have to try a few others off the Greenpoint menu before I write them off, though. I hope they stay open late; it's a great place for a night cap and a better alternative to bodega sandwiches.
 

Brooklyn MAC. It's this borrough's answer to the East Village's S'mac (and it might be even better). I like the idea of building your own, always hot and creamy inside and crunchy on the outside. I usually go for a combination of smoked gouda and bacon (they call that one the Red Hook) or something equally salty. They also have a great salad called the McCarren Park with baby spinach, candied walnuts, gorgonzola, apples and raisins, but they add way too much balsamic. Ask for it on the side.

 There are a few great places hidden away in the northern part of Greenpoint, too. The Lobster Joint has been pretty quiet since its winter and all, but they have a great creamless lobster bisque with herbs. It warms you from the inside out. Milk and Roses, which used to be a daytime coffee spot only, has morphed into a cute nighttime respite. We had a Groupon for a wine and cheese pairing for two. Walls of books, a grand piano, oil lanterns, hushed conversation, a girl curled up on the couch with a book and a cup of tea. I love this place even more now. And the owner's a nice Italian man that always waves when we walk by. 

Spritzenhaus
 33 Nassau Ave


Paulie Gees
60 Greenpoint Ave

No. 7 Sub
931 Manhattan Ave

Brooklyn MAC
77 Norman Ave

Lobster Joint
1073 Manhattan Ave

Milk & Roses
1110 Manhattan Ave

Brunch Roundup

Salt cod hash and Pani Frattau (breakfast lasagna with ricotta, creme fraiche, poached eggs and parmesan cheese) at Belcourt

Eggs Rothko at Egg (fried egg in brioche toast covered in Grafton cheddar)

Crepe at Cafe Henri in Long Island City 

and Borderline Benedict at Brooklyn Label (blue-corn bread, jalapenos, chorizo and chipotle hollandaise) 

Fun Summer Treats

Play doh ice cream from Hershey's in Nags Head, North Carolina

Lobster roll from the Lobster Joint in Greenpoint, Brooklyn

White chocolate nonpareils from Perkins Cove Candies, Ogunquit, Maine

Cashew caramel ice cream from Annabelle's, Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Beer sampler from Portsmouth Brewery, New Hampshire

Popovers (with maple butter!) from Popovers on the Square, Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Molasses taffy from the Goldenrod in York, Maine

Roquefort, cheddar and red pepper-studded sheep's milk Rustico Peperoncino from Corks n Curds, Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Coffee frozen custard at Kill Devil's, Outer Banks, North Carolina

Local Brunch

I used to go to Brooklyn Label for brunch all the time, but after eating everything on the menu so many times it started to get boring.

But I missed it. This weekend I headed back for my favorite cold weather weekend drink -- the Mayan hot chocolate with pasilla chili and two shots of espresso.

Luckily they had a whole list of specials I hadn't seen before. Including fluffy ricotta pancakes with lemon sauce, fruit and powdered sugar. So good!

I'm thinking I might have to get another Mayan this weekend...

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

Cafe Grumpy at its Grind

Remember last fall when I talked about how great Cafe Grumpy was? You probably don't, but I did. And I just found out, they're even better now!

Rob and I stopped in on Friday night for a sweater movie. What is a sweater movie, you ask? It's their fall season movie celebration where you win a prize for the best woolly top (in Friday's case, a pack of glow in the dark stars). A nice festive way to spend the evening. Cafe Grumpy was projecting Coraline that night, and I must admit I haven't been that scared by a kids' film... ever. What kind of fearless kids are we bringing up these days? Wasn't the Wizard of Oz bad enough for most of us?

Anyway, we happened to notice the presence of a new counter in the back room we hadn't seen before, with an industrial-sized roaster. Naturally, we asked the barista if they were roasting their own beans now. Yup, he says, we just started last month. As of right now they are roasting two kinds of beans: a Finca Chichupac (from Guatemala) and Finca El Carmen (from El Salvadore). How cool! I would have opted for one had I not really been in the mood for a sweet mint tea. Probably a good choice... I think caffeine + Coraline would have been a bit much for my faint heart.

I'll be back to see Christmas Vacation. Until then, I'm on the hunt for the best holiday sweater I can find. Maybe one with reindeer?

Plain Vanilla at Anella

I don't mean it in a bad way at all. In fact, it's a really great thing that Anella keeps things so simple. It's refreshing. Nearly everything on their brunch menu is served on bruschetta and topped with fresh ingredients from their herb garden -- tomatoes, basil, parsley, mint, etc. If they don't grow it, it probably comes from local Rooftop farms. No hollandaise or anything to mask it. Just plain, simple and delicious.

It was super hot today and we needed something cold and refreshing, but nonalcoholic. Luckily they had a few really great sounding virgin cocktails. Rob had the orange basil spritzer (it usually features grapefruit instead of orange, but they were out). It was perfectly balanced with simple syrup and club soda.

My mint mulberry lemonade was refreshing as well, with just the right amount of sweetness.

The interior is made up of two long skinny rooms with lots of charming old wood. There's seating in their garden out back and lots of light throughout. I could see us coming by here for a drink, just to get a change of scenery. The bar area is semi-rustic and reminds me of an old ship, for some reason.

They brought out complimentary scones with just the right amount of frosting before our meal. It gave our sad blood sugar levels a much-needed boost.

Rob had the salmon with chive cream cheese, tomatoes, some kind of marinated red onions (maybe it was soaked in vinagrette?), and capers on bruschetta. He loved it, but the red onions made it a bit too acidic for my taste.

I had the spinach with prosciutto on bruschetta with tomatoes and basil. It was like biting into a fresh garden. The proscuitto tasted more like serrano ham to me, but no complaints on that, obviously. Each dish was served with roasted sliced potatoes that seemed homemade (some pieces were crispy, most were soft in the middle). My only complaint was that they weren't salty enough, and there was no salt on the table. Rob pointed out that asking for some would be an insult to the chef, but people are entitled to their own personal saltiness tastes, right?

Overall, it was a great, quiet place that had a nice secretive quality to it. It was nice to eat in the sunshine without baking in it, too. Can't wait to try dinner; their pastas and grilled veggies are supposed to be amazing.

Anyone else notice that everyone likes to name their restaurants slightly asymmetrical names (Anella, Anissa, Perilla)? I'm starting to think it's the mark of greatness.

Anella

222 Franklin Street (between Freeman & Green St)

Brooklyn, NY 11222

(718) 389-8100

Donut Ice Cream Sandwiches at Peter Pan Bakery

I know I've been on a burger kick these past few Fridays, but today I decided to one-up myself and eat the unhealthiest thing you could possibly think of: a donut ice cream sandwich. Peter Pan bakery, Greenpoint's best spot for an old-fashioned donut, recently added this insane concoction to the menu to help us cope with a boiling hot summer. Isn't that nice of them?

They have a whole selection of cake donuts and ice cream flavors to choose from. Then they make it fresh: slice the donut, scoop the ice cream and put it back together. I had the red velvet/vanilla ice cream combo.

I speedwalked home as fast as I can to save my little donut friend from getting all melty, but alas, I failed. It ended up tasting like a warm donut dunked in really cold milk. I bet if you eat the thing on premises, it would be much more refreshing. The red velvet donut was a good choice; I don't normally like cake donuts (and prefer my red velvets in cupcake form) but had a great soft texture with just the right amount of chocolatey taste.

Yeah, it's basically a stomachache between two pieces of stomachache. But where will you ever find a better, colder or more unique donut than this? You better get one before autumn gets here!

Peter Pan Bakery

727 Manhattan Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11222

(718) 389-3676