A Day in Brooklyn (Part 1)

Ever since seeing Anthony Bourdain’s and Andrew Zimmern’s Travel Channel trip to the Red Hook Ball Fields, I’ve been drooling to check out whether the eating’s are really as good as they looked!

So, with an open calendar on Saturday, we decided to take a pilgrimage to Brooklyn, which is a foreign country for me, although it is my “place of birth”.  Our plan included two stops, one in Red Hook, and a second in Williamsburg to check the neighborhoods, and to see whether all the foodie hype is warranted.  This blog is on the Red Hook experience, the Williamsburg portion of the trip will be shared later in the week.

For those outside of the city, getting to Red Hook is likely to require a visit to Google Maps; our trip included a drive over the Whitestone Bridge, heading West on the LIE, and taking the BQE over the Kosciuszko (pronounced kahs-kee-OSS-ko—don’t you love this name) Bridge exiting at Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn.  Of course, if you live in or around the city, there’s probably an easier way to get there by subway….

Anyway, the ball fields are very close to the highway exit, and we had no trouble finding both the park and a nearby parking spot (free!) We arrived just after noon, hungry for lunch!

Our first observation was that the food area is actually a lot smaller than it looked on the food channel show.  About 10-12 trucks and stalls are spread around the perimeter of one corner of a city block. 

Second, we were both pleased and a bit skeptical that the vendors did not seem busy, and most of the picnic tables that are located in the parks interior adjacent the food area were relatively empty.  So, we headed over for Pupusa’s which are fried Ecuadorian corn cakes filled you’re your choice of meat, cheese, and vegetables. 

The owner said the pork pupusa’s were the way to go—so we had a spicy pork and a pork with cheese pupusa, a deal @ 2 large filled corn cakes for $5.  The pupusa’s are served with a spicy pickled pink cabbage relish, and homemade hot sauce.  We also had fried plantain chips on the side, and a sweet drink called horchato, which is made with rice, morro seeds, and other spices including cinnamon. Although perhaps a bit too sweet, it helped to cut the heat from the delicious spicy pupusa’s!  We also had a delicious fresh watermelon drink from one of the vendors specializing in unique beverages and fresh fruits.

Everything was fantastic, and although we wanted more, we saved room for Mexican food and a seviche.

By this time it was about 12:30, and the lines were starting to build.  Everyone we met on the lines and at the picnic tables were very relaxed, friendly, and excited to taste all the great street foods (including the large group of local firemen)!

We scrambled to get on line for the Mexican food, and ordered 2 tacos, a fried pork and a chorizo.  These were also excellent, made corn tacos, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, onions, jalapeno’s and cheese.  We added the homemade green salsa, and than feasted.  We had a split vote on whether the taco or pupusa was better, but you wouldn’t go wrong with either.

Finally, we headed over to the seviche cart, and had the shrimp seviche. This was my favorite for the day, as the mix of fresh lime juice, red onion, cilantro and shrimp was delicious, and adding in the spicy green hot sauce to the container was the key.  We ate and drank every last drop!

Well sated, we were unable to try to empanadas, the corn on the cob slathered with butter, cayenne, and queso (cheese), but this will be on the itinerary for our next trip.  Do keep in mind that you definitely want to be here no later than noon, because if you are there after 12:30, plan for some serious lines!  And, if you’re taking pictures, make sure to snap them before you get too excited so that you don’t end up with several photos with half eaten plates of food!

Before leaving the neighborhood, we did stop at nearby Sixpoint Craft Beer Brewery hoping to purchase some of this highly rated beer, but as they only sell by the keg—this wasn’t in the cards.  We did stop at the cool bar next door, Rocky Sullivan’s and have a pint of the pale ale (excellent) and were on our way. 

BTW- if you need, IKEA and a Fairway market are right in the area.  And we did see a sign for Steve’s Key Lime Pie’s which are supposed to be the best in the city, but as we were headed to Williamsburg and forgot to bring the cooler, this will need to be part of our next visit. 

Best Thai: Sripraphai

The availability of thai food in the NYC area has exploded over the past few years— and overall, this is a very nice development.  Once concern is that this proliferation may also be linked to a broader move towards “Asian Fusion” restaurants, which strike me as a homogenized, Americanized version of the unique flavors from each country and area.  This trend ultimately drives a loss of the specialness of different cuisines, and increased prices for less authentic food.  When you observe the proliferation of asian chain restaurants like the Kona Grill (to pick on a chain that is really not too bad), you worry that we are headed down a path of no return.

Fortunately, there are areas in and around major cities where the unique food cultures are still preserved.  In the NYC vicinity, areas like Flushing, Jackson Heights, and Astoria still offer very authentic cuisines of each culture.

Last night, after picking up my wife at LGA, we headed to our favorite thai restaurant, Sripraphai, http://www.sripraphairestaurant.com/, in Woodside Queens (note: a new Sripraphai has recently opened in Williston Park, LI).

We started with the terrific crispy thai watercress salad with seafood and chicken.  This amazing salad has a terrific combination of seafood and shrimp cooked and marinated in a sauce which contains cilantro, fish sauce, and lime juice, coupled with the lightly fried watercress.  Delicious!

After wolfing down a few curry puffs, and having the tom yum shrimp soup (shrimp with thai hot and sour soup), we moved on the several excellent main courses:

• Sauteed crispy pork with chili, garlic and thai basil
• Green curry with chicken
• Shrimp with drunken noodles S

All the dishes were well spiced, but Sripraphia will spice to your liking, so don’t be scared.  And, accompanied with some delicious brown and coconut rice, and some thai iced tea with tapioca balls…  it was a terrific way to celebrate my wife’s return, and my return from a nasty two week virus.

Of course, the fact that we have a few leftovers is not a bad thing..  of course, they’ll be gone by the end of the day!

Fluffy Matzoh Balls

Well too much time on the beach has driven a strange reaction from my body (got a flu—no not the Mexican Swine Flu # ah1 n1—who thinks of these names anyway—we should go with the hurricane name approach!  So, just call this one Porky!)

While sick, I haven’t had the appetite to enjoy too much food, but decided to follow-on from a 2^nd consecutive year of great Passover matzoh ball soup, to take advantage of the inevitable leftover matzoh meal.

Historically, I’ve been matzoh ball challenged, producing dense golf balls that were nearly impossible to eat… However, over the past couple of years—I discovered the secret… Seltzer!

That’s right, just a half cup of Seltzer, and a half day or more of leaving the batter covered in the refrigerator, makes all the difference.  So here’s the recipe:

Fluffy Matzoh Balls

Ingredients

4       Eggs, beaten

.25    Cups oil 

1        Tsp salt 

.5       Cups Seltzer

          Pepper to taste 

1        Cup Matzoh meal

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  After ingredients are well mixed, add in matzoh meal and mix again till stiff. (note: you can also add in a bit of chopped scallions, garlic, parsley if you like.)

Put in refrigerator, covered, for 3 or more hours—or the day before. 

Boil a large pot of water. 

Remove matzoh batter from the fridge, and mold into balls (note they will expand to at least 2 to 3X original size), and place balls into boiling water. (you can either use your hands—gets a bit messy, or if you’re not overly worried about shape—just use a soup spoon.)

Partially cover the pot after it’s filled with the balls, letting them cook for about 30 minutes, then remove from the pot!

Depending on how big you make them, this recipe should yield about 20+ balls.

They are now ready to place into your favorite chicken or vegetable broth, or any soup you enjoy!  Or, they’ll stay fine refrigerated for a few days… use when you like!

Finding Fish

Well, last day out in P-Town, back to work tomorrow.

It’s been a relaxing few days, and while the weather hasn’t been great, we’ve managed to take some walks on the beach with the labs, bike ride along the dunes, see the whales spout, watch a few movies, do a bit of shopping …and of course eat some excellent fish.

Surprisingly, however, finding fresh fish has a bit of a challenge.

I mean, finding restaurants to sample the chowda, a lobsta and oysta roll, the fisherman’s platter —no problem, but to actually buy locally fresh fish that can be quickly and simply prepared, well that’s an entirely different matter.

We started down this path on Monday afternoon, as the storm had moved in, and after an excellent lunch at the Bookstore Restaurant in Wellfleet, http://www.wellfleetoyster.com/, overlooking the oyster beds and the Wellfleet Harbor. (The chowder was arguably the best we ate on the Cape, and the fresh oysters and the Oyster Roll were delicious). We were tired, had rented Slumdog Millionaire (fantastic movie if you haven’t seen it), and were looking forward to a light dinner with a salad and fresh fish.

We stopped at the Catch of the Day Fish Market in Wellfleet (closed), and the Truro Fish Market (also closed). In Provincetown, the local fish market that used to be on the pier has permanently closed (although rumored to re-open in town soon), and every other local market visited (at least 4-5, including a natural foods market …) had no fish. As a last resort, we stopped in at the local Stop and Shop Supermarket, and although they had fish, it was neither local nor fresh!

What a joke! Here you are right on the ocean, near oyster beds, a bountiful ocean of local fish including cod, tuna, scrod, scallops, and lobsters, and no fresh fish!

No fish to be found! We had struck out on our fish quest!

Tuesday’s weather was equally uncooperative, so we decided to head to Harwich to see a movie—17 Again! Sounds like a great concept; of course what Zak learns is that rather than turning back the clock, look to make the most out of your personal relationships, family and friends today. It’s a sweet movie, not much thinking required, but a good rainy day flick.

Of course, before the movie we had a good lunch at Sir Cricket’s in Orleans—the the usual assortment of fried fish, chowder, and the lobster roll. (Yes, the diet does start tomorrow). The lightly battered cod was the best here, and while it was all good, overall Sir Cricket’s probably was 3rd on the places we sampled, with The Lobster Pot #1, and The Bookstore 2nd.

There was, however, an excellent side benefit of lunching at Sir Cricket’s; they have an excellent fish market right next door! We returned after the movie, and bought some fresh cod, scallops, and a homemade salmon cake (although the salmon was not local).

Got back to our beachfront condo, and heated the salmon cakes, baked the lightly seasoned scrod with a bit of salt, pepper, Old Bay Blackening Spice, and a squeeze of lemon, sautéed the scallops in some olive oil, spices, a bit of white wine and lemon, and ate the excellent fish alongside a delicious salad of mixed greens, tomatoes, avocado, olives, cucumber, feta cheese, with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.

Clearly one of the best meals we ate over the last few days! And, light, healthy, and quick to prepare!

All for now, there could be a stop at Sally’s Apizza in New Haven on the return trip for a white clam and bacon pie, so check in tomorrow.

Chowda on the Cape

It’s a beautiful morning as I sit looking out at the Atlantic.

I’ve already been out with the dogs who had a great walk along the beach, with a leisurely stroll back through town including a stop at the Wired Puppy, http://www.wiredpuppy.com/, for a cup of Joe for me, some biscuits for the two Labs, and to procure a cool baseball hat for a bit of added warmth.

The sun is shining but it’s still only in the early 50’s at best; although all in all a nice day for the Boston Marathon and the Patriot’s Day festivities-- of course, what’s not to enjoy, I mean, go to the tavern, grab a BEAH or two or three… and enjoy the day off!

We’re up in P-Town for a few days of R&R…

Last night we went to the Lobsta (ok- Lobster) Pot, http://www.ptownlobsterpot.com/, for some seafood after the drive up from Stamford. Since we’re off season, didn’t mind heading to a well-known touristy spot, especially one with Award Winning Chowda. We had a great meal.
Started with some excellent Bloody’s that had a good spicy kick, and included a celery stalk, green olive, lemon and lime wedge, and a zesty pepperoncini.

The Chowder was excellent, nice soft bites of clam and potato, tasty cream broth, the real McCoy.

Next came a mixed salad bowl with 4 delicious dressings, including a soy ginger and citrus mustard, and a bread basket with some nice dinner roles, and excellent pumpkin bread.
We passed on the lobster (a bit too tired to fuss), but had an excellent fried fisherman’s platter (clams, mussels, scallops, tuna and cod—all fresh), and then a spicy Thai bouillabaisse with a similar assortment of fish, embedded in a delicious noodle broth with cilantro and fresh chili.

We were too tired for dessert, but the hot brownie sundaes looked excellent.

Plan to take advantage of today’s good weather to do some bike riding, beachcombing and more good eating!

Disappointing Ted’s

We were up around Meriden, CT the other day and thought that this was the perfect opportunity to try Ted’s Restaurant—home of the “steamed cheeseburger”.  I’ve been wanting to go to Ted’s (and Louis Lunch—which is next up) for a while.  Both receive quite a bit of press, and have been serving up their burgers for many years—Ted’s since 1959. 

Ted’s has the look and feel of a small diner, with a large counter, and a few tables both inside and out.  The menu focuses on the steamed burgers, which include the usual free sides (including nicely sautéed onions), and extras like bacon, and extra cheese.

The burgers are prepared in special steamer ovens (which you can also purchase) and then topped with a white cheese that is prepared in a small rectangular tin that is akin to a raclette cooker.  When complete, the cheese is poured onto the burger, and the trimmings are added. 

Ted’s also offers traditional home fried potatoes, with our without the same melted cheese.

The burgers were moist and tasty, although they didn’t quite fill out the entire bun—I’d say a bit less than a quarter pounder.  While quite good, I prefer my burgers grilled or fried—I missed that bit of crunch!  The potatoes were fine—it’s just I kept looking for my eggs and bacon, think that a crispier fry would be a better match.

My wife and dad were equally unimpressed, and Mrs. Bully was unhappy that the bun was not toasted!

Anyway, don’t mean to be overly harsh on Ted’s, I mean the place was cool, the burgers decent, I just wouldn’t go out of my way to make a special trip!

Headed up to the Cape for the next few days for some R&R, so there may be some oyster and clam discussion over the next few days!   

Comfort in Chi-Town!

I was back in Chicago on business last week, but fortunately had some time to combine the trip with some pleasure.

Took a trip with some friends out to Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket, http://www.chickenbasket.com/, located on Route 66 in Willowbrook, Illinois. This place was recently visited by Guy Fieri (so how do I get his job) of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

Dell Rhea’s opened in its current location in the early 1960’s and has a very distinctive look that combines an institutional décor with a 60’s vibe that includes some retro cool pink lighting.  There are excellent daily drink specials in the cocktail lounge, e.g. 5 for $10 Miller Bucket Nights on Tuesdays, and you can enjoy excellent homemade potato chips while enjoying a drink or two and listening to music of The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Jackson Browne and Springsteen.

The reason to go to Dell Rhea’s is the fried chicken, which, depending on whether you order the basket or meal, is accompanied by either fries, mashed potatoes with gravy, or cheese grits.  Both the fried chicken and the mashed were great, although I prefer my fried chicken a bit more crispy.  There’s a salad bar which includes the renowned cole slaw, and chicken soup with dumplings, but it really didn’t do a whole lot for me.  We were full before dessert, so I didn’t get to try the homemade pie, but it is known to be excellent. 

So, if you have a yearning for some Fried Chicken, take a trip on Route 66…

Was able to get some tickets for the Cubs game on Wednesday, and a pilgrimage to Wrigley is always an unmatched pleasure—this is the nations best ballpark (even if the team is not)—but hope springs eternal in this 101^st year since the last Cubs World Series (1908).

Of course, no day at the ballpark is complete without a Chicago dog or two, so headed out to Hot Doug’s, http://www.hotdougs.com/, located at California and Addison.  Hot Doug’s was recently visited by Tony Bourdain, and the dogs here did not disappoint. There is an amazing variety to choose from including sausages made from buffalo, lamb, pork and duck.  I had a Keira Knightly (fire dog) and a Dave Kingman (“zesty Sante-fe style spicy chicken) with the works (spicy mustard, caramelized onions, the neon green relish, a pickle, celery salt, and with added sport peppers).  My mouth is still watering!  And, the fantastic perfectly prepared fresh cut French fries, with a Diet Dr. Brown’s cream soda—ok, you get the picture, a perfect meal as a precursor to a Cubs win!

Did I say Cubs win?  Well at least the sun was shining, we had great seats right next to the bullpen, and the ballpark looked great!  I still have high hopes that the Cubs can take down the curse of the Billy Goat this year!