Al Di La

Al Di La
248 5th Ave, Brooklyn 11215
At Carroll St
718-636-8888

We finally made it to Al Di La! Considering how often it is mentioned, particularly in Park Slope foodie-lore, this was one restaurant we needed to check out. Famous for not taking reservations and ages waiting around, we'd decided against it multiple times in the past. This time we decided to go for it. There was an hour and 20 min wait even at 6pm on a Saturday (!), so we put our name in and took a walk, went to Union Hall for a drink (at least Al Di La calls your cell when your table is ready.) Al Di La also has a wine bar around the corner that you can wait in, so after Union Hall we headed there for a glass of Malbec which was very nice. A loud, somewhat cramped space at the wine bar, plus a small dining area too (wasn't sure if the menu there was the same). Eventually it was time, and they brought our wine glasses through to the restaurant since we were still mid-glass, while we walked around the corner outside and back into the restaurant, past the dark, velvet curtain into the loud dining room.

The vibe in the room was convivial and warm, though not as much character as rival Convivium Osteria in my opinion. Seats clustered together, lots going on given the popularity of the place. We waited a bit for our waiter but he was friendly and apologetic. I started with Casumzieei, which was ravioli with beets, ricotta, and poppy seeds, tossed in butter. It was simple, fresh, and richly satisfying. I never would have imagined ravioli with beets being so tasty. Hubby had carpaccio that he enjoyed, topped with capers, anchovies and parmesan.

For the main course I chose the hanger steak, which was tender and moist, served with arugula. It was very nice, though hubby’s pork stole the show—Saltimbocca alla Romana, with prosciutto and really nice golden potatoes. Pounded thin and tasty. For dessert a very memorable treat—vanilla ice cream and “almond prailine” (yum), “drowned” in espresso—different, and great mixture of flavors.

Overall very glad we went, and probably slightly better value than Convivium Osteria (I realize the food is slightly different there but the two do seem very comparable.). It was a nice date night, but may choose other options in the future instead of repeating the long wait. Recommended though!

Blogsoop reviews

Italian in Midtown: Felidia restaurant

Felidia
243 E 58th St
Btwn 2nd & 3rd Ave
212-758-1479

Last night's dinner was a treat for sure. We went to Felidia upon recommendation that the food was great, and we definitely agreed. The flavors were rich and layered, the service was excellent, and it was a memorable meal.

We made a reservation for a Saturday night, and it does seem that reservations a couple of weeks ahead is needed often. We arrive on time at the restaurant which has 2 levels and big glass windows. I spied a table in the window upstairs for two, and made a foretelling comment about that being our table up there. Lo and behold it was, and I always enjoy sitting at the window. Though I admit there was not a ton to look at on 58th St, and the lighting in the restaurant was a bit lacking. Candlelight might have been nice. The atmosphere was simple and understated upstairs. When we first sat down they brought out a sampling of 3 flavors of basically houmous, with a selection of breads and breadsticks. Those were some tasty flavors, one was a basil pesto flavor, one was garlic and kalamata olive, and one was orange and carrot. Loved them all. We also tried the Olive Oil sampler for $7, with additional tasty breads. You could certainly taste the differences in the 3 types of oils, though I cannot remember the details of any of them now unfortunately.

The wine list was extensive, and the Montepulciano perfect. What about the rest of the food? Probably my favorite of the whole evening was the rock shrimp appetizer (Gamberi al Limone)—melt-in-your-mouth amazing, really blew my mind. Served in an hollowed-out onion (pictured here), these were the most tender pieces of shrimp I’ve ever had, with a creamy butter, garlic, lemony sauce and caramelized onions, heavenly. I was ready to order a few more of those and be done. Also tried the 5 onion, fennel, and fluke soup which was very good. For main courses, the paccheri was large pasta noodles and the wild boar almost like a winter stew, with carrots and mushrooms. It was very well done and meat nicely cooked, though a bit too bland for my taste. Hubby’s plate included venison loin, nicely rare for him, and almost a moussaka-like bison meat and potatoes blend I quite enjoyed.

Finally for dessert! A fruit tiramisu with cranberries and orange, and “mini caprese cakes” with coconut served with 3 dipping sauces (pictured), passion fruit, chocolate and caramel. Complimentary plate of sweets and dessert wine for our special occasion dinner, we were certainly done at that point! It was very memorable and recommended!

Convivium Osteria

Convivium Osteria
68 5th Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 857-1833

On a cold, dreary, drizzly winter night, Convivium Osteria is definitely a warm inviting destination. We did the long walk from South Park Slope to get there, and despite some slightly sore feet, it was well worth it. Hard to believe we waited so long to try it! Hope we get plenty more opportunities in the future...

As all of the online reviews say, this place feels like you are in a rustic restaurant in Europe. There seems to be 3 seating areas or levels, the front/main area where you first walk in, complete with small bar and shelves of wine bottles, the next level after a walk almost through the kitchen that has the feel of an outdoor patio with skylight, in fact, has an even more outdoor seating area for summer time that opens up, and an even lower "wine cellar" seating area. We sat in that second level area, near the glass doors that I'm sure completely open up for warm weather to the patio. The whole place is very warm and cozy, with lanterns and wooden accents and candlelight, and has plenty of character. Right away I knew this would be a great place to take visitors (though not much else in the immediate vicinity, location-wise. But worth the walk).

The food, over all, was the best we've had in months. Italian, but with "spanish & portuguese influences" according to their website. Really really sumptuous and flavorful. Yes a tad bit pricey ($30 for special/entree; $13 for pasta dish), particularly as portion sizes, at least what we saw, were fairly small for American standards. But it encourages you to savor each bite, as you should with such rich ingredients and flavors. We started with the "carciofo alla romana", artichoke marinated in olive oil with mint and garlic. It was delicate and delicious. I then had butternut squash "tortelli" with sage and butter... the plate was very small, almost more of a first course, but divine. I cut up my little pasta pieces into teeny bites to savor the flavors! The sweet and salty juxtaposition was perfect for me. Hubby had that night's special which was RIGHT up his ally-- venison loin with a blueberry & port-wine reduction sauce served with mashed potatoes. Wow was that amazing. The blueberry sauce was so tasty, I sopped up the extra with bread for another tasty treat, and the venison was very tender and well-cooked.

No dessert this time, but definitely hope to be back. I read that their cappucinos are great too, have to check it out.

Blogsoop reviews

Citysearch reviews

Road trip! Cold Spring, NY (Cathryn's Tuscan Grill)

Cathryn's Tuscan Grill
91 Main Street
Cold Spring, NY
845.265.5582

If you get the urge to drive north & take a road trip out of the city, Cold Spring is about an hour and a half north on the Hudson River. It is a very cute, quaint town filled with antique shops and nestled right along the water. Scenic drives and lots of bright fall leaves between here and there at this time of year. A lunch (or any other meal for that matter) at Cathryn's Tuscan Grill is certainly worth the drive!

From the front we weren't sure if anyone was actually at the restaurant; you have to walk around the side of the building a bit to get to the main door. But then we saw the crowds and the wait; apparently people do know to check it out. We didn't wait long, and nabbed a small table in the crowded restaurant. They brought out olive oil and bread to snack on, and we tried their soup of the day which was a tuscan white bean, delicious and flavorful. Hubby got a caesar salad with grilled shrimp that was memorable for a caesar salad, and I tried the shrimp with gorgonzola and prosciutto over arugula...uh yeah how can you not get that one! The arugula was a perfect bitter complement to the rich, buttery flavor of the shrimp with melted gorgonzola surrounded by the crisp prosciutto. Divine. One to savor. And the cappuccino was one of the best I've had in ages. Highly recommended!

Notable names: Noodle Pudding

Noodle Pudding
38 Henry St
Brooklyn Heights
(718) 625-3737

Yes, the name is a bit confounding. I read other posters saying they thought the restaurant was Thai because of the name until they got there. Certainly it's rare you hear Italians describing their fare as "noodles" or "pudding". A bit random. But I suppose a memorable name.

We read that you should "get there early", and then we were almost embarrassed as we got close at about 5:45 (does anyone under the age of 75 really go to dinner at 5:45??). Well apparently everyone who knows Noodle Pudding actually gets there at 5:30! The place was packed and there was already a line. It seemed they open at 5:30 and that's when the crowds swoop down. Luckily we were still early enough that we only waited about 5 min for a table.

Noodle Pudding felt like it was slightly in the middle of nowhere, but worth the walk. The ambiance was great, casual but atmospheric, with mottled walls and classy chandeliers and plenty of candlelight, sometimes shared seating with others, a loud vibrant feel, plenty of families, kids & toddlers. (Guess that's part of the answer of the why 5:30 question). Service was great, in fact the water guys were ridiculously attentive (at one point my water was filled, I took a sip, and within 5 min my sip was already re-filled).

Most importantly: the food. This was a winner, one of the best meals we've had in a while. Every dish we sampled was extremely tasty. All tasted fresh, and succulent; simple flavors and dishes, as is often the case in Italy, that come together for amazing meals. The bread and olive oil for dipping they bring is great. I dubbed the dipping oil "bruschetta in a bowl"-- it had finely chopped tomato, onion & basil in the olive oil dish, divine. The mussels with spicy tomato sauce appetizer was excellent. The sauce was almost a rich tomato soup with basil and just a hint of spice. The buffalo mozzarella was fresh and the tomatoes with it were juicy and flavorful. The mushroom rissotto had by the hubby hit the spot for him perfectly, and my sage & butter gnocchi dish was simple and perfect. The tiramisu was one of the hubby's "top tiramisu choices", as it's one of his favorite dishes. The lady fingers were soft and moist, all came together very well. And the house wine was not bad for $14 (bottle). If this was in our neighborhood, would be a weekly treat! Worth all of the online praise.

Blogsoop link

Bar Toto

Bar Toto
Park Slope, Brooklyn
411 11th St
718-768-4698

Back in Brooklyn, for a 2nd try at the local Bar Toto. Italian food, dive-bar appearance from the outside. We avoided this one for quite sometime after moving to the neighborhood, despite its proximity to our apartment. Something about the hazy, rusty windows you couldn't quite see in and the beer signs out front, just figured it was another local bar, nothing special. Finally one day last year we went for their brunch, and it was actually quite good, and when you can sit outside along 6th Avenue there it can be a nice relaxing place for a weekend afternoon.

Well we hadn't been there since, so we decided it would be worth a Fri-night post-work try back in our neighborhood after a week of work. Convinced the hubby though he seemed skeptical, had to remind him that we did in fact enjoy brunch there before. Managed to get an outside table after a brief wait and got a couple of cold beers that were much needed. We started with the houmous plate with crisp warm pita (actually sort of grilled, different, very good). I really liked the houmous, with a nice drizzle of olive oil on it. Big plate, we were worried we would get too full from pita! Then ordered 2 pizzas to share. The plain I guess margarita was delicious. Thick gooey cheese, lots of tomato sauce (almost too much sauce if you don't like that, but I forgave that aspect), great flavor and strips of fresh basil. The other pizza was the vegetarian pizza, and we hadn't realized that there was no mozzarella on that one, only parmagian. Had lots of egglplant and zucchini, among other veggies. I liked that one as well, though the hubby was less thrilled, mostly because he doesn't really like eggplant and it wasn't quite "pizza" without mozzarella, if you thought of it as veggie flatbread it made more sense. The 2 pizzas were a lot for 2, we could have shared one. Leftovers for lunch the next day!

Second flavor: Suzie's sweet caramelized garlic chicken

Aunt Suzie restaurant
Park Slope, Brooklyn
247 5th Ave
(718) 788-2868

So recently for St Patrick's Day, my husband and I wandered up 5th Ave in Brooklyn to a few fun bars we hadn't been to before, one of which was the Lighthouse. When I looked it up online, it said something about "all you Park Slopers will know Aunt Suzie's; we're right next door..." which made me say, hmmm, take mental note to check out Aunt Suzie's! I looked it up online later, and sure enough it got rave reviews as an Italian home-cooking, affordable Brooklyn establishment.

As it is still restaurant week (see my previous post), actually, last night was the FINAL night of restaurant week, we wanted to be sure and take part one more time. 3 courses for less than $22, at tons of Brooklyn restaurants, you can't go wrong! So we again wandered up 5th avenue. We passed Blue Ribbon, which had people pouring out onto the streets waiting, and went up to Aunt Suzie to check it out. We walked in and right away I said "ooh, this is very cute. Why haven't we come here yet?". It's not a huge place, not that many Brooklyn OR NY restaurants are, but it felt very comfortable. There were tables in a variety of different shapes, some square, some round, some rectangular, with different types of chairs and antique-looking benches. There actually were a lot of bigger tables, so I'd say it's a good place to bring 4 or more. Unique chandeliers, and walls covered with old black and white pictures of things such as "Coney Island in the 30's".

We waited only about 5 minutes or so and then were seated at a round table that would seat 4, even though there were just 2 of us. As we sat down, I had a flashback of staying at a cute B&B in Warwick, NY, where there are antiques and cozy grandmother-style elements all around. There were paper doilies under each place-setting and crystal-style glasses that looked like they were from an older time period, plus different cloth napkins that looked like they were from someone's home instead of a 5th Ave restaurant.

We checked out the menu, and were excited by the different Italian options with many flavors included, and at the very reasonable prices. I proclaimed that this was "my new favorite restaurant", despite the fact that we hadn't eaten anything yet! We definitely planned to come back again sometime to sample different things. The menu includes appetizers such as mussels, pasta fagioli, seafood salad, and egglplant caponata. The salads sound fabulous, such as one with "honey roasted pear, goat cheese, & walnuts over mixed greens." There is a HUGE pasta list, and all the pasta dishes are 10.90. Like literally over 20 different options. The entree list is where the sweet-spot is, with things like Chicken Vagabond (with mozzarella, onions, mushrooms, & prosciutto in a marsala sauce) and shrimp fortunata (with fresh tomatoes, prosciutto, and mozzarella in a white wine sauce). They have pork, veal, duck and steak options, plus shrimp, mussels, salmon and tuna. They over a few pizzas, as well as a "really cheap menu" with things like chicken parm if you like.

Well last night was the restaurant week as I said, so for $22 each, we got a decent sized salad to share, a pasta dish each, a main dish each, and a dessert and coffee each. Pretty great value. The salad was amazing, topped with roasted red peppers, a mixture of beans and chickpeas, some carrots and salami, it was a virtual antipasti platter atop a salad, with a great olive oil dressing.

OH-- almost forgot, before the salad, they bring everyone a bread basket AND a plate of red pepper pesto and bruschetta toppings....divine! The pesto was amazing, we definitely wanted to lick the plate. Aunt Suzie, you should sell that stuff in bottles!

Back to the meal. The pasta was well-prepared, and the feature of the evening was my main course--- Chicken Garlissimo. I've never had anything like it--- caramelized garlic atop butterflied boneless chicken breast. The caramelized garlic was prepared in a rich, sweet sauce, and there literally must have been a whole HEAD of garlic on my plate. Each clove of garlic was dark, sweet, soft, and succulent. It literally melted in your mouth. I had basically one clove with every bite of my chicken. I've never eaten whole cloves of garlic like that before, definitely never had caramalized garlic, and never eaten so MUCH at one sitting! I believe I am still reeking of garlic today. ;) Apparently garlic is great for you cholesterol and blood pressure, not to mention immune system, though, so hey rock on. The dish was excellent, I highly recommend it.

My husband had the grilled tuna, which was fresh and well-cooked, with a nice subtle flavor, if a bit plain. For dessert with the set menu I had a hot fudge sundae with EXCELLENT fudge (mmmm), and the husband got the chocolate mousse which was good if you like mousse (I'm more of an ice cream chick myself!). We had a bottle of Montepulciano de Abruzzo wine which was excellent and only $15 a bottle, as well as coffee.

We will be back at Aunt Suzie's I'm sure! AND they deliver in Park Slope, come on!
My parents are coming to town this weekend coming up, for Easter, and I think they'd really enjoy the character of it and the food, so we'll try and take them. They're actually staying on our floor (!) for 5 (yes 5) nights, it will be an adventure! But it is also an excuse to go on a culinary tour of NYC (not like I wasn't already doing that), so I'll keep you posted on our food delights.

June, 2007 addendum-- we have since gone to Aunt Suzie's for brunch, and it was great-- about $16 each, includes champagne mimosas and breakfast buffet-- they had 3 different kinds of sausages, bacon, eggs, omelettes made-to-order, crepes, waffles & pancakes, several kinds of pasta and salads, chicken piccata, and a whole dessert spread including rice puddings, chocolate mousse, peach cobbler & brownies. All felt very home-made and delicious, and the group we were with enjoyed the atmosphere.