from The Pioneer WomanWhen you’ve been under the weather for seemingly forever as I have, you crave comforting food that’s simple and easy to make. This Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce recipe from The Pioneer Woman fit the bill in every way without being the least bit boring (all that cream and parmesan helps).
It’s great as is, but also a good based for experimenting. We made ours to the letter except substituting bucatini (my favorite pasta) for the fettuccine.
138 N 8th St, BrooklynBetto didn’t arrive to the crowded Williamsburg restaurant scene with a lot of hoopla but it’s made a huge impression on myself and friends.
The food is pretty much spectacular and not outrageously priced.
For starters, the flatbread with roasted garlic was really something else. Magic happens when garlic is roasted (reminding me it’s something i should do at home more often) and mixed with warm, fluffy flatbread and a touch of lemon? Well, it was hard to share this one.
The crostinis are also a must order. I opted for a thick gooey chicken liver but the options are vast.
Salad wise, brussel sprouts were great, sun chokes were good but a bit dull in comparison with other dishes.
Main dishes are incouraged to be shared but we found they worked better as individual l dishes (trading bites of course!).
I loved my spicy chicken that was bursting with flavor but my friends spaghetti dishes were deliciously comforting and the calamari was tender and well spiced.
We finished with a nice cheese plate and a decadent chocolate dessert that could only be described as thick chocolate paste. Delicious but one to share with many.
The only complaint was that it was unreasonably chilly but otherwise the atmosphere is inviting and the food perfect. Can’t wait to return.
590 Madison AveAn entire restaurant devoted to fresh mozzarella cheese?
Yes thank you!
Obika is an Italian transplant rather strangely located in the lobby of the midtown IBM building.
Sandwiches are available to go but we relaxed a bit and ate from their sit down menu.
It took all of three seconds to decide on my order: anchovies, sun dried tomatoes and burata mozzarella though Mike’s meaty salad and Shaun’s smoked mozzarella with pesto and tomatoes were equally good (especially that smoked mozzarella).
A great, unique and comparatively affordable lunch spot in an otherwise kind of tough neighborhood for food.
A Brix Picks OriginalI am usually slave to a recipe, so I was very proud of myself for producing such a great meal tonight without one. I owe a lot, of course to the awesome ingredients I picked up from Eataly (a madhouse on the weekend, phew!).
I opted for a thin lamb sausage that proved to be delicious and a jar of Sugo al Pomodoro e Verdure Dell’Otro (tomato and vegetable sauce).
I had my favorite dry pasta waiting at home – Rao’s and went to work.
I started with tons of garlic slices (at least 5 cloves), olive oil and the sausage and let it cook while the water boiled.
Once the sausage was browned and the pasta was cooking (9 and a half minutes makes perfect al dente) I added the jar of tomato sauce, parmesan rind, garlic salt and cracked pepper.
Lastly, with just a few minutes left on the pasta, I threw in three handfuls of arugula which wilted quickly as well as a splash of lemon juice.
Just add the pasta to the mixture once it’s done and top with a heap of parmesan – mmmm!
I deserved (and got) a Sixpoint Sweet Action for such a yummy meal.
During Jim’s first summer Friday, the usual disorganized long line met us at Egg, so we ventured nearby to the relatively new Italian spot, Osteria Il Paiolo. It drew us in with an airy space, a baby friendly environment, and one incredible lunch deal.
For 12.50 you get a salad, a soda, and a plate of pasta. Large portions and fresh ingredients elevated this from a mere “good deal” though to something worth telling friends about.
I opted for a peppery arugula salad topped with thick shavings of sharp Parmesan and a flavorful penne dish with sun-dried tomatoes and peas. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the cream sauce clung to it with enough substance to coat every bite but still remain light. (While this may not seem like a big deal, if you’ve ever tried to whip up a cream based sauce at home, you know it’s not so easy.)
The menu feels refreshingly out of step with the neighborhood. You’ll find no home cured pork cheeks from near by farms here. It’s simple food done really, really well.
With it’s open space, white table cloths, exposed brick, European vibe, and uncomplicated menu, it almost feels like a long standing neighborhood favorite from Manhattan that hopped over to the other side.
Fully sated, we left without dessert, but almost immediately regretted not trying one when we eyed the creamy white panna cotta at another table. Must try it during our next visit.
from Food & WineI always assumed roasting a whole fish would be some sort of ordeal outside my limited skills as a cook, but this Roasted Branzino with Caper Butter was super easy and beyond yummy.
With so few ingredients I was worried it might end up bland, but I can’t recommend this preparation enough!
from Food & WineThis Lamb and Spinach Spaghetti recipe won rave reviews and even though I made a ton, not a strand of pasta was left. Lamb lends an earthy taste and makes for a much less greasy meal than if this called for ground beef. Sunny days are not quite here yet, so take advantage of heavy comfort food weather and make this delicious dish.
From Mario BataliThis Spaghetti with Crab Sauce may not be too much to look at and the limited recipe list may indicate a lack of flavor, but it will surprise you.
Hearty and delicious, this simple meal focuses on the crab, which I have never tried in a tomato based sauce before.
Mario Batali calls for fresh Dungeness Crab, but, come on – it is still yummy with the canned stuff.
from Mario BataliThis Bucatini a Limone recipe is simplicity in a dish. From Mario Batali, it originally called for Tagliarini, a thin flat noodle, but I tried it with my new favorite pasta, Bucatini. This is a prefect recipe that most people can make with available ingredients in a pinch (at least, I find I always have dried pasta, butter, parm and lemons).
33 Havemeyer, BrooklynWith a name like Best Pizza, you’ve got a lot to live up to..but more importantly, you are impossible to find online. Do you have any idea how many Best Pizza in Brooklyn blog entries, magazine articles, etc there are? So, most importantly, I am giving you readers the website for the new Williamsburg pizza joint here.
Anyone locally, particularly Greenpoint people will want to have the number handy. Not that there aren’t pizza places that rival it – the gourmet options of Paulie Gee’s and Forninos for example – but Best, which falls someplace in between gourmet and classic thin New York slices, delivers! Yes, even to Greenpoint! And while the pie we got was a touch cold, I am thankful. The crust and cheese on our plain pie was delicious with my only complaint being that there was a bit too much of an oregano taste for me. Next time I’ll add some anchovies.
Recently opened in the old Brooklyn Star space (which I never got a chance to try) and opened by Brooklyn Star and Roberta’s owners, the new place is sure to be a hit with anyone with an urge for a thin crust wood fired alternative to the yummy but greasy Anna Maria’s. Is it truly the “best pizza”? Well, I am not sure I’d go that far – but I am willing to give it some time.