It’s pretty obvious that Roman’s is just doing a soft opening, but that didn’t stop the husband and I from hustling right over last weekend to check it out. I’m calling this post a “preview” as opposed to a “review,” since it’s really just first impressions.
First of all, it was awfully strange to get a table immediately on a Saturday night in this small and formerly bustling space. Obviously there’s no signage up yet, but I’m used to sitting on the window ledge drinking margaritas for awhile.
A few small interior changes have been made – the wall behind the bar has been been completely redesigned and restocked, new light fixtures have been added and a decorative wall was erected between the dining room and kitchen.
The menu, for now, is pretty bare bones. It’s small plates, and it needs explanation / guidance from the wait staff.
It’s a small-plates setup, which often ends up in a trial-and-error ordering experiment. (How many plates do we need? Are we going to be stuffed or left hungry?). We started with the “heirloom radish,” which consisted of a chopped radish and a few other radish-like roots, salted and served with creme fraiche. It was light and fresh, though a few bites were oversalted and others were not salted enough.
For second courses, we split the sauerkraut soup and the panette. Both were delicious. The soup was well-favored without being sour, and included a delicious bite of some sort of meat (pork?) and an egg. The panette, small penne pasta, was served with a delicious sauce and toasted pine nuts.
Our third course was a stuffed meatball. Delicious, but small.
For dessert we went with the dark chocolate, assuming it would be some sort of torte. But in actuality, it was a pile of dark chocolate with some almonds. For $6. I looked at Will and said, “This is good chocolate, but it’s… a pile of chocolate.”
I’m really interested to see how Roman’s develops. I was unable to get a good grasp of the vibe they were going for. Partly, it seemed to be trying to mimic the trendy 1920s thing that’s been pervading popular culture these past few years. But the cuisine suggests otherwise. The bill was fairly pricey for the quantity, but I’m game to go back once they have a regular, full menu (and they are already taking credit cards).
If you’re wondering about the name, it’s clearly a reference to Rome, Italy. Not only is the food described by the waitstaff as being Italian-influenced, but the outside of the menus feature an illustration of two infants being suckled by a wolf. My renaissance-literature-professor husband informed me that it was a depiction of Romulus and Remus. (Romulus was, according to Roman mythology, the first King of Rome).
Tonight, Mr. Lesterhead and I (I am using his laptop) checked out Macbeth at Fort Greene’s Irondale Center. An interesting interpretation, and I loved the choreography and sound (they use a technique called “Soundpainting”). But since Mr. LH is a renaissance lit PhD, I thought I’d let him do the formal review:
October 1st, 2009
Macbeth is appropriate to autumn and October. Macbeth’s colors are red and black; the poetry evokes the lengthening of nights and shortening days; and it’s full of witches and ghosts. Perfect for the month of Halloween! I went with Lesterhead to see Strike Anywhere and ANITYA’s joint production of “Macbeth Variations II” at the Irondale Center in the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church on Lafayette and South Oxford St. in Fort Greene tonight. The production definitely set the mood for a spooky October.
There are a few things you might want to know before you go see the play. First, Strike Anywhere and ANITYA are based in New York and Paris respectively. Second, this is an interpretation of Macbeth, not a staging of Shakespeare’s play. It is performed in both English and French. Unfortunately the Irondale Center, unlike the Met, doesn’t provide subtitles in glowing green LED in the banquette in front of you. For those who either know French or know the text of Macbeth or both, this isn’t an issue. If you speak English but not French and don’t know the play well, it can be confusing. Third, the philosophy of the joint company prioritizes improvisation. As they say on their website, it’s never the same play two nights in a row. So if you think “classic” when you think Shakespeare, this may not be for you. On the other hand, if the classics bore you but you feel compelled to get cultured anyway, this production is both edgy and old skool.
I would give you my take with no chaser, but I happened to overhear a conversation as I was walking out of the theater that I think says it all about what this show accomplishes. Three men, all in their mid-20s, were walking ahead of me on the sidewalk as we left the theater, and this is what I heard. (I’ve given them names. If this is you, and I gave you the wrong name, email the blog’s adiministrator.)
Recently, some friends and I decided to scope out the neighb’s newest bar, the whiskey-intense Cornelius, located at 565 Vanderbilt Ave (Haha. Get it?).
It was a weeknight and the place was relatively empty, but entirely pleasant in décor and libations, if not exactly the arbiter of the best service ever (we had to call our waiter over several times). That said, the menu was pretty amazing, offering an extensive list varied whiskeys, flavored vodkas and original cocktails.
We ordered a lot of cocktails and found them all to be quite delicious. My favorite was the Smoked Pineapple Margarita, which was just sweet enough. Another friend was quite impressed with the Sparkling Pear. The only place where I’d mark them down is that while they could make me a plethora of fanciful designer cocktails, they couldn’t fulfill my order for a plain old Rusty Nail. Why not? No Drambuie. Poor form, guys.
On the food front, since we stopped by on a Monday, we were treated to $1 Oysters. Beyond that, the prices at Cornelius are unfortunately on the steeper end.
All and all, this place is definitely worth stopping by for a classy cocktail and some atmosphere. It seemed like the few issues encountered are just opening/growing pains for a spot that will most likely prove to be a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
Amaretto Sour
The Smoked Pineapple Margarita
Sparkling Pear
Here’s more info , including a sneak peak of the menu.
As the new blogger on the topic of parenting in and around Clinton Hill, I’m launching a series of reviews of local kid-friendly establishments. Fortunately for the many families in the neighborhood, most restaurants here are laid-back and welcoming to families with kids. I should also mention that I’m entirely aware that not everyone wants to dine next to a baby or child, but I think it is possible to do it in a considerate, low-impact way. So, readers, please be thoughtful when you take your kids out with you—I know you will be!
The first restaurant I’d like to cover is a neighborhood favorite of mine, Anima Italian Bistro. Anima is our go-to place for weekend brunch (love the French toast!), but their dinner and lunch options are also good. The food can be described as Italian soul food: simple, hearty and well-priced. In fact, “anima” means “soul” in Italian. Options include a variety of panini sandwiches, salads, pastas and burgers. Heartier entrees like branzino with a lemon risotto cake, stuffed pork chop with fontina cheese and a braised lamb shank with polenta are available too. And there’s a kids’ brunch menu, including chicken cutlet, risotto, and “pasta bambini.”
The atmosphere is casual—think Italian pop music and farm tables—and the staff are friendly and warm to all their patrons, including kids. Like typical Mediterraneans, they dote on Jasper the minute we walk through the door, and any stress about being “those people with the kid” quickly melts away. It also helps that the restaurant is spacious, so it has always been possible for us to sit far enough from other diners that Jasper and his overflowing gear won’t disrupt them. The food and service are prompt. The décor is attractive, with brick walls, a tin ceiling and rustic aged wooden bar and wine racks. All in all, Anima’s a great option for a fun and relaxing meal with the little ones. Buon appetito!
High chairs—Yes
Space for strollers—Yes
Kids’ menu—Yes
Food delivery—Yes
Baby Changing Area—No, but restrooms are large and clean.
Outdoor space—Maybe (the previous restaurant in this space had a great back garden, but it has not been re-opened yet during Anima’s time there—maybe Summer ’09?)
Potential pitfalls—The wine-bottle curtain—you’ll know it when you see it—is an irresistible temptation to the small and curious. We found that out the hard way!
Anima Italian Bistro
458 Myrtle Avenue between Waverly and Washington
Brooklyn New York 11205
718-422-1122
They are really releasing an album but they are only sort of local. 1/2 of the group Sparkly Fin live in Clinton Hill. This half of the group is named Emily, who provides the vocals, and she decided to stay in the hood after graduating from Pratt this past May. The other half is tastefully called Joseph, who lives in Baltimore, and he provides all other instrumentation. This week (1/27/09) they are releasing their first album, High Pive.
Sparkly Fin fit nicely into the cotillion of contemporary bands who embrace the electro-acoustic spectrum with heart and soul. Their myspace page used to proclaim that sounded like “Kate Bush kissing a pinball machine.” While I agree with their self-diagnosis, I will offer my own egregious (yet loving) analogy: Otis Redding making out with M. I. A. at a bris hosted for any male offspring of Thom Yorke. What I’m saying, in lay terms, is that they are very sensitive to their tone, which usually doesn’t get such attention in predominantly electronic music. Also, they have an undeniably eclectic pop sensibility that contains sincerity as well as irony in a seemingly unpretentious way. This sets them apart from the ideas that usually seem to spring out of the invisible retinues that follow around many a BK band. Plain and simple, it’s electro-pop music that is built to last. As a final addendum, they encourage dancing.
To celebrate the release they are going to be having an intimate performance this coming Saturday (1/31/09) at Emily’s apartment on Atlantic at 10pm. Email the band for address/directions.
If you missed any of the hyperlinks:
www.sparklyfin.com
www.myspace.com/adingsparklyfin
sparklyfin@gmail.com
My husband and I just got back from dinner at Bati Ethiopian Restaurant, in Fort Greene, and loved the whole experience – food, ambience, and service. Bati’s atmosphere is inviting and cozy—dark wood, white brick walls, bright Ethiopian-themed artwork, and the service was very friendly, attentive and quick. The menu offers beef, free-range poultry, and a large variety of vegetarian dishes. (Note: All the vegetarian dishes are vegan as well.) We ate the Doro Wett (chicken stew) and a combination of vegetarian dishes, which were all fresh, delicious and hearty, with generous portions.
The Bati Platter
Even though it was busy, owner Hibist Legesse made time to talk with me about her restaurant. (Meseret Kibret is also a partner in the restaurant).
Why “Bati”? Bati, the name of the restaurant, refers to a region in North Central Ethiopia known for its sprawling market, to the famous Ethiopian song “Ere Bati Bati”, and to “bati”, a type of music originating in the highlands of Ethiopia.
Why Fort Greene? Hibist, originally from Ethiopia, moved to the US in her teens. Trips to BAM when she was living with her family in Harlem sparked an attraction to the Fort Greene area, and she has dreamed of opening a restaurant here ever since.
Can you describe the food? Traditional Ethiopian with a focus on nutrition and health. For example, by adding extra teff (type of flour) to the injera (spongy flatbread), we’re increasing the fiber and iron content of the bread. You can see the difference — the injera is a darker color. And by featuring healthy ingredients, such as flaxseed. We also plan to expand our vegetarian options.
Do you have a signature dish? The Ye Telba Fitfit is a special dish, made with lightly roasted freshly ground flaxseed in house dressing mixed with injera. It is packed with anti-oxidants and very good for you.
Who’s cooking in the kitchen? There are a number of chefs in the kitchen, all Ethiopian, and all, as is traditional in Ethiopia, female. This tradition is changing though, with many young men now learning to cook as well.
The basics:
Address: 747 Fulton Street at South Portland (right next to Provisions), Fort Greene
Phone: 718-797-9696
Hours: Open every day
Starting this week (week of Jan 26th): Lunch 12-5pm; Dinner 5pm-Midnight
Takeout available; currently no delivery
BYOB until further notice (which is not a problem with Provisions right next door and Greene Grape a few doors down)
Welcome to the neighborhood! We will be coming back very soon!
Sorry for the delays, folks. Getting back from vacation is always overwhelming and I haven’t had much posting time!
Last Thursday, before I departed for the Queen City, I hit up Il Porto for lunch on opening day. I was pleased to see that the “to-go” room was packed with local residents and workers waiting for a slice!
(Behind the counter. fresh pizzas being made)
I had my lunch on the other side, in the “sit-down” room. The servers were friendly and helpful (I’m pretty sure several of them came to Il Porto from Il Torchio, along with the chef). They started me off with this complimentary bred, fresh from the brick oven.
It was a touch choice, but I picked the Rugola and Prosciutto 12″ pizza.
The prosciutto was extremely fresh, and the crush light. It was so tasty that I ate 4 of the 6 pieces (though I could have easily gotten away with just 3).
I planned to head back home, full and happy, when Eda and Joe of Square Root Cafe popped their heads back to say hello and give me a piece of the Wallabout dessert pie — Nutella, pine nuts, marshmallow. AMAZING.
The food was so tasty that I ordered delivery tonight for a small Fort Greene PUPS meeting at my place. We did the Rugula and Prosciutto, Margherita and the Wallabout for dessert. Rave reviews all around with only 1.5 pieces left over (and they take credit cards — even for delivery! Bravo!)
I’m glad they’ve been busy so far. It’ll be a great place to stop for food, especially before PEP openings and RePop First Fridays (like the next one on September 5, featuring my photography!).
Il Porto
37 Washington Ave.
718-624-0954
www.ilportobrooklyn.com
Finally! After so much positive reader feedback, I was able to hit up Kif on Friday evening. I know many people loved Liquors, but to be honest, I was never really that into their food or service. Though it will always have a place in my heart, as it’s the very first place I ate at in the neighborhood several years ago.
I’m glad to report that Kif seems to be offering tastier food and friendlier service!
I met up with BrooklynJay, who I haven’t seen in months. We were able to snag a prime spot out back (glad to say they’re also utilizing the back yard!), and started with falafel and pita/hummus. The hummus was great, and the pita bread was amazing — warm, lightly baked and yet soft. Perfect for dipping.
Jay had the burger. He was sick with a bad cold, so he wasn’t his usual chipper self (or I would have made him write this review). Still, he cleaned his plate and said that the burger was tasty with a good mix of Moroccan-type spices.
I had the couscous royal, which was filled with veggies and a few kinds of meat. I normally wouldn’t order couscous, but the reader comments persuaded me. It was delicious, and came with a bunch of sauces.
The best thing, though, was the dessert. We tried the orange flower creme brulee, and OMG. It really tasted like the smell of orange blossoms, and it might rival Chez Lola’s lavender bread pudding as tastiest dessert in the area (though I think that’s still my favorite).
The inside was lavish without looking overdone, and I hear they offer hookah service after 11pm. Service was very friendly, and I felt like the owner made a good effort to offer a warm welcome to everyone. (To be honest, I have heard more than one report that he’s a bit chilly to same sex couples — any feedback on this?)
Kif
219 DeKalb Ave.
(note: the photos are not the best, I know. It was really dark inside and out back!)
Rustik Tavern
471 DeKalb Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11205
I needed a place to eat that was close by but I wanted someplace new too. I didn’t want it to be too fancy either. I just wanted a nice, chill, relaxing place to grab a beer and some decent food. I saw a review of Rustik over on Clinton Hill Foodie which seem to fit the bill perfectly. (yeah, I’ve been slacking and they got to it before me) After checking out Rustik’s very slick website and menu online I decided to give it a shot. I’m so glad I did.
The first thing I noticed was how…out of place Rustik seemed to be in where it’s located. It’s like bodega, bodega, take out, take out, bodega, Rustik.
Well at least you won’t miss it walking by.
I was impressed with Rustik’s interior decor. High ceilings and lots of lights, but not overly bright, gave it a very warm and inviting feeling and with that big sofa up front – definitely a place to chill.
First order of business: a beer. Rustik has a very decent selection of tap and bottled beers. (All of which is listed on their website.) I went with the Blue Moon which they had on tap – always an excellent choice.
Second order of business: FOOD.
Every item was named after something local or of significance. For example, the Willoughby Wings for Willoughby Avenue. It’s kind of silly but nice at the same time. Adds a very “neighborhood” feel to it.
Prices were extremely reasonable. Lots of items under $10 and nothing over $15.
We decided on the following:
The Nostrand Nachos with the olives and the jalapenos on the side.
As a stand alone dish it’s eh. I like the fact that it’s cheese sauce rather than real cheese, real cheese has a tendency to clump up and get chewy as it cools, but other than that it was lacking something that made it great. Like…
The Clinton Hill Chili.
Now I know you can add the chili on top of the nachos for $2 but go with a whole order of chili along with the nachos and use the nachos to scoop up all that chili goodness.
The chili, by itself, is still was very good and, while still full of flavor, it was relatively tame and lacked heat and spiciness.
Mixing it with the nachos is really the way to go. It takes two “okay” dishes to 11.
We moved on to a small order of the Willoughby Wings with BBQ sauce. (That’s where my olives and jalapenos went!)
I want to point out that these wings are breaded. Normally I hate breaded wings but these I didn’t mind. It worked well with the BBQ sauce, giving the sauce something to stick to, as well as adding a bit of crispiness to the chicken.
What surprised me about this dish was that the BBQ sauce was actually spicy and had some heat to it. The heat was unexpected, I had to double check to make sure it was the wings and not the chili, but not overwhelming. It actually worked very well together as a sweet and spicy combination.
Finally, the Franklin Fish and Chips.
This was pretty good. The fish was lightly breaded, not battered, which kept the whole dish relatively “light”. The fish was done well and was flaky and moist. The chips on the other hand…eh.
The chips were too big in size and I think that kept them from getting really crispy. The chips also had some old bay seasoning or something on them which was too over powering for the lighter tasting fish. I like the fish…the chips need work.
We wanted to try the Chambord Creme Brulee but they were out of it. (Doesn’t it sound good though? Chambord Creme Brulee? Mmmm…)
Overall, it’s a great place and I’m definitely going to be back. It’s got a nice mellow vibe, serves good food and has good drinks. All at a very reasonable price. The entire meal was about $40. It’s like the perfect little local neighborhood spot.
The service was good with the bartender being attentive without “hovering”. (And he didn’t once ask me if I spoke english! That’s a plus right there!)
The one complaint I do have is the TV. There’s a pretty big TV right in the middle of the room and when there’s a TV on you’re sort…of…forced…to…watch…it. I would have like it a lot better if it was off and a good selection of music was playing instead. (They have a very nice sound system.) The TV just seemed out of place and sort of broke up that “chill” feeling if you know what I mean.
Other than that it’s a great place and a very welcome addition to the neighborhood.
Oh, and if you’re lucky you’ll catch a free show.
We were treated to piano renditions of Keane and Coldplay. Very very cool.
A few weeks ago, I had THE weirdest dining experience at Restaurant New Orleans on Fulton (nr. S. Portland). A friend I dined with took the time to summarize:
Last weekend, though, we went out to dinner with some friends, R. and W., with the intention of grabbing dinner before seeing “There Will Be Blood”. I suggested Restaurant New Orleans, a restaurant on Fulton not to far from BAM where were going to see the movie. I’ve passed by this place numerous times walking back from BAM and it always intrigues me. It is decorated like someone’s parlor, but half the time its empty and sometimes we’ve passed by around 10pm and its been dark, with a woman sitting at a computer in the window.
Anyway, we decided to meet at 7, figuring it would leave us plenty of time to catch the 9pm movie. We sat down and browsed the menu while the man who sat us looked for a bottle opener and glasses for the bottle of wine we brought with us (byob). This took about 10 minutes, and the glasses we got were sherry glasses. When the waitress came to take our order, she nearly forgot to take W’s order.
And then the fun started. R and W had ordered crab cakes and we had ordered shrimp cocktail as appetizers, but after about 20 minutes, only the crab cakes came out. After a few minutes, we tracked down our waitress (who was astonishingly hard to track down in a place that was also the size of a parlor), she said our appetizer was on its way. But then out came my catfish (which Sam and R had ordered as well), with a sweet potato on the side. I had ordered spinach and something else. The waitress said they were out of whatever sides I had ordered but they could make some nice garlic brussels sprouts. Sure, why not. About 5 minutes later, out came Sam and R’s catfish as well. R’s grilled catfish looked exactly the same as our blackened catfish. And they didn’t have any sides. And there was no sign of W’s gumbo. And it was about 8:30. The brussles sprouts never appeared.
We reminded our waitress about the appetizer, though we told her to just forget about it since we were already eating our main course. And then, about 5 minutes later, the reason for the missing shrimp cocktail became clear – they “were having a problem with the shrimp”. And so they couldn’t make the gumbo either. But they offered to make W a nice salmon fillet instead, on the house. She brought out a bowl of red beans and rice on the house too (we still never received any sides other than my sweet potato), so W ate those while waiting for the salmon, which came around 8:50. So we asked for the check too and paid that while W ate.
They felt so bad for all the trouble, so they comped us for two of the entrees and also offered us free brunch (though they didn’t give us anything in writing indicating this). And they seemed so genuine that we weren’t really upset about the service, mystified was the better word for our state. I mean, if they didn’t have shrimp, they could have told us an hour earlier. Or the whole issue with the sides. W’s dish came with collards, which both Sam and R had ordered but never came. How the place stays in business was the biggest question – its been there since we moved to the neighborhood I think. The food we did get was very good, but it just seemed like such a haphazard business that it was surprising that it was able to stay open.
I admit those crab cakes were delicious! Yet the dinner couldn’t have been any more haphazard. Anyone have a similar experience?