Catch-Up

Things that have happened since my last post (in no particular order):

- Made blueberry muffins. Great success. Also tried out a version of my long-planned molasses and ginger muffins. Dubbed them Snap! Ginger Muffins. They were basically gingerbread muffins with bits of candied ginger roaming about. Success was tempered only by the realization that gingerbread muffins with peppermint bark (or Andes mints?!) would be delicious come the holidays. Mint contends that these would be delicious tomorrow. I'm inclined to think she might be right.

- Made a version of a fennel salad we had at Paloma a while back. This involved a chopped fennel and grated radish cole slaw of sorts tossed in lemon juice and olive oil with some pieces of orange. This was placed atop a few spoonfuls of white bean and honey paste. (Note: paste is a disgusting word. Let's use a different one next time, yes?) It was a bit like hummus, but sweet, which helped with the peppery radish.

- Greenpoint Market Deli has a sign that says it will be returning. That would be nice. They always had the ginger beer that Mint likes, and it means that it won't be something I don't want on the corner, like another Duane Reade. I know there's already a Duane Reade across the street now, but you never know. That chain is worse than Starbucks these days. I'm waiting for a Duane Reade to open inside another Duane Reade. It'll happen. Just wait.

Today is National Punctuation Day. Not everyone is aware.

- Spain's La Liga is going again, which is wonderful. What's more wonderful is that Time Warner is suddently carrying GolTV, which carries La Liga matches. Finally, after five years here, I can watch something other than Premiership teams on the weekend. But speaking of La Liga, Barca put a 6-1 hurting on Sporting Gijon last weekend. This week, Real Madrid downed them 7-1. I enjoy the one extra goal, you know, not against Sporting, but as a little shot at Barca. What, couldn't get seven?

- Politics increasingly make my head hurt, but I find my rising blood pressure tempered by increasingly obvious revelations that sanity may well prevail for once. All the backhanded shots are landing wide (for now), and the tiny bursts of red-rage momentum seem to flame out quickly. Even Bill Kristol doesn't make me as violently ill anymore, which isn't really true, but sometimes.

- Bourbon has replaced whiskey as my drink of choice. This concerns you far less than anything else I've mentioned here. Unless, of course, you're out drinking with me in the near future. In which case, we'll see.

Dinner And A Movie: Hellboy II & Habitat

CAUGHT A SCREENING of Hellboy II last night with Sir Hitchcock and Mr. Golden. Considering that Pan's Labyrinth is likely the standard-bearer for Guillermo del Toro's work of late, a couple things stood out: First, the go-bump-in-the-night imagination on this guy is something special. The death of a plant God and, later, an incarnate of Death itself are breathtaking. You gotta think del Toro has a leg up on Burton these days, at least as far as creepy-crawly ghouls go.

Second, speaking of stories, Pan's Labyrinth was an exceptionally carefully wrought fairy tale. Del Toro makes good use of his dramatic flair in Hellboy, too, but he's not nearly as meticulous about it and I suspect it's because the characters and plot lines aren't wholly his own. The best ones in Hellboy are the ones he brings to life himself. The mechanization of the golden army is good, but the everyday, otherworldly interactions in the troll market are great. Kinda makes you wonder what's gonna he's gonna do with the Hobbit.

And after the movie I finally paid a visit to Habitat (988 Manhattan Ave; Greenpoint, Bklyn; (718) 383-5612).

Kevin has been raving about this place for weeks, as have several other Greenpointers I've bumped into. The decor is something like a backyard patio tucked away inside what appears to be minimalist concrete facade, but given the suburban overtones of the interior, maybe it's just the basement foundation. It's all very inside-out (and with Planet Earth DVDs constantly playing above the bar).

There's food to be had (though, does one really want to eat while watching Planet Earth?). Pairs of sliders, baskets of waffle fries, mac n' cheese, ham and swiss, etc. I had the black bean and cheese empanadas, a term usable for any fried, pastry-encased food classier than a Hot Pocket. I'm not saying they were bad, they were actually quite good, reasonably priced at $6 for a pair served with mixed greens. The beer list was interesting if not ambitious, $5-7 a pint.

MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: Perhaps. The wood slabs served up as coasters are neat.

Mike Eats What?

After a long absence, I've decided it might be time to revisit this poor little un-updated site. The mission won't be refocused as much as it will be less focused, less attention paid to my every meal and more attention turned on my immediate surroundings: Greenpoint.

Lots of factors have played into this decision, not the least of which is the simple fact that I now have an occasional spare moment. Sure, I've missed writing and blah blah, but I've also found myself as of late, as I told Mint last night, "uninspired" making meals, to which Mint responded with a rather defeated, "awww." So, let's just call that moment my tipping point. Fitting, really, as she was the tipping point the first time, too.

But there was also a moment last weekend which drew this decision quite a bit nearer. You'll hear about it soon enough. It involves the subject of my last post (some four months ago), a box of fries and a rogue wingnut. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out the plot, but it definitely deserves its own post.

So, stay tuned! Mike Eats Food is back, but this time it's Greenpoint.

BRUNCH! @ Paloma

Paloma
60 Greenpoint Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 349-2400
palomanyc.com

RAISE YOUR HANDS if you love Saturday morning cartoons!

Okay, yes, I know, cartoons kinda suck these days. I enjoy Spongebob as much as the next guy, but Viva Piñata? Yu-Gi-Oh? Ugh, I can barely stomach Futureama, and my 10-year-old cousin recently asked me, "Who's Yogi Bear?" Are you kidding me, Boo Boo!? Hey, hey, I say, what are we teaching these kids today?!

The good news: Paloma understands. Not only can you now find yourself a tasty brunch at the Greenpoint joint, but you can kick back and enjoy it while watching the flickering frames of good, old fashions, hand-animated Looney Tunes.

How the food? My eggs over-medium with a slice of potato pancake was perhaps the simplest plate I have ever seen come out of Paloma's kitchen. The eggs were impeccably cooked. Mint's duck hash piled atop one of those tasty potato-cakes was reportedly awesome. A warm popover, crispy crust outside and buttery soft inside, hit the spot. And, as always, the bar served up a hit, this afternoon mixing up a ginger soda with skewered chunks of candied ginger as garnish.

MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: Yup, yup.

Paloma vs. Relish, Part I: Late-Night in Greenpoint

Paloma

60 Greenpoint Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 349-2400
www.palomanyc.com

IT HAS BEEN brought to my attention by Paloma-skeptic Kevin that the one-half the ownership pair and executive chef of the Brooklyn newcomer, Camille Becerra, was the very first chef to be given the honor of being asked to leave the current season of Top Chef. I suppose as long as pineapple upside-down cake never shows up on the menu, though, the restaurant will be just fine.

And after enjoying a few 2-for-1 specials with Sir Hitchcock, Mint and Roxie at the Soft Spot (an outing assembled quite by chance, if you can call it "chance" to find Roxie at the Soft Spot these days), Mint and I decided to kick off a two-night celebration of the end of her summer semester by enjoying a late-night meal at Paloma followed by one the following night at Relish. It seemed liked a fun idea. Slightly expensive, but fun.

It would also give me a chance to compare two of my favorite north Brooklyn retaurants: Greenpoint's Paloma and Williamsburg's Relish, self-styled "Urban American" and "New American" kitchens respectively. There is certainly a familiar culinary thread that ties the two together, and a few things that many folks believe separate them. That, and both are astoundingly delicious. This was really a win-win plan.

Paloma, which serves dinner nightly until 11:30 p.m. (on Sunday to 10:30), was first in line, as it's far closer to home. Unsurprisingly, at 10:30 on a Tuesday night, there was no wait; our waitress gave us our pick of the half-dozen open tables. (This would, perhaps, be a good point to note that throughout our meal the waitress was excellent. Service at Paloma can sometimes be inattentive, so it's a fair point to praise. It's also one which Kevin will undoubtedly disbelieve.)

Paloma's summer menu was mostly standby favorites--roasted chicken, burgers, Parmesan-crusted tilapia, pesto-seared tuna--which we've had before. There was a selection of cheeses that seemed interesting, but we were hungrier than cheeses. So, we ordered the spicy shrimp and steamed mussels with fries appetizers along with the cod entree, and we agreed to share everything.

Shrimp, by candlelight

A great plan--the shrimp were light, spicy and paired with sweet grilled onions; the mussels arrived swimming in coconut milk and lemongrass with thick wedges of potato to munch on between bites. The cod, at first, disappointed me, only as the fish is forever impressed in my memory as Basque bacalao, cooked with rich, roasted red peppers and garlic, a dish I've happily order numerous times along the northern Spanish coast. It took a few bites to warm up to it served with grains and sweet red grapes, tasty but less insisting flavors.

This was all accompanied by a few of Paloma's cocktails, which really are the best you'll find anywhere in the neighborhood, even if the bar, as Kevin points out, is at times fascinatingly slow to make them (you do always seem to wonder what could take five minutes when there are only two people at the bar). The space, also, confuses me at times, being so large it seems like it could never feel full.

Aside from the apparently uber-meticulous drink-mixing, the space I've started to come to terms with. As Camille mentions in her interview, Paloma is, at its heart, a neighborhood joint. It is above all accessible. At times it's food staggers between comfort and higher intentions, but the prices are exceedingly reasonable for the quality and consistence of the kitchen, and high tabs are usually a result of over-indulgence rather than overpriced fare.

Staggering only a few blocks to get home is a fair trade too.

MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: Tomorrow: Relish.

Early Breakfast, Late Dinner (Happy Birthday Kat!)

Brooklyn Label
180 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 389-2806
www.brooklynlabel.com

Ollie's
1991 Broadway
New York, NY 10023
(212) 595-8181

TIME FOR CONFESSION: it's true, yes, that I arrived at work a little before 11:00 a.m. today on account of breakfast. I'm sorry? Well, no, I'm not at all, really--it was damn delicious.

Mint's work schedule usually grants her either Saturday or Sunday off-work, though this week the schedule Gods (Mitch and Nick, admittedly, not being names normally befitting of deities) conspired to give her neither, offering Tuesday in trade. So, with the prospect of having no free time together for the rest of the week, I decided that I was in absolutely no hurry to get to work myself. Breakfast at Brooklyn Label was in order.

Not surprisingly, the normally- packed weekend brunch spot was nearly empty at 9:00 on a weekday morning, save for a trickling crowd of coffee counter customers grabbing morning cups to-go. We grabbed a table in the corner and the service was, needless to say, quite attentive. The kitchen, too, was in its prime, being frequently subdued in both quickness and quality on a busy Sunday morning. Mint's eggs were a perfect accomplishment of over-medium, and mine, soft-scrambled with tomato, basil and aged cheddar, showcased all of their flavors with notable perfection. We were also happily offered home fries, made at the whim of the kitchen, not normally residing on the menu, which were deliciously just too crisp and served with BL's house label "Chef's Revenge" ketchup and hot sauces.

Oh, so delicious--just be careful if you bring one home...

Fast-forward eight hours. After meeting up post-work with Mint and killing a few hours with Steph (drinking, wrapping gifts for Kat, and playing Photohunt at Dive 75, then drinking and grabbing a snack at City Grill's bar) we continued wandering south through the Upper West Side, down to meet Kat & Co. at Ollie's Noodle Shop just above Lincoln Center for dinner and birthday festivities.

Now, Ollie's is many things to many people; sitting smack across the street from the Sony Lincoln Square movie theater it's a go-to spot for pre-movie munchies. Blessed with unusually large amounts of space for little more than a glorified Chinese takeout joint (including a covered public atrium with tables for those who want to forgo formalities and order from the counter), it's one of the few cheap places in this city large enough to house a dozen people at one table:

The St. Marks kids are alright; the tofu has been better

The food is what you expect, rarely much more--the lo mein is competent, the red bean buns steaming and stuffed with, yes, red bean paste, the scallion pancakes somewhat larger than elsewhere. The "sizzling" tofu platter managed to disappoint by being bland and not at all sizzling. The service is usually poor; tonight, a male waiter stalked our table as we pieced together the check. I cannot express how much I dislike that type of treatment.

But the service and the food is a footnote to Kat's birthday, her twenty-first, and an opportunity for Mint to buy her a 22-ounce can of Sapporo along with assorted Hello Kitty trinkets and a bottle of glucosamine (hey, everyone knows that arthritis really kicks in at twenty-one). And anytime a double-digited number of friends show up to celebrate your birthday, it's bound to be good time.

MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: Brooklyn Label should (finally) be announcing its new summer/debut dinner menu soon; you're better off grabbing take-out and sitting in the "outdoor" atrium rather than braving Ollie's similarly backwards idea of "service."

Of Liquid Measures and Asian Fusion

Champion Coffee
1108 Manhattan Avenue
(b/t Clay St. & Dupont St.)
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 383-5195

Planet Thailand
133 N. 7th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 599-5758

Fresh out of grounds around the apartment, I lasted until about noon before caving in to my caffeine cravings and stomping up Manhattan Ave to Champion Coffee. Looking only for a quick fix, I ordered to go a 16 oz. cafe americano. As I watched the big, beautiful Faema machine pumping out espresso, I almost missed the guy turning to grab a cup to pour it in--a cup noticeably smaller (by half!) than the one which I was given on my last visit!

Now, I'm not up on my liquid measures. I can't approximate 16 fluid ounces. from 12 ounces, or which would be closer, in size or weight, to 1 cup of anything. So, I said nothing, took my coffee and headed home. But curiosity got the best of me:

According to Google, 1 cup equals 8 fluid ounces. After home-measurement analysis (and my margin of error is plus or minus 100%), my cup had in it 10 fl. oz. of coffee at best, probably less. This is quite disappointing. I don't imagine that Champion is deliberately siphoning ounces of delicious coffee away from its consumers, but I do question how it could advertise (and willingly charge) a full $2.00 for what is clearly half the expected amount. I will be sure to raise this question on my next visit. Answers in a future post, I promise.

On, to Thailand!

Mint had dinner at Planet Thailand a week or so ago. Being her first visit, she returned excited by the prices and variety of its Thai menu, and so we agreed to stop by again soon so she could try out something else. Myself, having been on three or four occasions and always opting for the excellent Thai menu too, I decided to take the opportunity to try out Thailand's Japanese offerings. I have to say--I was disappointed.

The sake I ordered, which was listed as "very dry," turned out to be quite sweet without any bite whatsoever and tasted, dare I say, watered down; the miso soup also had a muted flavor neither salty nor savory; and our sushi appetizer (at $7.95, a dollar more expensive than Mint's basil tofu entree) was satisfying though not spectacular. The unagi don, eel over rice, a favorite of mine, was a little too fishy and the sauce not nearly as rich as the one served at Sapporo Haru.

Dessert was the highlight. A special listed among the daily offerings had caught our eyes: black sticky rice with mango and cappuccino ice cream. We asked to exchange the cappuccino ice cream for a mango sorbet we had noticed elsewhere on the menu, and our server was happy to oblige. The black sticky rice (our guess is tapioca pearls used for flavor and color) was rich and warm, crunchy with grains of toasted rice. It paired well with the mango sorbet and fresh-cut mangoes perched on top.

I imagine the cappuccino ice cream would have also been a very good match for the black sticky rice. And so it all comes full circle to coffee.

MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: Champion, with questions; Planet Thailand, for Thai.

Garlic Knots and Board Game Night

Carmine's Pizzeria
358 Graham Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 782-9657
www.carminespizzeria.com

THIS WAS SUPPOSED to be the return of Mike Eats Greenpoint!, but upon calling Nassau Pizza (a phone number trusted to the point in won an spot in my cell phone) I was told by a less-than-interested robot-woman voice, "This. Number. Is. No longer. In service." Foiled!

So, I called Carmine's Pizzeria over in Williamsburg, which is located just a few steps from the Graham Avenue L-train station, in the hope they would deliver to way up yonder in Greenpoint. Why not call the previously-mentioned L.A.'s? Well, they didn't have garlic knots on the menu. A silly point, I know, but I really, really wanted some garlic knots. That, and Carmine's is some of the best pizza around these parts.

Garlic knots, hot and knotty

Of course, pizza and garlic knots are always better fresh from the oven, but with Mint's fellow St. Mark's Comics resident Kat stopping by with boyfriend Justin to play, what else, Nintendo Monopoly, delivery was the plan for dinner. Unfortunately, delivery took an hour to accomplish, which is par for the course at Carmine's, where there's always a crowd of customers lining up for pies, meaning that Monopoly didn't start till ten o'clock. Nothing like an all-night game of mortgages and property-management, I always say.

Thankfully, we chose to adopt the "short game" rules. Yes, I understand, that's fairly oxymoronic when you're talking about Monopoly. What's that--you want a recap of the game? Okay:

Justin got out to a great start, piling up the properties. I eventually coaxed him to sell me his "Luigi" for $500 (the equivalent of "Park Place" on a regular Monopoly board), which became a big deal later in the game. Kat and Mint, meanwhile, made up ground by successfully assembling trios of properties elsewhere on the board, and it seemed like they would threaten Justin's growing portfolio. But after I was able to collect all four transportation properties in a utility company trade with Justin and chanced upon buying "Mario" (a.k.a. "Boardwalk"), the money started flowing in and allowed me to end the game when Kat landed on my much-improved "Luigi." Rent: $1,400; Kat: bankrupt; game: over.

Exciting, right? Tune in next time, and perhaps Monopoly Night will become a regular MEF! installment. Loyal readers, may you only be so lucky.

MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: Yeah, now that he knows Carmine's delivers up here, and having learned Nassau seems to have rolled down its metal gates for good.

101.1, and I'm Not Talking About Jack FM

WHO REMEMBERS YESTERDAY'S reference to a "cold I've been fighting off all week"? Strike that. It's a fever.

I was supposed to go into work today. Not happening. Instead, my fever (and somehow oddly intact work ethic) earns me the right to... work from home. Which isn't bad--getting paid to take DayQuil is a job that many overlook but remains both fiscally responsible and very light on commute. In truth, I did sit at the computer and attempt to be of some service to the Country Living cause. It was mindless, but it was something to do.

Not helping are the people next door who have decided today is a very good day to renew their commitment to techno (I would specify that said techno was being reaffirmed at a very loud volume, but I find "loud techno" to be redundant). Maybe it's me, or maybe it's just Greenpoint, I dunno, but for the love of Paul Oakenfold, couldn't they pick something with rhythm? When I was living down on S. 4th in Williamsburg, the music there was loud too but, bless their Latino hearts, at least that shit had some soul. This straight eighth-notes crap is pointless.

I'm cranky. I'm hot. I'm cold.

Dinner And A Movie: Fresh Co. Tortilla & "28 Weeks Later"

Peter Pan Bakery
727 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11222

I DON'T HAVE enough time to discuss the reasons why I love Peter Pan Bakery, so let's leave it at this: if you are in Greenpoint, you should consider getting a doughnut here. If you do and are not entirely satisfied, contact me via this blog, responding in a post with picture, comment, and mailing address for your check, and I will refund your money. And don't buy a dozen doughnuts and tell me you didn't like one--what happened to the other eleven?--because I'm not giving you that much money. Maybe there should be a picture of you eating the doughnut involved too, just to make sure. Or, well, okay--I'm suspending the Mike Eats Food! Peter Pan Doughnut Challenge Money-Back Guarantee until I can set a few more ground rules. You should still try the doughnuts though. Incredible.

Now, some of you might be thinking, "gee, Mike, didn't your Menu for today state that you ate at two other places? Why aren't their addresses at the top of this post?" Well, thanks for your question, loyal reader. Here's the answer:

I don't know the address of Pad Thai. I'm not even sure "Pad Thai" is the place's real name. I was working this afternoon and ordered some take-out delivered to the office. My bad. As for Fresh Co. Tortilla, there are like 8 billion various Fresh Co., Fresca, Fresco, Fresh-e-Fresh, et. al., tex-mex joints in this city. It's like the Chinese-people-making-Mexican-food version of Ray's Pizza. In fact, on a scale of Tasti-D-Lite to Starbucks, Fresch Co. Tortilla rates about a Crown Fried Chicken.

For the purists, I'll go ahead and describe the meal anyway:

Upon entering, the sidewalk storefront's neon glow cast a soft backlight to the three tables along the restaurant's dining area. We snapped up a great table (right next to the trash can) and dropped off our stuff before sauntering back to the order counter and open kitchen. The menu was written out neatly in identical plastic letters on the big, black menu board overhead, but we quickly settled on old favorites--quesadillas! Perfect for a quick snack before the theater.

My black bean and jack cheese quesadilla was two soft tortilla shells perfectly pressed between two hot, well-greased surfaces. The cheese was melted and hot; the black beans were mushy, almost purple in color. Mint's chicken and jack cheese quesadilla looked just as hot, just as pressed between two hot, well-greased surfaces. Along with three plastic container-sealed sides of salsa, a paper bag of fresh-fried tortilla chips, and two cans of Coke-a-Cola, the meal was just enough for the two of us and only set us back a respectable $9.09.

Then we saw "zombies" do unnatural things to people in 28 Weeks Later. Kat's description of the movie was pretty much spot on. I believe she used both the words "empty" and "sour." I could not agree more with those two words as used to describe my reaction to this movie as well. That's not supposed to be a bad review. Also, I had to squint to dull the gore of what I was seeing exactly twice; I laughed once; and the people behind me who continually felt compelled to recap out loud what had happened, speculating as to what they missed by coming in late, further discussing what plot developments they might expect as the movie progressed, and who generally just offered any advice they had to the characters on the screen during any dip in the volume substantial enough to carry on the aforementioned conversations owe me $10.50.

MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: Always good to end on a positive note--yes, I love doughnuts.

Mike Eats Greenpoint, Volume 6: Paloma

Paloma
60 Greenpoint Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11222
718-349-2400
www.palomanyc.com

A HANDFUL OF newcomers are etching a whole new culinary face on the Greenpoint scene. Of note, Lamb & Jaffy, Brooklyn Label, and the excellent Queen's Hideaway are just a few, but leading the pack is Paloma. This haven of "urban American cuisine" is a blank canvas for its patrons, equal parts classy, communal, and striving for the creative.

Paloma's allure is its food, though it's simple menu seems unlikely to draw crowds down to the Greenpoint waterfront. Indeed, word of mouth does the trick and the crowds do come. They swing open Paloma's large wooden gate to find a sleek and sparsely-decorated interior, turntables assembled even before the first tables, and ultimately some of the most accessible food on this side of the East River. Imagine the comfort of Williamsburg's Relish relieved of its diner kitsch.

Coriander Pesto Seared Tuna Salad

The prices are manageable, the dishes extraordinary. The menu changes seasonally (expect a Summer menu soon), with both inventive highlights like Coriander Pesto Seared Tuna Salad and Parmesan Crusted Tilapia (both $14) and classics like Roasted Chicken with Potato Pancake ($12) or juicy Strip Steak and Fries ($19). My personal favorite, however, remains the Hominy Stew with Roasted Spaghetti Squash ($11), cooked so perfectly tender the tiny bits of hominy and squash might be confused for pasta.


The wine menu is decent, with five or six selections each of red and white wines, but the cocktails are worth a trip alone. House-infused vodkas lend a special flavor to almost all of them, standouts being the Vanilla Old Fashioned (made with a vanilla-infused 12-year bourbon), Pomegranate Gin Fizz, and Mac's Cosmo (featuring lime-infused 42 Below vodka). These are elegant cocktails that taste as good as they sound, and don't sound ridiculous when you order them.

Be sure the try the Chamomile Tres Leches (when it's not sold out), a thick, sweet pound cake soaked in a light chamomile-infused cream. One of the best desserts I've ever had.

It would be great to see more acts performing live, but with old Spanish flicks and Westerns playing on Paloma's great white wall, there's always something to keep you entertained aside from the food.

MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: As soon as he hears about a Summer menu.

Going to the Country, Gonna Eat a Lot of Mexican Food

Eat Records
124 Meserole Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11222
Official Myspace Page

Eat-A-Pita
Grand Central Terminal
New York, NY 10017
212-297-2500
Official Website

Chuck's & Margaritas
1498 Stafford Road
Mansfield, CT 06268
860-429-1900
Official Website

MY COUSIN ADAM is getting confirmed tomorrow (think: Catholic version of a Bar Mitzvah, only without the big party or super-long ceremony), so I'm headed up to Connecticut for the weekend. That means errands in the morning, a train in the afternoon, and Connecticut by nightfall. Of course, today's sustenance will follow in exactly the same path.

First thing this morning, finding our shelves finally void of the Turkish coffee we discussed a few days ago, I stopped into Eat Records while running errands to grab a cup. I've passed the tiny, hole-in-the-wall record shop/coffee shop/cafe/music venue guided by indie scene beacon Todd P many a time, but I've always kept walking as my caffeine loyalties lie with Cafe Grumpy and Ashbox. Used vinyl loyalties? I have none.

What Eat Records would look like full, at night

The coffee was decent (costing a buck and some change), the records looked old and/or new, and there were a few well- and/or poorly-dressed kids hanging around. Pretty much what I expected. Not much space to sit and use a laptop, though there were certainly a few tables available to occupy for such a purpose, so I can imagine the place gets filled up pretty easily on a weekend or whenever Todd P is selling tix for some impossible to find Greenpoint gig. So, Grumpy and Ashbox--fear not, this morning's infidelity means nothing. It was just a cup of coffee. I will return to you both soon. Kisses.

Suitcase packed (yes, loaf of banana bread included), I set off for Grand Central in hopes of arriving in time to find a bite to eat before running to my 4:09 train to New Haven. Deciding against dragging my suitcase through the always-packed Grand Central Market, I descended instead to the Dining Concourse and found the falafal-tastic Eat-A-Pita. For $6 (GCT is convenient, but not cheap) I had a delicious pita stuffed with falafal and much hummus. Not too shabby; a standout among other options.

The burrito barn beckons...

From New Haven, my uncle Frank and I drove up and through Hartford, arriving to meet my aunts Kathy and Eileen, uncle Tom, and cousins Paul and Adam outside Ashford, CT at the triple-level Mexican super-barn, a.k.a. Margaritas. I'll say this much: if you're in eastern Connecticut and looking for a gigantic Mexican steakhouse, look no further.


In the past I've enjoyed enchiladas the size of my head. This time, I gave the fish tacos a try. I'll go back to enchiladas next time, or perhaps the plates of sizzling fajitas that my cousins always enjoy, or perhaps the nachos my uncle ordered that showed up the size of a sombrero. All are more satisfactory options. Regardless, don't bother going on a full stomach, don't forget the margaritas, and be sure to get a table in the top-tier hay loft. Because if you haven't eaten Mexican food in the rafters of a barn in the Connecticut woods, you haven't lived.

MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: Coffee, nah; pita, yah; margaritas, you betcha.

Mike Eats Greenpoint, Volume 5: Rachel's Corner

ONE OF GREENPOINT'S greatest establishments is neither a bar nor a restaurant, though it does suspiciously advertise pizza on its awning which is a product I have never actually known it to sell. Curious. Rachel's Corner, located at the corner of Nassau Avenue and Eckford Street, is a 24-hour corner store well-stocked with fresh fruits and veggies, necessary Polish goods, breads, cheeses, pickles, and healthy things as such you can never seem to find them at 3:00 a.m.

That said, this post could probably also be called "How to Not Make Turkish Coffee." But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Some time ago, Mint and I wandered into Rachel's in search of assorted breakfast foods. We asked the man behind the cashier counter for a bag of the coffee that was perched behind him. He happily obliged, then added (here it comes):

"Have you ever tried Turkish coffee?"

Of course, we had not. He informed us it was slightly sweeter than regular coffee but very delicious. As Mint and I will apparently do anything a kind man behind the counter of a grocery store tells us to do late at night, we agreed to try some. Our now-friend's face beamed. We imagined it was partly his Turkish pride showing through, but also perhaps his shock at having convinced the two of us to buy Turkish coffee simply by mentioning it, cursing inside, and probably wishing he had told us to by the $20 corked bottle of Belgian beer in the back cooler.

We took home our can of finely-ground Royal türk kahvesi, and gave it a shot the next morning. Indeed, it was sweeter than regular coffee but very delicious. Our friend was absolutely right. No masters of Turkish culinary customs, the instructions as printed on the label:

"Turkish coffee is traditionally prepared in a cezve, a small long-handled pot. Place on a low source of heat with one heaped teaspoon of coffee per cupfull of water and add sugar to taste. Heat slowly, stirring gently until the sugar dissolves. When the coffee begins to froth, remove it from the heat. Pour a little of the froth into each cup and return it to the source of heat. Allow the coffee to rise once more, without it reaching boiling-point and serve it in the cup. Be careful not to stir after serving as this will disturb the sediment, leaving a gritty taste.

Having no cezve in our home, we use what we imagine is an appropriate substitute--a saucepan. Well, actually, I'm sure this is absolutely the wrong thing to do, but it suffices to make a decent cup, comparing relatively well to the few cups I've had while dining out.

Saucepan: right or wrong, it's too late now

Add very little sugar at first until you know how sweet the coffee will turn out, and if you do add sugar you should do so during the heating stage as the last sentence of the instructions really is the most important, "Do not stir after serving." Finely-ground as they are, all of the grinds do not dissolve but do settle to the bottom of your cup. Let them rest. Drink happy.

Have We Discussed Brooklyn Label?

AT THIS POINT, pledging my undying love for Brooklyn Label comes as no surprise. We've discussed their brunch, their unbelievably delicious (and dangerous) ketchup, and even dropped a mention of their rich hot cocoa. How about lunch? With Roxie moving back up to the 'Point this week and specifically requesting a new venue for eats, how could I resit a trip to the Label? I couldn't, that's how.

Roxie also plans on snagging a few of my basil plants when I thin them out,
which, as you can see, are currently only wee l'il sprouts

On this trip I finally managed to resist the pull of the breakfast menu, opting instead for a tempeh reuben sandwich. (Ironic, right, one day after declaring tempeh sandwiches unworthy of elaboration? Go figure.) The vegan/vegetarian friendly reuben rivals even that of Hana Foods, a whole, thick slice of tempeh grilled and joined on toasted bread with sauerkraut, sweet dressing, and the tangy touch of Label's house ketchup.

Roxie chose The Egg sandwich, a veritable three-egg spinach omelet between slices of Balthazar bread. Throw in an order of onion rings, tomato-basil bisque, and two orders of hot chili-spiced Mayan cocoa and you'll understand why I needed no dinner. I love Brooklyn Label, that's why. In fact, I'm certain I could eat my every breakfast, brunch and lunch there and never get tired of it. As for dinner, methinks a trip to Paloma is in order...

Mike Eats Pizza! In Brooklyn! (Finally!)

IT SEEMS ODD that a blog about consuming food written by a blogger based in Brooklyn is only now, after almost three months of blogging, getting around to the one food for which Kings County is world-famous: pizza! Though I suppose stranger things have happened.

First, as you may have noticed from the now-broken chain of un-commented upon daily Menu posts below, I've been rather absent as of late. This was partly due to unispiring cuisine, but also on account of some early, early call times after which I returned home exhausted. Yesterday, for example, began at 5 a.m. The quantity of coffee I drank would have been more efficiently administered intravenously.

Last week's trip to Migita Sushi: as memorable to us as
axing eight federal prosecutors was to our Attorney General

I offer this not as an irrelevant tangent. It helps explain why I was lazy enough to order a pizza last night. I say "lazy" not because I consider pizza an inferior, couch-potato food, but because Greenpoint is a historically Polish neighborhood and pizza is not a prized Polish tradition. So, if you're going to channel fat and grease into your body via pizza, you might as well get a top-notch pie.

Now, while Williamsburg has some quite authentic Italian options, Greenpoint is lacking. What Greenpoint has is Baldo's (way over on Nassau--and suspect to boot), Nassau Pizzeria (further up, but I'll grant them the reputation of having a decent slice), and L.A's (on Manhattan Avenue just south of Greenpoint Avenue itself.) Of the trio, L.A. is your best bet. For $10 (takeout only) on Monday and Tuesday, a large regular pie ain't a bad way to go if you're trying to keep it cheep and you don't feel like trying too hard.

L.A.'s pizza isn't quite as good as it's predictable menu of Italian fare, and it's hardly fine dining, but when it comes to quick, enjoyable Italian food in Greenpoint, you'd do well to look no further. If it's fine dining you want--head over to La Piazzetta on Graham.

Some people will eat pizza regardless of the time, place, or impending heart failure. I don't normally consider myself part of that group. But after eating a few slices last night I was reminded of how even an average slice in Brooklyn is better than twenty slices anywhere else. Except, perhaps, Patsy Grimaldi's. Viva la pizza!

Mike Eats Greenpoint, Volume 4: Pete's Candy Store

Pete's Candy Store
709 Lorimer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 302-3770
www.petescandystore.com

PETE'S CANDY STORE simply must be considered one of the best bars in Brooklyn, and any "best of" list overlooking it isn't worth the paper it's printed on. On a most basic level, Pete's qualifies with a beautiful bar, a stylish back room set up for bands, and an outdoor garden. It's small, which keeps things intimate. It's relaxed. It's classy. It's stage is booked with worthy artists and musicians every single night of the week, not to mention trivia nights, bingo nights, Scrabble night, stand-up nights, and The World-Famous Pete's Spelling Bee with BobbyBlue and Jenisfamous (accept no substitutes.)

It's a Spelling Bee!

It's worth mentioning here, in a blog about food, because Pete's does indeed serve sandwiches (if not candy)--your choice of five or six hot, pressed sandwiches ($7) ranging from pastrami and swiss with sauerkraut to tomato, basil and mozzarella, served up with a pickle. Mmmmm, pickles.

Anyway, it's hard to live anywhere up north in Brooklyn without making a pilgrimage sooner or later. It's hard to not get sucked in with so much going on. I do suggest going on a weeknight, though, when you don't have to fight the crowds that flock in on the weekend. Just check out the website to see what you're getting yourself into. And if that picture of Matty smiling into the camera isn't enough to get you onto the L train, well, then you're dead inside.

Mike Eats Greenpoint, Volume 3: Brooklyn Label

Brooklyn Label
180 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 389-2806
www.brooklynlabel.com

THE GREATEST PERK of working as a freelancer in the production industry is free meals. Generally, on a shoot day, you get to wake up and have coffee and a bagel provided for you. Lunch is either bought for you or it's delivered hot. If you're union and you work overtime, you'll even get dinner! Free meals, even when working for them, are pure joy.

So, with freelance gigs lined up with different companies for the next couple weeks, I was assuming breakfast and lunch were going to be all sewn up for a while. Let's just say we didn't get off to a screaming good start.

Today's small shoot with a small crew featured not only zero break for breakfast (I did steal some bites of a bagel and coffee from the cast table), but the director rushed to get done by 3 p.m. and the producer thereupon released us without offering any lunch, stomachs grumbling and blood starting to boil.

To add to the frustration, tomorrow call time is 4 a.m., which is an ungodly hour of the morning to be headed to work. And I've already been warned that it'll be a long day. Which leaves time today for a meal and an early, early bedtime.

Mint and I wandered up Manhattan Avenue looking for something new and exciting, and happily settled for the been-established and still exciting Brooklyn Label. Of course, having had no breakfast or lunch, I skipped dinner and went for breakfast. The curry tofu with potatoes, provolone cheese and broccoli was fantastic, and the hashbrowns again perfect with the homemade ketchup, and this time we bought a bottle (worth it, even for $8) to bring home.

Whereupon I immediately went to sleep (read: took a nap) for tomorrow's shoot. Let's hope someone remembers to bring bagels. At 4 a.m., I'm gonna need 'em.

MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: The second trip to Brooklyn Label was as good as the first. I see no reason to stop now.

Mike Eats Greenpoint, Volume 2: Sapporo Haru

Sapporo Haru
622 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 389-9697

IF ANYONE ACCUSES me of exaggerating or puffing up what I eat because I'm posting it here, I will refer them to today's Menu. If you'll scroll down, there you'll notice that prior to dinner, I had eaten (yes, mom, I'm sorry) tater tots. And that's it. My excuse? I had a headache?

Honestly, there just wasn't anything else in the fridge. I've been gone for almost two weeks! Mint was cat-sitting! And that's the way it is.

Which means that by dinnertime I was, yes, very hungry. And I don't normally advocate eating raw fish on a wholly empty stomach, but I really do love Sapporo Haru quite a bit. Part of my love for it is the wonderful (read: slightly crazy) waitress who makes dining there a surreal experience. That, and the green tea that tastes slightly of toasted rice. That, and the miso soup is some of the best I've had anywhere.

But we settled for rolls and tofu teriyaki tonight (both which come with the aforementioned miso soup). And had it delivered because we were lazy. Which, you'll notice from the Menu, was pretty much my day.

MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: Yes, we'll stop in and come back with a better story.

BRUNCH! @ Brooklyn Label

Brooklyn Label
180 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 389-2806
www.brooklynlabel.com

BREAKFAST IS CLEARLY the best meal of the day. Also, breakfast rates very highly on The List of Life's Greatest Things. In fact, the only thing breakfast has working against it is the simple fact that one must wake up to enjoy it. This is problematic because, returning to our list of life's greatest things, sleeping also rates quite highly. How to solve this dilemma...

A few blocks west of the Greenpoint Avenue G station, Brooklyn Label has the solution. An immediate requirement for north Brooklynites, it ought also be tempting to many in midtown Manhattan. And it's little more than a big, bright room serving a big, awesome brunch.

The buzz has clearly already spread--lined up for tables or take-out were hipsters trekked up from Williamsburg, Greenpoint families with children (kept entertained by gifts of pastries from the staff), and casually dressed neighborhood-ers. This is likely why Brooklyn Label was up for Time Out New York's "Best Bruch" award. A high compliment indeed. Elissa, Kevin and I happily waited twenty minutes for a table with free cups coffee in hand.

Once seated, we were never rushed. Between the three of us, we ordered smoked salmon on a bagel (with all the good stuff--tomato, capers, red onion), an omelet, and the special advertised on a chalkboard outside--"green eggs, no ham"--with spinach and soft-whipped eggs on locally-made challah bread with cilantro pesto.

Everything was amazing, and the service too. When our hashbrowns arrived in meager portions, we were brought out fresh helpings. Hashbrowns, by the way, should be encouraged. They're perfect for trying out the bottles of homemade salsa and ketchup that guard each table.

MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: As soon as possible.

Mike Eats Greenpoint, Volume 1: *erb & Hana Foods

*erb Thai Restaurant
681 Manhattan Avenue
(b/t Bedford & Norman)
Brooklyn, NY 11222
718-349-8215

Hana Foods
534 Metropolitan Avenue
(b/t Lorimer & Union)
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718-218-7747

BEHOLD! TWO STAPLES of the Williamsburg-Greenpoint diet. One is consistently good, reasonably priced Thai food, and the other simply must be considered one of the greatest delis in all the five boroughs.

First, it's hard to be disappointed with *erb on any account. Yes, they suffer from occasional menu and service inconsistencies as any neighborhood take-out favorite does to from time to time. You'll get over it.

Recommended are the noodle dishes ($7.95, with tofu, chicken or beef.), especially the Curry Noodles--a huge bowl of spicy curry loaded with thin noodles, veggies, and big triangle wedges of tofu. Lots of interesting appetizers are also big draws. The crispy chive pancakes are frequently sold out. The Taro Crunch is big chunks of fried taro root with peanuts.And the Tofu Crisp is a pile of fried tofu best enjoyed quickly on premises rather than soggy upon delivery.

Next is Hana Foods, a veritable Williamsburg institution serving as a 24-hour deli, flower shop, a specialty/organic food mart, and home to Omar's overwhelmingly extensive board of sandwiches. As a kicker, most everything can be made with (and, honestly, is probably better as) vegetarian and vegan options.

The Godfather is a huge hero of Italian meats that will suffice for two meals; the vegan meatball sub is a more-than-worthy stand-in for its carnivorous cousin; the breaded eggplant, chicken, and tofu cutlets are superb; and the Veggie Reuben (a veggie burger chopped and grilled like corned beef and smashed between rye toast with hot sauerkraut and melting Swiss) is one of the most creative vegetarian sandwiches I've ever eaten.

Best of all, Hana will deliver them (and anything in its store) to your doorstep 24 hours a day (NOTE: their menu is hard to find complete online, so get yourself a full one form the store itself). Williamsburg is prime delivery area, but even nearby Greenpointers can coax a delivery guy out on a slow night.

MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: Yes, he does. Many, many times.