As a Smith St. resident of a few years, I feel the right to both complain of and laud the recent developments. For example, Halycon has excellent coffee and scones but this benefit is slightly outweighed by the BEATS coming through my ceiling at 1 am. Nevertheless, here are my votes:
Banania--Yes, go there for brunch. They will bring you a basket of bread and croissants while you decide what to eat and fight over the chocolate one. Dinner is almost but not quite dazzling enough for the cost. And the waiters are not as cute as they think they are, by the way. Try their sibling:
Cafe LuLuc--My new favorite place. Good, reasonably priced bistro food, in a mellow atmosphere. Sea Bass and Steak & frites are favorites. Pork and fontina sandwich is also no slouch.
Zaytoon's--good for a cheap MiddleEastern meal but not nearly as good as Bedouin Tent on Atlantic, which is not too far of a walk unless it's freezing outside. Merguez that is juicy! lentils and carmelized onions with chewy bulgar instead of rice, and an inspiring chickpea and spinach salad.
Patois--charming dining. Amazing lamb.
Robin du bois--what is going on here? It was an antique store for a while, now a hoppin' cafe/bistro? Prices on the board outside seem ridiculous. Someone fill me in.
Sur--Good steak but I feel burned by a recent brunch experience in which my huevos rancheros were served on flour torillas instead of corn. Soggy. All wrong.
Speaking of Mexican breakfast, I recommend the Red Rail--which was the diner in the movie "Moonstruck," not to be held against it even though they feature a "Moonstruck burger" on the dinner menu. At the corner of Sackett and Henry. A $10 prix fix weekend brunch includes unlimited coffee and mimosas (!). I love the chilequilles (sp?)--which is like a migas egg dish but with green chiles and chorizo. I also love the Joni Mitchell and the children's drawings. It's that kind of place. The waitresses here are even cuter than they think they are. (Run by Alan Harding, of Patois and Uncle Pho.)
Uncle Pho--Stir fried duck for dinner. Vietanmese pork sandwiches for brunch. Late night, it empties out and becomes a great neighborhood bar. Good seasonal beers on tap.
Grocery, Smith Street Kitchen, all the Japanese joints: I don't really like much seafood. Sorry.
Paninoteca 201--I thought I would hate this place but was seduced one late summer brunch by a silver pitcher of sugar syrup served with my iced coffee. How brilliant--no frantic stirring to make the crystals dissolve! They seem to have it all--wine, coffee, beer on tap, vintage pictures of naked ladies under the countertop, and great sandwiches.
The Crepe Factory--I am a shameless Francophile and I don't eat there. A good friend calls it "the crap factory." Enough said. A pity, though, for such a good idea to go wrong. I have been polling recent construction sites on Smith St. and and half of them are destined to be Chinese restaurants. Doesn't anyone in New York know how to make decent Mexican food? This is my major complaint as a displaced Texan. Although Buddy's (Court St. at Butler) will set you up with a good California burrito/taco, I still am looking for proper enchiladas verdes. Mole? Posole? Help me if you can.
Faan--I have no idea. I have been too annoyed by the cell-phone crowd on the patio to ever go there.
Joya (Court St.)--Related vaguely to Planet Thai in Williamsburg. Great for take out. The cement acousitcs inside stifle me. The patio looks lovely, but I've never eaten there. Pork with green beans. Spicy noodles. Coconut curry anything. You know what I mean. The papaya salad has too much fish sauce, but that's probably just me being picky and not liking fish sauce.
its expensive and i have not tasted but i want to eat at Maya 1191 First Ave 64/65th...??...now theres one in SF
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- Brooklyn, NY 12-11-2001 7:11 am
its expensive and i have not tasted but i want to eat at Maya 1191 First Ave 64/65th...??...now theres one in SF
- Skinny 12-11-2001 5:50 pm [add a comment]
Thanks for the tip--I will definitely put it on my list.
- Brooklyn, NY 12-11-2001 11:38 pm [add a comment]