Posted by J. Kenji López-Alt, December 20, 2011 at 10:00 PM
[Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]
Littleneck
288 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11215 (b/n Carroll and President; map); 718-522-1921 littleneckbrooklyn.com
Service: Busy but attentive
Setting: Cozy, dark, clam-shack paraphernalia
Must-Haves: Clam chowder, clam roll, Polish bacon
Cost: $5 to $18
Grade: A-
Notes: Cash only, dinner only
As a native New Englander, I'd be wicked remiss if I were to ever suggest that anybody in the world knows their way around a bivalve or an ichthyoid better than a fellow New Englander. But at the same time, I've always wondered why New England-style seafood preparations have never made it far beyond the New England borders.
I mean, there are the obvious answers: nobody has the cold, clean, briny waters necessary to support the world's best clams, mussels, oysters, lobsters, and white fish (am I doing well, fellow Yanks?). New Englanders have been cooking North American seafood longer than anyone else in the area (unless you believe the stories about the Vikings and Spanish coming across for their cod). And of course, some would argue that New England seafood has broken free, if you're willing to classify lumpy, overthickened, underclammed chowder or lobster rolls made with too much mayo on (gasp!) side-split buns to be real New England recipes (they aren't).
But a good, large clam, whole-belly, clam roll with crisp, light batter or perfectly steamed, gritty steamers served with nothing but broth and a tub of drawn butter? Why can't we find a good version in New York?
Well, that's precisely what Aaron Lefkove and Andy Curtin, a couple of Brooklyn bandmates with—get this—no restaurant experience thought to themselves before they opened Littleneck, named after the second-smallest size classification of the sweet and tender hard shell clams. Why not, indeed?
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Posted by Kathy YL Chan, October 27, 2011 at 3:00 PM
[Photo: Kathy YL Chan]
It's really the best of both worlds. The Plum Crumble at Four & Twenty Blackbirds features pie with a traditional crust on the bottom and a crumble crust on the top. They meet at the rim of the pie, where fresh plum filling, sweet and hearty, oozes over just slightly. That is the single best bite of this crumble. Oatmeal and brown sugar form the base of the crumb topping, slightly spiced and aggressively buttered with a delicate crunch.The plums themselves are tender to the bite, and would make a killer ice cream topping on their own. And say "yes" to their offer of a free side of cream; it's freshly whipped and plopped softly, without a touch of sugar, an ideal accompaniment to any pie.
Four & Twenty Blackbirds
439 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11215 (map)
718-499-2917
birdsblack.com
About the author: Originally from Honolulu, Kathy YL Chan writes A Passion For Food, where she chronicles her eats and travels adventures between Hawai'i, New York and beyond. She firmly believes that there is always room for dessert.
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Posted by Max Falkowitz, July 18, 2011 at 12:30 PM
[Photographs: Max Falkowitz]
If there was any doubt that New York is living through an ice cream golden age, it was erased yesterday's Ice Cream Takedown at Brooklyn's Bell House. Almost 20 intrepid amateur competitors served tastings from two gallons of homemade ice cream to a packed room of devotees. There were no dull offerings here; these creations spoke to the infectious enthusiasm of our city's home cooks to make for themselves versions of the creative, delicious ice creams on offer in groceries, restaurants, scoop shops, and street carts.
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Posted by Kathy YL Chan, February 24, 2011 at 4:00 PM
[Photo: Kathy YL Chan]
Donny Tsang brought you behind the scenes at Four & Twenty Blackbirds last week, and we're back today for yet another slice of this Cranberry-Sage pie. If I were smarter, I would have bought an entire pie instead of stopping in every few days for a slice or two.
This pie is one of the few reasons I'll miss winter when they switch things up to spring-appropriate pies, but for now, sink your fork in and ask for whipped cream on the side. Sage comes though clearly, complementing the sweet and, surprisingly, not too tart bites of cranberry. There's that signature crust, a reliable butter-rich and flaky shell. Don't forget to snag an gorgeous, moist banana walnut muffin ($2) for breakfast tomorrow—you'll need it to help you from suffering from pie withdrawal.
Four & Twenty Blackbirds
439 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11215 (map)
718-499-2917
birdsblack.com
About the author: Originally from Honolulu, Kathy YL Chan writes A Passion For Food, where she chronicles her eats and travels adventures between Hawai'i, New York and beyond. She firmly believes that there is always room for dessert.
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Posted by Donny Tsang, February 16, 2011 at 1:00 PM
[Photographs: Donny Tsang]
Editor's note: Please welcome Donny Tsang, whose camera will take you behind the scenes at some of our favorite spots in NYC. First up: Four & Twenty Blackbirds!
Just a little under a year old, Four & Twenty Blackbirds has become my favorite pie shop in the city. Ed praised their fruit pies, and they also made it to Kathy YL Chan's Top 5 New Dessert Spots of 2010. Their pies and shop feel comforting and personal.
Recently I was lucky enough to spend some time in the Blackbirds kitchen while they were prepping pies for the next day. (It was very difficult not to drop the camera, grab the pies, and beat an escape!) They start prepping pies around 5:30pm and work into the night. The night that I went, they prepared 3 types of pies—cranberry sage, salted caramel apple, and black bottom oat.
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Posted by Ed Levine, November 22, 2010 at 11:00 PM
Or, 'Solving Your Thanksgiving Pie-Lemma'
There are all sorts of fantastic bakeries in New York where you can pick up pie for your Thanksgiving table. (See this summer's pie finds, my pie honor roll, and our favorite pumpkin pies in NYC, just to start.)
But many of them require advance orders for Thanksgiving—and sometimes that just doesn't happen. Maybe you've been too busy brining your turkey to place a pie order. Maybe the person hosting the meal you're going to has only just asked you to bring dessert. Or maybe your own pie crust went horribly, horribly wrong.
Whatever the case, there are some times you just need a last minute pie. And luckily, these fine bakeries are here to help you out. So in lieu of a review this week (we know you're just thinking about Thanksgiving dessert, anyway), here's our guide to bakeries that have last-minute pies, available for walk-in purchase on Wednesday or Thursday. We've tasted them all, and every one is Serious Eats approved. Consider it our Thanksgiving gift to you.
Neighborhood-by-neighborhood breakdown, interactive map, and all the info—after the jump.
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Posted by Kathy YL Chan, November 18, 2010 at 3:15 PM
[Photo: Kathy YL Chan]
Picking between the autumn pie offerings at Four & Twenty Blackbirds in Gowanus is no easy feat. While they may not make the single best pies in town, they are more than delicious, and you can always count on a mix of classic and creative flavors. A stop at the bakery yesterday yielded a cozy Maple Buttermilk Custard (pictured at top) with a distinctive tang. Other fall choices include Bourbon Sweet Potato alongside a tall double-crusted Pear and Cranberry Pie. And to top it off, the gorgeous Salted Caramel Apple Pie is available all year. Housemade whipped cream on the side? Yes, please! Pies available by the slice ($4.50 each) change daily; call before you go if you're craving a certain flavor.
Related: First Prize Pies and Four and Twenty Blackbirds: Will NYC Get the Pie It Deserves?
Four & Twenty Blackbirds
439 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11215 (map)
718-499-2917
birdsblack.com
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Posted by Ed Levine, May 18, 2010 at 11:00 PM
[Photo: Robyn Lee]
New York's never been a great pie town. We have lots of great baked goods and lots of talented pastry chefs, but somehow our pies have never made it onto my nationwide pie honor roll.
I love Yura's double-crusted fruit pies (the wild Maine blueberry pie and the apple pie are both standouts) and the Little Pie Company's sour cream apple walnut is a damn fine streusel-topped pie.
And God knows, there are so many other delicious things to eat here. It's hardly surprising that people don't come to visit here and go, I gotta have a slice of pizza, a pastrami sandwich, bagel with schmear, and a slice of apple pie. Great pie is associated with country cafes and barbecue joints, two things we are in short supply of around these parts.
But with artisanally inspired handmade food in Brooklyn appearing at every corner and market, and the borough's do-it-yourself food culture growing ever-larger, we knew that a pie culture couldn't be far behind. Pies 'N Thighs started it, and now to pie lover's rescue come two pie companies—Four and Twenty Blackbirds and First Prize Pies.
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Posted by Katie Quinn, February 1, 2010 at 3:00 PM
The winner, whose name we approve of: the Serious Business taco. [Photos: Katie Quinn]
Theo Peck and Nick Suarez, cook-off organizers extraordinaire, knew New Yorkers liked tacos, but it was not until their sold-out Brooklyn Taco Experiment, this Sunday, that they realized the extent of taco infatuation in this city. Three hundred people packed into The Bell House to taste the variety of tacos fillings from a selected group of chefs, mostly amateurs.
The line to gain entry stretched down the street, only escalating the taco lust of the crowd. Once inside The Bell House, tacomania ensued. Thirty chefs lined up side-by-side, literally bumping elbows as they served their eager audience.
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Posted by Erin Zimmer, April 22, 2009 at 5:30 PM
Take advantage of the 2-for-1 happy hour at the Bell House (located in the Gowanus area of Park Slope) from 5 to 7 p.m. before the fun really starts. In anticipation of next weekend, the Brooklyn Food Conference is hosting a Soul Session (cough, karaoke) from 8 to 10 p.m. Free, with a $10 suggested donation. (149 7th Street, Brooklyn NY 11215 (map);718-643-6510
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Posted by Erin Zimmer, November 3, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Rafael Soler of Soler Dominican pupusa fame; tacos; pupusas grilling.
It's natural to wonder what street vendors do at night. When they start breaking down the trucks, it's tempting to invite them over for a drink, or share very personal American moments with them.
Turns out you can spend election night with the Red Hook ball field vendors at the Bell House in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. The free Red + Blue Election Night Party will feature a menu of pupusas from Vendy Awards finalist Rafael Soler, tacos from Fernando Martinez, and huaraches from Eleazar Perez. Reasons why this is awesome: it's not even ball season anymore, it's at night, and at a spot slightly more convenient than Red Hook.
Brooklyn Based is also promising red and blue cupcakes, and there will be a Weezer cover album playing songs from the "Blue Album." The party starts at 7 PM, and last until it ends. The Bell House: 49 7th Street, Brooklyn NY 11215 (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues; map).
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Posted by Adam Kuban, October 16, 2008 at 4:00 PM
Oh, sweet! How did this escape me? Not more than a few, short, walkable blocks from my home in Park Slope is a new option for the hot dogs.
Gowanus Lounge reports on Dawg Shack, on Union and 3rd streets. And while I like hot dogs just fine, I think the rest of owner Jose Maldonado's menu sounds spectacular—homemade chili (either as dog topping or in a bowl of its own), burgers from freshly ground beef, lunch specials including brisket and chicken cutlets.
Here's Maldonado's philosophy, as he told the Brooklyn Paper: "'I'm a little spontaneous about what goes on the menu,' he admitted. 'Yesterday, I made brisket. Today, I made chicken cutlet. I’m trying to think of what I’m gonna make tomorrow.'"
This place is a block from my train stop. I totally know where I'm getting dinner tonight.
The Dawg Shack
252 Third Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11215 (at Union Street, Gowanus; map)
718-855-0757
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Posted by Adam Kuban, May 19, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Brick Oven Bar Be Cue, we hardly knew ye. I'd been eager to try the pizza offerings at this unlikeliest of barbecue joints, housed in a gritty former warehouse on the corner of Third Avenue and 6th Street in Brooklyn's Gowanus neighborhood. But in the last couple of weeks, the place never seemed to be open. After a quick phone call to confirm hours, the owner, Emmanuel Maropakis said he'd given it two months and decided to close. "Not enough interest," he said. And as for the pizza, that never happened. "I couldn't find the right guy to do it," he said.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, April 3, 2008 at 1:00 PM
I was already running late this morning, and the Root Hill Cafe is, technically, out of my way as I make my morning beeline to the subway station. But I had a feeling. A thought slowly started to nag at me—What if they have a Clover machine?
Over the last few months, I've been watching this space on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Carroll Street in Brooklyn transform from a spottily run car service to a hip little coffee house with lots of thoughtful architectural details. And given that it opened just last week—at just the right time to have possibly snagged one of the last non-Starbucks Clover brewers—I didn't mind adding a few minutes to my commute by crossing the street to find out and put that nagging thought to rest.
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Posted by Ed Levine, September 6, 2006 at 7:28 AM
Bouchon Bakery's bouchon, Shake Shack's cone, and Burgers and Cupcakes' mini-cupcake
So what can you buy for $2.00 or less that is good enough to tell your friends about, (not including pizza slices, which I'll deal with separately)?
My top 11 list (is that a baker's ten?) list, not in any particular order. Please pardon the lack of visuals and links. I'm totally crazed this morning.
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