Brooklyn

Brooklynites Swooning Over Swoony’s

Posted on November 9, 2025 by Ziggy

What do you do when you try a popular place and it’s not up to snuff? You try the sister, naturally. Cafe Spaghetti as the youngsters say these days, was “Mid” for us. Neither here nor there. But it was mostly service related if I recall. Swoony’s, the owner’s follow-up that opened two years ago, got on my radar way before I realized its the sister. Once I did I wasnt in a rush to go.

But the day finally arrived, and the verdict… its excellent. None of the service issues and better food. Swoony’s is the American version of Cafe Spaghetti. American classics with similar old school elements. The room, pickle Jewish deli plates, funky New Wave hits, contributed to an 80’s vibe. Back then however, we wouldnt even dream about going to Red Hook or Columbia Street nearby.

The food rundown:

Whipped Goat Cheese – With Chili crunch, cucumbers, and grilled sourdough. Terrific Stuff. You expect spicy but instead you get a nicely balanced spread with a good amount of crunch.

Potato Croquettes – I didnt try them but friends claim… Good.

Creamy Lobster Orzo – One of the signatures. Pretty much what you expect, in a good way. Rich, comforting, with plenty of lobster. Could have used a little less salt, but I’d order again.

Dorade – With Green beans, potatoes, olives, salsa verde, and lemon. Expertly cooked skin on Dorade with a perfect supporting cast. Definitely Get this.

Short Rib Au Poivre – Another signature, and probably best dish of the night. Just the kind of texture you expect from two beautiful slabs. The fries are good too, and as I learned many moons ago in Turks and Caicos, fries and Au Poivre is a match made in heaven. Which means, could have used more Au Poivre here.

French Toast – Skip!

Conclusion: Go! Nothing outrageous, but pretty decent elevated enough, American comfort food. The burger is another item getting much hype, though there are hundreds of solid burgers out there these days. Good service, decent drinks, and great vibe. The place is fairly popular, and one of the most mentioned on Reddit, so best to reserve

215 Columbia St, Brooklyn

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Saint Julivert – Less is Less

Posted on September 15, 2025 by Ziggy

First, time to make another change to the blog. Its been about 13 incredible years, and food blogs are slowly becoming obsolete, replaced by other forms of social media. I do want to keep it going, but I just dont have the same amount of time and energy. From now on, my NYC blog posts will be short, sweet, and to the point, writing mostly about the food.

Saint Julivert is a seafood focused eatery in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. Opened in 2018 by Alex Raij and Eder Montero, the husband-and-wife team behind La Vara, next door, and Txikito which I included in the best of NYC list. The well respected duo essentially reinvented Spanish Tapas in NYC. Saint Julivert is on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list (good quality, good value cooking). The dishes are fairly small but the waitstaff recommends 4-5 dishes for two, like any other restaurant.

Sorullitos – Nicely spiced hushpuppies sitting on tangy mayo. Solid, well priced snack. No issues here.

Amberjack – Raw, high quality Amberjack (Kampachi). I appreciated the tomato water and Shiso oil as opposed to the usual acidic crudo, but an expensive 4 bites each when sharing with someone.

Polenta/Chickpeas fritters topped with Baba ghanoush and salmon – A special that sounded good, and it was. But essentially an expensive (over $20) amuse bouche. One weird theme here is that they advise sharing, but serve everything in odd numbers.

Squid a la Placha with Mushrooms – Just fine. Not as good as I hoped. The Mushroom flavors didnt really pop, and the whole dish was just a tad too sweet. Only when I mixed the sauces at the end, I got the right balance.

Venetian style Risotto – Nice smoky flavor, but midway it started to feel like an excellent, pricy side dish. I would have loved to pair with fish or another protein for some texture. For a “Fisherie”, they dont have any fish on the menu, other than an expensive special on this night.

5 dishes, one drink, $170 (includes tax/tips)

Conclusion: Plenty of creativity and top notch ingredients. Just not enough food. Sure I can order more dishes and push it well over $200, but at the end we simply didnt feel like we were getting good value. Not often I can go for a slice of pizza after a meal. If you order 4 dishes as the waitress suggested (“4-5”), you could even do a burger. It felt like an 8 course tasting menu that ended midway. A one and done for me.

264 Clinton St, Brooklyn

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Best Restaurants in Brooklyn – Mapped

Posted on August 8, 2025 by Ziggy

A longish list of my favorites in Brooklyn, the borough I spend the most time eating. Its a huge Borough, fourth-largest city in the United States by population, if it was a city. Hence plenty of great dining that I miss in neighborhoods I dont frequent much, mainly due to where I live. Bushwick is one example. But there are plenty of juicy nuggets in there. The list includes some bakeries, and fast-casual places as well. Happy eating!

The Map

Berikoni Georgian Bakery – My go-to for Guruli, a type of khachapuri that’s shaped like a calzone, stuffed with egg and cheese. The cooked kebabs are quite good as well. 125 Brighton Beach Ave

German Doner Kebab – Excellent Doner kebab. Newish as of this writing, and not well know yet. 224 Brighton Beach Ave

Kashkar Cafe – The legend, the OG for Uyghur food. 1141 Brighton Beach Ave

Ocean View Cafe – A Brighton classic for Russian/Ukrainian. Best Pelmeni in the city. 290 Brighton Beach Ave.

Burchak Pide – Delicious Turkish Pizza by a friendly stuff. 1614 Sheepshead Bay Rd

Laghman Express – Fast/Casual Uzbek. Multiple locations

Lucia Pizza Of Avenue X – My slice go-to in South Brooklyn. 2201 Avenue X

Mtskheta Cafe – My favorite Georgian restaurant these days. We are normally the only none-Georgian there. 2568 86th St

Falafel Tanami – A Celebrated Falafel joint, especially since the NYT discovered it and lines doubled. Note: they are moving to east 19th I believe very soon. 1305 E 17th St

Werkstatt – A versatile Austrian/German like no other in the entire city. 509 Coney Island Ave

Taste of Akko – A newish Israeli hole in the wall dishing out a taste of one of the best food cities in the middle east. 1724 Coney Island Ave

Coszcal De Allende – One of the only authentic Mexicans in South Brooklyn. Or at least unlike the rest of the bunch. Great drinks as well. 7506 3rd Ave.

Xin Fa Bakery – Best egg tarts on the planet. Ok, in Brooklyn. 5617 8th Ave

Kai Feng Fu Dumpling House – Great pocket change dumplings. 4801 8th Ave

Hainan Chicken House – Fantastic Malaysian. 4807 8th Ave

Chuan Tian Xia – Our favorite all around Chinese in Brooklyn’s Chinatown. 5502 7th Ave

La Brasa Peruana – Peruvian Chicken fast food. Part of a monthly takeout routine. 4618 5th Ave.

Tacos El Bronco – Sensational food truck tacos. I prefer over their restaurant on 4th. 860 5th Ave

Red Hook Tavern – One of the best burgers in Brooklyn, if not the entire city. 329 Van Brunt St.

Hometown Bar-B-Que – NYC’s Texas style BBQ Mecca. 454 Van Brunt St

Hoek Pizza – Exceptional Roman style thin pies. 117 Ferris St

Cafe Kestrel – Small elevated New American. Best thing to open in Red Hook since Hometown BBQ. 293 Van Brunt St

Popina – Tiny Italian with a big heart by an experienced chef. 127 Columbia St

Haenyeo – Superb Korean in Park Slope. 239 5th Ave

Bar Bête – French inspired fair by a very capable chef. 263 Smith St

F&F Pizzeria – My favorite slice in North Brooklyn. 459 Court St

Claro – Fancy, ingredient driven Mexican. Former Michelin. 284 3rd Ave

Cotra – An Izakaya that gets better and better. Top 5 in Brooklyn for us as of this writing. 451 Carroll St

Panzerotti Bites – A delicious empanada like Italian snack filled with top notch ingredients. 235 Smith St

Indian Table – Easily my favorite Indian in Brooklyn, maybe the entire city. 234 Court St

Shawarma Mia – Quality lamb and chicken shawarma in a fast food setting. 67 6th Ave

LaRina Pastificio & Vino – Outstanding Italian that flew under the radar for far too long. 387 Myrtle Ave

Nan Xiang Express – A NYC chain now, but you may not find better soup dumplings. 148 Lawrence St

Le Crocodile – Always reliable American/French. 80 Wythe Ave

Taqueria Ramirez – The NYC taco standard with often lines around the block. 94 Franklin St

Lilia – Legendary Italian with legendary pastas. One of the toughest reservations in Brooklyn. 567 Union Ave

The Map

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: , , | 2 Comments

LaRina Pastificio & Vino – Life in a Bowl

Posted on July 15, 2025 by Ziggy

Sometimes great discoveries come later in life. And I’m not talking about Labubu. In a city where Italian food is an embarrassment of riches, its easy to fall under the radar, especially when you are in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. The last time I dined in Ft Greene was at least 5 years ago at Miss Ada by the Israeli-born Tomer Blechman who since opened Theodora, one of the toughest tables in NYC these days. I’m still trying.

Larina, approaching its 10th year, is much easier to reserve than Theodora. But you wouldnt know it while walking around a very packed house on a Thursday evening, and seeing the slew of people waiting for a table outside, all speaking Italian. Its owned by 3-5 people depending on who you ask. At the helm is “Top Chef” contestant Silvia Barban.

Silvia’s Italian inspirations is hard to pinpoint. She grew up in the north, spent summers in the south, and cooked with some of the best of them, like Giancarlo Perbellini in his two Michelin star in Verona. She was roasting potatoes by age 6 with her grandma, and cooking entire meals by age 10. When I was 6, I was smoking cigarettes and getting into all kinds of trouble, and by the time I turned 10 I was sneaking into country clubs. Not only I cant cook but its a miracle I’m still alive.

Silvia described her signature Smoked Spaghetti as her life in a bowl. Elements from the north, south, and even NYC (the smokiness). But pretty much all of us came out of the meal with a life in a bowl dish. For my butcher friend it was the steak. For another it was the Lasagna. My friend had a Ratatouille moment when she tasted the Intingolo. And for me it was, what else, pasta perfection from Piedmont. The dish rundown…

Prosciutto di Parma with Mozzarella di Bufala – Your typical high end Prosciutto, though I personally prefer San Daniele over Parma. Mozzarella in this case a little less successful.

Octopus – Not sure it can be cooked any better than this. Spot on flavor and texture, nice complimentary sauce made with uncooked tomatoes among other goodies.

Intingolo – Like a chunky Hummus made with green chickpeas, with shishitos and pumpkin seeds. Goes well with their excellent bread basket (first one free). This was the Ratatouille moment for my friend, reminiscing about her grandma making this dish as a child. She dropped her makeup kit when she tasted it.

Rapa Gialla – Yellow beets and peaches covered with smoked stringy Stracchino. Good though got boring after a few bites. More of a side dish.

Smoked spaghetti – Simple ingredients, sensational flavors. She smokes the spaghetti before cooking, and that smokiness comes through very well. The only thing, maybe related to the process, is that it gets cold quickly. So… mangia mangia.

Lasagna – Looks very messy but tastes like an above average Lasagna. Made with spinach pasta sheets.

Agnolotti del Plin – This is it. the creme de la creme. Better than anything we had in NYC (including at high end places like Claud) and even some places in Piedmont. Braised beef and chicken filling, sage, and butter mixed with the meat jus. In Piedmont many places, even the notable, add only butter, some a lot of it. But the jus adds some oomph, as we learned in Turin. I thought I found a good version in San Carlo in West Village a few weeks ago, but this blew it away.

Steak – Expertly cooked base on the small piece I had.

Tried just about all the desserts and they were all great. Usually I can pick a winner but not in this case. Proper Tiramisu, excellent Panna Cotta with Strawberry compote and almonds, and more. Go!

LaRina Pastificio & Vino
387 Myrtle Ave (Ft Greene, Brooklyn)
Recommended Dishes: Octopus, Intingolo, Smoked spaghetti, Lasagna, Agnolotti del Plin

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Cotra Update

Posted on June 30, 2025 by Ziggy
Cotra – An Izakaya Sensation in Gowanus
Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: , | Leave a comment

Cafe Kestrel – Best Thing to Open in Red Hook Since Hometown

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Ziggy

Red Hook always felt like the type of place that got just the right amount of everything. Where a little more (subway, mall, etc) or a little less could be detrimental. From the top of my head, you got a chocolate factory, a lobster place, the city’s best BBQ (Hometown), solid Thai, one of the best burgers in town, breweries and bars galore, and pizza. Not to mention Ikea. It can use a good Italian though residents seem fairly happy with Bar Mario for some reason (one and done for us).

But Cafe Kestrel feels like the type of place no one knew Red Hook was missing. An intimate neighborhood joint offering… ok, if I cant call it by the default “New American”, its European, or South European to be as precise as I can, which really means… New American. While the menu seems all too familiar (Chicken, fish, salad, etc), the end result wont.

This was a rare double dessert situation. When you just had a very full meal, and decide to order two desserts instead of the usual one. Judging by how many people share desserts around us, I’m sure many of you can relate. During a meal that feels like nothing can go wrong, it feels criminal to stick to the usual game plan. Besides, who can pass on a Sundae and an Apricot tart.

Just about all the publications about Cafe Kestrel will tell you how tiny it is. It’s too tiny to have a host, and more than 6 tables. You quickly get to know the folks sitting next to you, with just a few inches of separation. All the women by the wall, and the men, apparently all with bladder issues facing them. It’s much easier to get to the bathroom from the aisle seat. It felt like eating with new friends, except that since its Red Hook, more like chaperoning new friend’s kids.

Eater

Cafe Kestrel is a good match for anyone that enjoys and appreciates good food. If you enjoy salads and fish especially, you may want to put them on top of the list. When it rains during the meal, you may hear “soup?” murmurs all around you as the chef/owner Dennis Spina also promises soup on rainy days. Judging by the kind of range we experienced, you may want to come here for soup as well.

From start to finish, it was a clever use of top notch ingredient. From the Hors D’Oeuvres section, the Baguette with seaweed butter was an indication of things to come. Save some bread for the salad. Fried Zucchini Flowers stuffed with Stracciatella is normally enough for most places. But here Spina tops them with a nice mix of spices including aromatic fennel pollen. Just a few but very explosive bites.

“Cafe Salad” looks fairly pedestrian, but quite brilliant once you dig in. Good use of Yellow Beets, Red Rock Cheddar that looked like Butternut Squash, surprising everyone around us as well, Walnut Praline & a nice lemony dressing. Lamb sausage is another dish that tasted much better than it looks, especially once you combined all the ingredients.

The mains were even better. The chicken, served crispy thin, with an addictive dates puree, capers, carrots & Herbs De Provence. A forkful of pure bliss. Ordering the Cod with Fava Beans over the Steelhead Trout was a tough but seemingly correct decision, even though I cook Cod very often at home. Delicate, and immensely flavorful.

Excellent Apricot tart, and a Sundae to finish. The Sundae could have been easier to manage and appreciate from a bowl if I can be picky. The drinks were not nearly as memorable, but fine. Efficient, all female service, on this night at least. No miss or even a near miss. In fact I would gladly order the same exact dishes again next time. Go!

Cafe Kestrel
293 Van Brunt St (Red Hook, Brooklyn)
Recommended Dishes: Baguette, Zucchini Flowers, Cafe Salad, Chicken, Cod, Apricot Tart

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Werkstatt – The Nine Year Itch

Posted on June 12, 2025 by Ziggy

In the small chance you got here while searching for medical advice, this post is not about pruritus. It’s about another itch. One that grows over time to revisit a favorite place. You are good for months, if not days after each visit, before the itch kicks in again. With Werkstatt its pretty much a perpetual itch lasting close to 9 years.

I vividly remember the first visit which was special for everyone involved including the hosts. This is what I wrote back then.. “This was also an especially fun evening for Thomas Ferlesch and family (wife and daughter). Not only visited by a world famous blogger, but also by Mimi Sheraton, a former influential NYT critic who handed the then young Ferlesch 4 stars in 1981 when he worked for Vienna ’79 (UES).”

Coincidentally, that was pretty much the last time I saw Mr Ferlesch. On every subsequent visit, it was the same young chef at the helm. But not only the quality hasnt budged, the place seems busier than ever. The only thing that changed is less nightly specials. But with a tried and true menu as such, it just makes decisions that much easier.

Besides, quality German/Austrian food in NYC is an endangered species. I see places slowly closing, and nothing new is opening, as far as I know at least. It’s also the perfect place to bring elderly parents, after getting tired of Turkish. On our last visit, we were hardly the only ones to do so. You dont even need to order Salmon!

Their only complaint of the night was “this is not how we make Matzo Ball soup”, which meant it was probably excellent. Other than that, we had a selection of the usual suspects, plus one new dish, a serviceable Bucatini with Short Rib and Mushroom Ragu. One thing is certain. It may not be evident to some diners, but the young chef at the helm got some crazy range.

Out of the regulars, Calamari & Kielbasa, Chicken liver Mousse, and the Pretzel called Best Pretzel in NYC (for good reason) have been on the menu I believe from day one. Three dishes that not only dazzle your taste buds, but even compliment each other.

Beef Goulash with Spatzle is another winner that we get occasionally. You may not find a more tender beef in the entire city. Got to add a side of Spatzle with cheese because the other one comes without. In parties more than 2, you cant get enough Spatzle. And I’m not sure anyone ever walked out without having one of the Schnitzels. When the owner’s car plate says Schnzl, you know what to do. Make it a Wiener.

Choc/Hazelnut Crepes and apple strudel for the finish of course. There’s not only a strong beer menu, but the cocktails are consistently excellent. This is the place that got us hooked on Palomas and its many variations. A fine Paloma is the perfect cure for summertime sadness, and maybe even Pruritus.

Original post

Werkstatt
509 Coney Island Ave (Brooklyn)
Recommended Dishes: Pretzel, Calamari, Chicken Liver, Brussels Sprouts, Beef Goulash, Schnitzel

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Panzerotti Bites – A Taste of Bari in North Brooklyn

Posted on April 22, 2025 by Ziggy

Is there anything that you can’t find in Brooklyn? Think of any cuisine or specialty and chances are you’ll find it somewhere in NYC’s most populated borough. A decent chance you may even find it on Smith St, one of Brooklyn’s most interesting food corners. It feels like I’m mentioning Smith St on a monthly basis these days. I dont live anywhere near, but I’m finding myself gravitating toward it more and more. I was there twice last weekend.

Panzerotti is the guilt free mini Calzone you didnt know you always wanted. Its an airy, half moon shape stuffed dough, the size of a large empanada. You need at least two for a full meal, but one can be enough for a light one or a decent snack for some. While it’s not exactly a steal at $8-10 a pop or more for more elaborate fillings, a full meal will cost you pretty much the same as Neapolitan pizza.

Panzerotti Bites is the creation of Vittoria Lattanzio and Pasquale De Ruvo who wanted to introduce New Yorkers to the flavors of Puglia, or Bari to be more specific. In my lone visit to Bari, I was too busy schmoozing with the Orecchiette nonnas to even notice any street food. Although in my two weeks in Puglia, I didnt get a sense that street food was as prevalent as in other regions. But the food overall was varied and spectacular.

This is the kind of item you want to include on a nice day of snacking in North Brooklyn. On one of the visits, I combined it with the excellent soup dumplings at Nan Xiang Express in the Downtown area, while on another, tacos from El Bronco food truck (that Suadero!) in Sunset Park. That’s not to say, you can’t have a nice complete meal, especially at the inviting backyard of Panzerotti Bites.

The mural in the backyard alone is worth spending a bit of time there, learning Italian and some things about Puglia. It was sketched by the owners, and created by a talented friend. A healthy variety of Italian sodas (Just like beer, best in the business) helps. Try the alcohol free Bellini. Once you finished, stay some more for a sweet Panzerotto.

You can have it fried or baked. After trying both, I still dont know my preference. They fry them in clean, quality oil, so its not greasy whatsoever. With the pockets coming in straight from the oven or fryer, its advised to wait a little before diving in. I dare you to wait 30 seconds. After trying the Salame, Mortadella, a special of sausage and peppers, my favorite is still the first Panzerotto I tried. Mozzarella, Porcini mushrooms with black truffle paste. Superb!

The welcoming couple is the icing on the cake. They will take the time to guide you, and talk about Puglia like people talk about their newborn. They also packaged the Panzerotti (10 pieces per). They can ship them, or you can just pick up the Classic, Salame packages from their freezer. Worth crossing a bridge or tunnel for this one. Go!

Panzerotti Bites
235 Smith St (Cobble Hill)

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Mtskheta Cafe – Eating Well, Spelling Pourly

Posted on February 25, 2025 by Ziggy

Mtskheta, although officially my favorite Georgian in NYC, I still need to Google the name every time I write it. I suspect by the time I finish this post it may change, but this could be just another name on a long list of many that I cant remember how to spell. I stayed at Rendezvous Bay Hotel twice and I still doubt myself. How many T’s are in Werkstatt. I’ve only been there 12 times. As long as I dont confuse my kids name, I’m golden. Oh wait, I do that too. I recently started playing Mahjong on the phone to improve my memory, and even that I had to Google just now.

Mtskheta is named after a city just north of the capital, Tbilisi. If you just replace the “kh” with a throat clearing “ch” sound, its easier to pronounce. Coincidentally, or not, Mtskheta Cafe is just north of US’s Russian capital, Brighton Beach. I mentioned Mtskheta Cafe on other sites like Hungry Onion, but never here. Honestly, the percentage of readers that could manage a meal at this location isnt very high, but I do have some Brooklynites reading the posts.

This is as old school as it gets. They dont have a website for me to link. To reserve a table I have to call. Wines are under $30 a bottle. And the clientele is as local as it gets. When I said to the waiter to say hello to a friend who frequents the place, he said, “which Levani, we have three Levanis that come here”. In all my visits to Mtskheta, our table was the only one not speaking Georgian. I do know some words, but a Georgian restaurant would be the last place in the city, I would practice them.

I think the only thing missing in Mtskheta is a Salt Bae style sprinkling of pomegranate table side. Pomegranate and walnuts are two Georgian staples as you can see here. On this night we had Spinach with walnuts, eggplant with walnuts, walnuts with walnuts, Georgian Salad with walnuts. Needless to say our group of 8, under my command, covered much of the menu, including many Georgian classics.

From the earlier dishes, the only one I’d probably not order again is the spinach. Though I’m pretty sure I said the same thing last time. Its that memory thing again. The dish is fine, just a tad too dense, not creamy enough. Unlike something like the cheesy Khachapuri, always a crowd pleaser. The eggplant remains an absolute must. And the Mchadi (cornbread) with cheese, doing its best Arepa impersonation also moved itself to the must category.

But the one dish that separates Mtskheta from other Georgians in the city is Djurdjari. Either that or Mtskheta is the only one spelling it that way. Either way, I havent seen anything like it on any other menu. Liver, intestines and other meat parts cooked with cumin and other spices. Its a glorious mix of flavors and textures, but not for everyone.

Kupati, the famous fat Georgian sausage is always outstanding. Potatoes with mushrooms, more of a Russian staple, is fairly basic, but a no brainer order with a large group. Same with Ostri, a comforting beef stew with nicely spiced tomato sauce. Fried chicken cooked with garlic sauce is the Georgian answer to Gambas al Ajillo. And the Chicken Kebab here is as tender and juicy as it gets.

For dessert its not a matter of what to pick, but how many Napoleons. While I personally prefer the moist, mushier style, my group even ordered more of this one. Add some cheap Georgian wine, and the feeling of eating in an extended living room is complete. Cant recommend Mtskheta enough.

Mtskheta Cafe
2568 86th St (Brooklyn)
Recommended Dishes: Djurdjari, Mchadi, Khachapuri, Eggplant with walnuts, Kupati, chicken with garlic sauce, Ostri, Chicken Kebab, Napoleon

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

RUA Thai – More Awesomeness on Smith

Posted on January 14, 2025 by Ziggy

Smith Street in Brooklyn is having a moment, again. Very few people know that Smith Street was Brooklyn’s original Restaurant Row, before greedy landlords brought things to a halt around 2016. Any locals here remember Saul? The first Brooklyn restaurant to receive a Michelin star, literally putting Smith St on the map, for me at least. The run lasted less than a decade.

RUA Thai is one of a plethora of eateries responsible for the revival and at the same time early revival casualties. Popular places like the fiery BYOB (Bring Your Own Bounty) Ugly Baby, and FOB Filipino either priced out or lost their luster amidst the International expansion. When you look closer today, Smith Street is covering the International scene, from Ramen to Mexican to French, like very few NYC streets. Last month I told you about “Stupid Good” Bar Bete, one of the more interesting new arrivals on Smith.

On the initial glance, RUA might look like just another Thai, not terribly different than the rest. You got all the rainbow color curries, the usual wok suspects, Drunken Noodles of course, crab fried rice and just about every Thai dish known to man. NYC man at least. But looking under the hood, you find a playful menu with plenty of signatures by a NYC Thai veteran. Chef/owner Kornpon Theeraumpornkul grew up around the floating markets of Ratchaburi where he got much of his inspirations.

With such an extensive menu, the three of us just scratched the surface. Other than Mrs Z’s uneven “Lychee Tini” there was no dud in the house. With drinks, any disappointment is usually met with some approval of my own bartending skills. Especially when it comes to Lychee Martinis as she’ll attest. Is there a patting myself on the back emoji?

Started with Shumai-like Dumplings that were above average, and way above once you dipped them in the accompanied curry sauce. I could drink this like a smoothie. The fried wings were ladened with addictive larb seasoning, featuring pleasant lime and chili notes. But the star early on was the signature Shrimp Donuts. Not particularly distinct flavor wise, but quite unique and tasty nonetheless.

The Pad Keep Mao (Drunken Noodles) is above average. Although I really need to stop ordering this with a protein other than seafood. I’ve had the seafood version at RUA on a lunch visit once and it was outstanding. Another signature is the Mama Tom Yum Grilled River Prawns with noodles and veggies spilling out of the Mama bucket. Yes, get this. Good crab fried rice as well although I regret not getting something a bit more interesting for the same price like the Crying Tiger.

“No Dessert Tonight” was code for “We are very busy and understaffed”. While it felt like they were understaffed, especially from our vantage in the front, it was still remarkable that two people somehow managed to run the front while helping the back at the same time. One of the servers handled the bar, took our orders, and spent significant time in the kitchen. Less than a third of the number of employees we find in similar size joints in NYC. That’s one way to survive Smith Street.

RUA Thai
204 Smith St, Brooklyn (Cobble Hill)
Recommended Dishes: Fried wings, Shrimp Donuts, Shrimp and chicken dumplings, Drunken Noodles, Mama Tom Yum Grilled River Prawns

Categories: Brooklyn, New York City | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Blog at WordPress.com.