by BCB Property Management | Nov 23, 2017 | Neighborhoods
One of Brooklyn’s most appealing neighborhoods for its proximity to Manhattan and relative affordability compared to it’s neighbor to the south, Williamsburg, Greenpoint is home to some of the most intriguing food options in NYC. Long a beacon for Polish immigrants, this area is home to some of the finest pierogies, kielbasa, and other favorites this side of Gdansk.
Polish and Slavic Center Cafeteria
Untouched by the new wave of residents, this old-fashioned ethnic hall serves up untouchable ethnic favorites in a declasse, cafeteria setting. The prices are nearly as pleasing as the food, with affordable options in old-country comfort food to rival any hipster cafe. The stark decor and still atmosphere mean you might not be coming here on a first date, but this is the kind of place you bring them once you’ve got someone special. These pierogies are so good, you’re not going to want to share them with just anybody.
Karczma
Looking for something a little more modern? Opened in 2007, this popular rustic-looking Polish restaurant brings to mind an old country farmhouse, with the sumptuous dishes that could have come straight out of your babcia’s kitchen. Garnering praise from locals and tourists alike, Karczma stands out for having a friendly, knowledgeable staff and a wide array of menu options. If you’re looking to come by on a weekend, get here early! The only downside to the great food and atmosphere is that the place fills up quick.
Kiszka Meat Market
If you came to Greenpoint looking for a piece of Polish heaven to bring home, look no further than this deli and meat market in the heart of the neighborhood on Manhattan Avenue. Regulars come here to fill their freezers with the best fresh sausage, bacon and pork cuts at throwback prices. Even your vegetarian friends will love to come by Kiszka, with the city’s most tantalizing cabbage rolls on order.
Loved this culinary round-up? To see more great NYC food enclaves, check out our trips to Jackson Heights in Queens, the Bronx’s Arthur Avenue district, and Caribbean favorites in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
by BCB Property Management | Nov 10, 2017 | Neighborhoods
You don’t have to wait until the West Indian Day parade to get a Brooklyn-based taste of the vibrant Caribbean. Crown Heights might be transforming rapidly, but it’s still home to the best Caribbean food options in the city. These are just a few of the local favorites that bring the sensations of the islands up north to NYC.
De Hot Pot
Just a few steps away from the Prospect Park stop on the BQ line, this no-frills spot will work for day-trippers in a hurry and savorers alike. If you’re on a budget, satisfied visitors recommend their under $2 doubles (two flatbreads filled with curried chickpeas) for a Caribbean delicacy that won’t stretch your wallet. Wash them down with a Solo soda for the full island experience.
Silver Krust
Don’t let the name fool you, because the patties here are often better than the more well-known Golden Krust, with seasonings straight out of Jamaica. The Caribbean nation’s savory national fruit, ackee, can be found here in a crisp, flaky patty that you won’t find in any supermarket freezer. Silver Krust also serves up traditional favorites in portions so huge, you’re really getting two meals. Clear some room in your fridge before you make your way here!
Glady’s
If the idea of eating while standing under fluorescent lighting isn’t your thing, this contemporary spot on Franklin Avenue is bridging the gap between old and new. With prices closer to old Crown Heights than new in a modern setting, you’ll be glad to settle in and try out their adventurous takes on traditional classics. The jerk lobster and bok choy take you outside of the usual Caribbean comfort zone while still keeping the essence of that island flavor.
The Islands
If glamour isn’t a necessity for you, how does a cash-only joint squeezed between a Key Food and a Chinese takeout sound? The Islands’ interior is not so gritty, though, and once you sit down with a generous portion of perfectly moist stewed oxtail flanked by cabbage, rice, and peas, your surroundings won’t matter at all. Caribbean drinks like sorrel juice are available and offer a nice fruity counterbalance to the savory meats.
Cock’s
Rounding out your Brooklyn Caribbean tour, a taste of Barbadian life is on the menu at this Bajan favorite. Come here for seafood favorites like flying fish and the leaner kingfish, both regional delicacies. The polenta-like cou cou is a must, and not only on Fridays (as it’s traditionally eaten in Barbados). More typical Caribbean items like jerk chicken are on the menu here as well, and hold up to scrutiny from even the most discerning island foodie.
Loved this culinary round-up? To see more great NYC food enclaves, check out our trips to Jackson Heights in Queens and the Bronx’s Arthur Avenue district.
by BCB Property Management | Sep 8, 2017 | Neighborhoods, New York City
It’s become a cliche at this point to point out that Little Italy is littler than ever, and while it’s certainly true, that doesn’t mean that NYC is lacking for great Italian food. Those willing to take a trip up north to the Bronx neighborhood known as simply Arthur Avenue (after it’s main drag) are in for some of the finest traditional meals with a local flavor all their own.
Declared New York’s best food neighborhood by Esquire Magazine, the area also called Belmont features a long history of Italian-American culture from immigrants who came here in the early 20th century. Like its more famous equivalent in Manhattan, this cozy neighborhood might seem a little closed to outsiders at first, but after taking your first bite in one of these fine eateries, you’ll feel like family.
Antonio’s
A short walk off of Arthur Avenue, away from the tourists, should take you to this local favorite where the meats are plentiful and cooked to perfection. They might be best known for their falling-off-the-bone short ribs, which come smothered in rich sauce that could have come from any number of area grandmother’s kitchens.
Roberto’s
A favorite of the celebrity crowd, Robert Paciullo opened his two-floor trattoria which features a rotating menu of top-quality, Michelin Guide-approved dishes. Come in one night for tender risotto with cuttlefish, come back tomorrow for the tender braised rabbit. If you’re like most diners, you’ll stick around for one of Roberto’s signature desserts as well, like sbricolata crumb cake with amaretto, or his old country-style tiramisu.
Mike’s Deli
For those days when you’re not feeling as fancy, you can take in a lunch at this marketplace where the eggplant parm is a year-round hit. The owners also run the neighboring Bronx Beer Hall if your group is looking to follow up your sandwiches with some craft suds. Mike’s olives and burrata are a must-try.
Vincent’s Meat Market
For a taste of Belmont that you can take home with you, visit Vincent’s Arthur Avenue storefront for all the smoked meat, sausage, and custom beef cuts your carnivorous heart desires. Open for over 60 years, Vincent’s always-fresh meats, expert customer service, and worth-the-trip prices all make it clear why they’ve been the neighborhood’s top butcher for all these years.
by BCB Property Management | May 16, 2017 | Brooklyn, Neighborhoods, New York City
New York City… you come for the sights, but you stay for the desserts. With each borough teeming with a variety of cultures, cuisines, and surprises, New York-style cheesecake is just the beginning of what the Big Apple has to delight your palate.
Visitors and residents alike have long flocked to new “novelty” dessert spots, even and especially if it means waiting in a long line for a sugary fix. Remember the cronut, that legendary croissant-donut hybrid? You can now preorder them and skip the line. But cronuts are so 2013, and while the flaky goodness is still recommended, there are other fish in the sea.
Here are a few other delicious novelty desserts you can find in New York City. Given their nature, we advise that you practice moderation. Or not. It’s your mouth!
Boozy Ice Cream at Tipsy Scoop
Deciding between drinks and desserts can be difficult, while opting for both comes off as a bit excessive. The solution? Boozy ice cream. Tipsy Scoop, New York’s first ice cream “barlour” so to speak, has opened in Kips Bay. The best part? Their treats, spiked to just over 5% alcohol, can actually get you buzzed. Enjoy flavors like Mango Margarita and Strawberry White Sangria Sorbet, and don’t forget your ID.
Rainbow Crepe Cake at Dek Sen
Besides the Statue of Liberty, crepes may just be France’s best gift to New York. What you might not know is that crepes are also a staple dessert in Thailand, and that Dek Sen, a restaurant in Elmhurst, Queens, sells a 20-layer rainbow crepe cake with seams of whipped cream. For New Yorkers sick and tired of Starbucks’ basic Unicorn Frappuccinos, here’s a colorful alternative for your ROY-G-BIV-fix.
Decadent Rice Pudding at Rice to Riches
Ice cream is ubiquitous, but rice pudding? Now that’s a way to pack flavor without a brain freeze. There are several rice pudding parlours in New York City, one of which is Rice to Riches in Nolita. The parlour offers delightful flavors such as “Almond Shmalmond” and “Sex Drugs and Rocky Road,” which are not only vegan, but can be shipped overnight.
Cookie Dough Confections at DO
If you’ve ever binged on cookie dough, you’ve known true bliss and risk: after all, raw eggs aren’t usually your friend. The West Village’s DO, Cookie Dough Confections offers the bliss without the risk by subbing eggs with pasteurized egg product, eliminating any risk of bacteria. Enjoy straight-up, unbaked cookie dough, ice cream sandwiches, cookie dough milkshakes, or any number of baked and unbaked products.
Raindrop Cake by Darren Wong
Last year at Brooklyn’s Smorgasburg, Darren Wong’s incredible Raindrop Cake became a cult sensation, and we’re thrilled to say its back this year. Based on a Japanese dish called Mizu Shingen, the gelatinous creation is clear, vegan, refreshing, highly-photogenic, and with the help of some ube (purple yam), a whole new hue.
Ice Cream Rolls from 10 Below
Located in Chinatown, 10 Below is New York’s first establishment to serve Thai-inspired ice cream rolls. Watch as your ice cream is crafted with fresh ingredients right before your eyes as ingredients are poured, mixed, and rolled on a cold plate. Enjoy flavors ranging from fresh avocado to thai iced tea flavor, rolled up for your pleasure beneath unlimited toppings.
by BCB Property Management | Sep 29, 2016 | Neighborhoods, New York City
Problem: You’re planning dinner with your friends and you can’t decide what to do. In a city like New York, there are endless dining opportunities to choose from. On the one hand, you can make the evening low-key by ordering pizza or Chinese take-out. On the other hand, you can go out to the local pub for burgers. But that’s so boring, you think.
Solution: You can go one step further by eating your entire meal blindfolded or in front of a movie screen. There are a handful of innovative and unique dining experiences in New York City that will make your night out with your friends a memorable one.
Here are five to start with:
Why make separate plans to do dinner and a movie when you can do it all in one place? This movie theatre with a full-sized restaurant menu shows independent films, like a screening of Madonna’s 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour and the classics like Psycho and Robocop. Kick back and relax with a glass of wine and a cheese plate or munch on popcorn flavored with truffle butter or a mixture of Old Bay, Tobasco and lemon butter.
These days, a lot of us like to know where our food comes from. At Brooklyn Grange, it’s not hard to guess because the food is grown mere feet away from your table! The rooftop farming business grows over 50,000 pounds of organically-grown vegetables each year. With all of those veggies, Brooklyn Grange likes to plan true farm-to-table dinner experiences with the unexpected punch of a city skyline.
At their Sunday “Butcher Paper Dinners,” food is served directly on butcher paper along a massive, fifty-foot communal table. With no paper napkins or disposable cups, the dinner creates virtually no waste. At the end of each meal, everything is rolled up and put into the compost
3. Dinner and a Show at Ninja New York
The interior of this restaurant is designed like a ninja village from the medieval period. The winding hallways are dotted with contraptions to deceive the eyes of an intruder – meaning you! Knives and ninja stars are common along with plenty of enthusiastic screaming from ninjas ready to strike. Diners eat in private rooms and are met with a show of food, fire and fun. Check out restaurant reviewer Zagat’s tour of the restaurant here.
4. Dinner in the Dark at Camaje
Four or five times a month, diners are served multi-course meals with a catch – they must eat them blindfolded! Without sight, the rest of the senses are heightened, which creates a unique experience for your taste buds. The menu for the evening is kept secret until the very end, so guests will have loads of fun trying to guess the foods they ate. Tickets for “Dinner in the Dark” must be purchased in advance.
With only eight seats at Dominique Ansel Kitchen’s U.P. (Unlimited Possibilities), this exclusive dessert-only tasting menu is sure to please your sweet tooth. The menu includes eight courses each paired a wine or cocktail, so drink up!
U.P. serves as an experiment for chefs to push boundaries for desserts in innovative ways. The avant-garde menu changes every six months, with one month in between seatings to let chefs develop the next menu. American Dreams, which just finished in August, showed a century of different American dreams with each course. U.P. will reopen in October with a new theme and menu, so mark your calendar.
