We all know Greenpoint is home to many Polish families. Maybe you don’t, but if you have ever walked down Manhattan Ave. north of Greenpoint Ave it takes but a block to realize. Three butcher shops and 2 bakeries in the first block all with too many consonants in their name is a good tip off. I’ve lived on this stretch of Manhattan Ave. for three years now. There are weekend mornings I wake up and on the walk for coffee I hear not a word of english. It’s a bit eerie and a a bit comfortable at the same time. The comfortable far out weights the eerie, at least for me. Not only does it make me feel like I am traveling, which I love, but it excites my sense of discovery. The effect is intensified once you step into one of the shops. Be it a stop for Kielbasa or bobka the first words spoken to you are usually not those you understand. This may make these places intimidating. It may even make them a hassle to shop in.

I writing to debunk that theory. To do that I went straight to the heart of this matter. I went to Polam. Polam is the butcher shop that sits one store in from the corner of Manhattan Ave and Java St. One of my all time joys when traveling is to visit a butcher shop or food store in a country that I do not speak the language. There are only so many ways to cut up a pig. Once you know the cuts the language barrier has little ramifications. Some pointing, nodding and smiling usually gets the job done. Entering Polam is not much different.

It’s been 3 years since I first crossed this fabricated border into the heart of Warsaw. Since that first visit I have learned my proszę and dziękuję’s but you don’t need them to revel in the delicious smoked pork that is stacked, much of it still warm, five slabs high inside. In fact, you’ll have more difficulty fitting inside the chronically packed, tiny shop then you will communicating with the butcher. The picture at the top of this post is a still warm, slab of smoked bacon I bought last weekend to construct the base for a mac and cheese. I think that experience perfectly captures the point I am attempting to explain. Let me walk you through.

It was mid-day on a Friday. (Note: A much better time to go than a weekend or weekday post work) The line inside was slim. Maybe 6 deep. The temperature was below 50 degrees. Meat was stacked inside the glass cold-case which stretched the length of the store. Across the top of the case more meat four or five slabs deep. I made my way to the rear of the shop and stood next to the chicken case looking lengthwise down the long thin walkway towards the front door. Inside the case were half butchered and whole chickens. Heads, feet, necks, it was all in there. On top was the over flow of bacon that could not fit on the counter ahead of me. As I moved up through the line I entered the pork area. Hanging kielbasa’s of 13 variations dangled in my face. Ten other types of sausage sat inside the case in front of me including a giant blood sausage. Behind me was a case of dairy. Yogurt, five types of framer’s cheese and some fresh pierogies overflow from it. Abruptly a butcher interrupted me as I stared and gaped at the two cases to my right. Both were filled with cold cuts. Hot, smoked chicken quarters were piled up across the top of it. I snapped from my trance and acknowledge the butchers “Witam. Jak mogę pomóc?” with a simple but direct response, “smoked bacon”. He pointed to several slabs and explained, in half polish half english, the difference. One was smoked and uncooked. One was uncooked and unsmoked. Another was cooked but not smoked. For some reason all were hot. I paused and tried to sort my options for a second. Inside of that second the butcher grabed a slab, held it high in the air and hacked off a chunk with his 9 inch, razor sharp, semi-permanent hand extension. He handed me the piece of pork belly and moved on to cut pieces from the other slabs. After a mini pork fest I decided to go with the 4 pound smoked and cooked slab pictured at top. He wrapped it and stamped it without dropping his knife. “What else?’ he then asked. When I told him nothing he refused my answer. He proceeded to entice me with other hot smokey meats that were just pulled from the smoker or that had been hanging in the shop so long the taste was deliciously intense. Hacking piece after piece he continued feeding me until I caved in and bought an aged kielbasa. I put my hands up and signaled “enough”. He smiled and moved on to the next patron. I stepped back and into the register line. Not a word of english had been spoken the entire 15 minutes I was in the shop except for the few that I had with the butcher yet, I had my prize and some snacks to boot. Stepping out of Polam I re-entered the US without a passport, a duty free shop or even a glimpse of a customs agent. A half a block later I was in my kitchen sorting my spoils. The bacon sliced beautifully releasing an amazing smoked but fresh aroma. It was not greasy or slimy. The bacon bottomed mac and cheese was a tasty success and my kielbasa snack was the perfect cooking fuel.

I hope my point came across. My goal was to provide a window into these shops for those who usually just walk by them. The new and tragically hip business’ that are popping up all over are awesome but they are only half of the neighborhood. This contrast of new and old is what makes Greenpoint and many other ‘hoods in Brooklyn special. The gentrification of Manhattan has mad it sterile. No surprise there. But remember, that is why you moved to Brooklyn. Or, at the very least, that is why you hoped an L train to a G (or shuttle bus) and came to the neighborhood. You seek that neighborhood feel. Indulge in every piece of it.

I have not gone out to dinner with many of my friends of family since coming back to New York ..… yet. However I did manage to head to Brooklyn and meet Jay for a bit and to catch up on things. I met Jay on the corner of Bedford and 7th and he rolled up on his bike with the fat white tires. If you know the bike I am talking about you know how Jay looks when he is riding it. Reminds me of PeeWee’s Big Adventure.

I hopped on the back like we were kids. We strolled slowly around Williamsburg looking for a place to eat. The basket I was sitting on is a little low in the back so I could not let my feet out or they would hit the ground. So for the 10 minutes we strolled around I was doing a leg lift so my feet wouldn’t hit the pavement. By the time we decided on a place I was about to collapse. The abs were rock solid and I was ready to eat.

Jays Dinner

We hit up Taco Chulo for a quick bit of Mexican food. Mexican is one of the foods I do not have a lot of when I am on the ship. It was good. I like how you have your choice of taco sizes. Small is about $4 and large is about $6. I went with 2 large taco, Gordita and fish. There was so much in the tacos I had to eat them with a fork before I could wrap them up and chow down. It was almost like I had four taco instead of two. We washed them down with a couple margaritas. After catching up Jay and I caught up a bit more at a wine bar. Sipping wine is another Brothers Tasty Favorite.

Anthony’s Dinner

Last Thursday I met up with the boys from Immaculate Infatuation once again to sweat it out at the new Pies ‘n’ Thighs on Billyburg’s Southside. As always, I’ll leave the specifics of the meal to them. Our mutual taste preferences make it quite easy for me to leave the reviewing and wordsmithing to them. Above is the visual depiction of their eloquent description.

DUE TO A FEW UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES WE HAD TO POSTPONE THIS SATURDAYS DINNER. THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND WE HOPE IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. PLEASE FORGIVE US FOR HAVING TO RESCHEDULE. WE PROMISE TO BRING BACK SIDEWAYS LATER IN THE SEASON. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT MOVIE ANNOUNCEMENT LATER IN JUNE. AND IF YOU HAVE NOT JUMPED ON THE MAILING LIST YET, YOU MAY DO SO BELOW.

Get on our list for upcoming dinners dinners@forkingtasty.com

Saturday, June 5th at 8pm
Bringing a bit of California to the BK. Here’s the skinny on the fat.

Starts: 8pm (cocktails and appetizers)
Ends: 11pm (really, when the film is over)
Donation: $99 (make a reservation below)
Movie: Sideways

Menu

Aimee and I are bringing a special twist to this months dinner. We partnered up with our good buddy Jack to bring you some of the spectacular and rare wines mentioned in the movie. In between scenes, as you eat and sip, Jack will impart some vino knowledge and pose some wine facts vs film fiction while pouring the next flight. In the meantime, Aimee and I will have some delicious food pairings that are inspired by these delightfully fermented grapes. We will also draw on the fresh and simple flavors from southern California to complete the menu. We are feeling some lamb, maybe some risotto and the dessert on this one…whoa, hold onto your forks! We have been planning this one for a long time. The idea that when Paul Giamatti drinks so will you was too good a daydream to not make reality. For those aficionados, the wines will include Sanford, Fiddlehead, Byron, and Hitching Post, heavy on the Pinot Noir.

Reservations

Reservations are required. Space is limited to 16 people. When booking please make sure to change the quantity field to the number of people in your party. In the note section let us know if there are any food restrictions anyone in your party has. Your movie ticket is your pay pal receipt, when you arrive please just let us know your name so we can keep track of you.

IF IT RAINS: If it rains dinner is off. All donations will be refunded at the time we make this decision.

More on Reel Tasty:

Jason and Aimee pair a 5 course gourmet meal for 16 friends, some new and some old on a HUGE deck in Brooklyn. As the name implies, we will be screening a movie during the meal. Don’t worry, there will still be plenty of time pre-entree to mingle, catchup and meet some new friends. Once the sun goes down we will role the film in all its two story high glory. This is an experiment, so we are not sure how much silence or chatting will go on. That’s for you to decide. We hope you will come out and enjoy yourselves with us this summer. See you on the deck.

You can check out pics from our last dinner here.

If you can’t make this dinner but want us to send you an invite to the next one send us an email at dinners@forkingtasty.com and we will put you on out special list. Or join the facebook fan page and get announcement updates that way.

You can’t beat some fresh beef sliced by Italians. At John’s Deli in Bensonhurst they have some of the finest. If you have not already heard about their famous roast beef, formerly only available on Tuesday’s, you have now. After peeking at this clip I don’t blame you to be checking hop-stop for the most direct route to this slow cooked sensation.

John’s Deli
2033 Stillwell Avenue
(between 85th St & 86th St)
Brooklyn, NY 11223

Everyone loves a surprise. Well…most people do. At the root of surprise is discovery. Most of the time is boils down to a moment. Like the moment you sip your glass of soda only to realize you grabbed someone else glass of milk. But, sometimes, when we are really lucky, that discovery unfolds with multiple moments over time. I happened upon a bustling scene yesterday morning on a quiet strip of Franklin St. in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. For a Sunday morning there was a lot of activity in what appeared to be a vacant store front. I could not help but let the moment sweep me up as the discovery unfolded before my eyes and then straight into my stomach. The above explains it all.

NOTE: I left my camera at home so this whole video had to be shot on an iPhone. Not bad. I added the pro VO to hide the crappy video quality. I sort of like the juxtaposition.

This morning was wonderful. One of those morning that unfolds with effortless decision making, timeless scheduling and non-strenuous motion only a lazy Sunday can produce. I have been living in Greenpoint for the better part of 5 years now and the restaurant scene is just now hitting it’s stride. I should quantify that, but will not waste your time with that in this post. This post is simple. It is easy. It is about something fun, yummy and frivolous.

Franklin St. has long been ignored when consuming booze or coffee is not top of mind. With shops like Word, Alter and Cookie Road making roots, I think the two years of infrastructure they burdened us Greenpointers with is starting to pay off. I for one love to watch urbanization in action. This morning, after a spontaneous stop at a very exciting breakfast find (post coming VERY soon), I stopped at Cookie Road. I should have visited this place a long time ago but, hey, I fall into my own self predicated demise of Franklin St. more times than not.

The shop specializes in fancy cookies but they also have some other amazing treats. The cookies come hand painted with all sorts of themes; Fashion, Sports, Celebrity or Fancy Schmancy as their site says. The other treats run the gamete from delicious sandwiches to this Guinness brownie.

Now that my office is located in Greenpoint, look for more coverage on all things edible between Franklin and McGuiness up and down the alphabets. For those Manhattanites, South Bklyners or ‘Burgers the alphabets is Ash St. to Greenpoint Avenue. (A)sh, (B)ox….(I)ndia, (J)ava…Ohhhhhh. You got it now.

Cookie Road
94 Franklin St
(between Noble St & Oak St)
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 383-8094

I never expected to find great salami in Seattle. But, I am a big Batali fan and I figured he had to learn from somewhere. Salumi is an Italian cured meat shop in the heart of Seattle’s Pioneer Square run by Armandino Batali, Mario’s father. Armandino had a full career at Boeing as a process control engineer but after he retired he spent 2 years learning how to make Salumi. He then opened up this small shop slicing up meat for sandwiches 4 days a week.

When I arrived it was nearly noon and the line was already out the door. It moved quick but slow enough that I had sufficient time to contemplate my order.

The decision wasn’t easy. I wanted to try almost every salumi on the menu. The differentiator between Armandino’s meat and other Italian pork-processing pioneers is his mix of spices. His use of nutmeg, cardamom and even a Mexican mole is extremely unique. The flavors show up mildly but distinctly. Turning my attention from the standard salumi’s to some of the other cured meats on the list, I found lamb prosciutto and even guanciale (Italian bacon prepared with pig’s jowl or cheeks) hanging in the glass framed walk in refrigerator that is built into the front of the narrow shop.

The line finally moved up and I stepped up to order. I chose the Muffo, a cold sandwich with olive tapanade, two salumis and provolone on a ciabatta roll. (pictured at top). Luckily I had a few friends with me so we ordered a few other sammys and had a little tasting selection.

Salumi with peppers and tomatoes.

Meatball sub with provolone.

We slipped our way to the back of the shop, careful not to knock over anything or anyone in the narrow space, where there was a large table. The table sat ten, had a couple bottles of wine on it with “Pay-what-you-drink” signs and 9 strangers happily devouring their delicious sandwiches. There was a second room through a doorway that had another communal table that sat another 6 sandwich lovers.

Biting in, the salumi was amazing. It’s flavors complimented the rest of the ingredients with just the right balance. The meatballs had a mild spice and the marinara a sauce a sweet bite. I came for the salumi but discovered the best meatball sandwich of my life. I don’t mean to over power the hero product, the salumi is still well worth the trip.

The beauty of Armandino’s operation is much like my own supper club philosophy, good food, daily specials consumed in the company of strangers. My advise, take a swing by the next time you are in Seattle. Ohh yeah, and order something you think sounds strange. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Salumi Artisan Cured Meats
309 Third Ave South
Seattle, WA 98104
(between Main and Jackson, across from Seattle Lighting)
(206) 621 8772

It was more like brunch but still way too early for cookies. When they are fresh baked and topped with a coarse sea salt, I think anytime is cookie time. The General Greene, in Fort Greene Brooklyn, does the best warm chocolate chip cookies this side of Mom’s house. Nine cookies for four people at 1pm on a Sunday is an understatement if called indulgent. It is down right evil. This morning we were bad (place grin and villainous laugh here)

The General Greene
229 Dekalb Ave
(between Adelphi St & Clermont Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11205
(718) 222-1510

This past Saturday I was invited to the Red Star Bar to taste and chat with some of the best wing and wing makers Brooklyn has to offer. The Best Wings in Brooklyn Competition featured 14 of the tastiest chicken wing recipes Kings county has to offer. I was lucky enough to sneak in an hour before the general public to get a “first dib” look, and taste, at the poultry positions for each team. Before I get too deep into this post, reveal the competitors and my favorites, I think I should qualify my background in wing tasting. To be clear, I was not a judge, nor was I asked to be one. But, I did taste, so I will share my picks with you. First, some history.

I went to college in Albany New York. Not quite Buffalo but high enough up there to know a good wing when it hits my tongue. BTW-If you are in Albany and you are looking for the best wing ever, head to Ralph’s on Madison Ave. Of course it would have to be 1994 for you to actually visit since Ralph’s doesn’t exist anymore. Before I digress just know the criteria that makes Ralph’s the best of the best for me. First, they always used big, meaty wings. Second, hot and spicy with one level of hotness. The sauce was standard. A bit of Frank’s Red Hot and some butter was all they used. Simple and clean. There was not breading on the wings. There was just crazy hot oil that crisped up the skin so your teeth felt the crunch as your lips and tongue worked the meat off the bone. Third, cheap. This doesn’t apply to the Brooklyn competition but, 5 bucks would get me 30 wings and a pitcher of Kilian’s. Ahh, the days. OK. Now I digress.

Since I am not a true Rochester/Buffalo resident I also have a particular penchant for a non-traditional wing. A good BBQ wing, a nice jerk spice wing or a South Asian glazed wing all have a place in my heart, and stomach, to be a winner. Dinosaur BBQ for example kicks some serious ass. So, as I started to peruse the contestants my eyes, ears and taste buds were open to “new” style wings as much as they were ready for a good traditional hot wing.

Let’s get to the contestants. We’ll start out strong, drop in the middle of the pack and then close with my favorite traditional entry.

1. Super Wings

I loved this crew. They were chatty, smiley and super happy. Their wings…totally broke the mold. In the restaurant the selection is ridiculous. You can choose from Ginger Buff, Trini Tamarind, Bajan Merry Mango, Island BBQ, Chili Cilantro, Spice Island Rub and Lava. They served Ginger Buff with Lava Sauce. I screamed, cried and then hit seconds. Nothing like a traditional wing BUT they did it right. They started with a meaty wing that was not too big. This was smart because there was so much flavor that too much meat would actually kill the flavor profile. I know, I never use big cooking words like that, but here it was necessary. The lava sauce on top was a nice break from the blue cheese and complimented the Ginger spice wonderfully. So, turns out I was not the only person who though this way. They took first prize. Nice work ladies. I’ll be by the restaurant really soon for more.

2. Jake’s Bar-B-Que

Wings from a BBQ joint always peeks my interest. Off the bat they were a talkative team. I love that. Lots to say about the wings, the competition and their restaurant. Their entry was definitely of the BBQ realm. A saucy entry that had a spicy yet sweet BBQ sauce on it. I loved it but yearned for that taste on some pork. A rib, brisket some pulled shoulder, anything, would have held up to that sauce better than a wing. Let me be clear, I loved the taste. It was the wing that fell a little short. I will say, they did something no other team did. They served the whole wing intact. Still connected at the joint I needed to change my eating approach to devour this morsel and I enjoyed the challenge. I am dying to head down to Carroll Garden’s and try some of their pork creations. I am sure they will not disappoint.

3. Wheeler’s

I don’t have one note, memory or story to tell about this wing. I guess that says it all. So, let’s move on. Ohh, wait…they were best dressed. Doning Valentine’s Day red chef coats they were the cleanest and most professional looking of all the teams.

4. Sugarcane

They were from Flatbush Ave. and entered with a jerk wing.. No blue cheese dip, just straight up Jerk. This Trini team kept it real West Indian style. A sucker for jerk chicken I reveled in their wings and reminisced about Mr. Biggs roadside jerk spot in Negril. An absolute must every time I am in the birthplace of Bob Nesta. A good non-traditional wing but a little small and dry when I got to the meat. Jerk holds up much better on a leg or thigh so I suspect a trip to Flatbush is in order.

5. Spike Hill

Spike Hill, the Bedford Ave. staple, entered their well known recipe. Beyond their chipper server and cool chef the wings were OK. Standard spice using some Frank’s or Frank’s like sauce on a medium but meaty, sized wing. Competitions are tough. You are not in your home kitchen, the wings are not cooked to order from scratch and you have to make modifications on the fly. Having been to Spike Hill and having the wings, I think the better wing resides in the bar not at the competition.

6. Rocky Sullivan’s

Yes, the old staple pub from Manhattan, now out in Redhook, showed up with a prime location just opposite the upstairs bar. Their wings were traditional, on the small side and fairly run of the mill. What Rocky’s does best is serve beer. After partaking in what they do best for about…ohhh, let’s say 5 rounds…these wings would be winners. You couldn’t stop me from eating them 30 or 40 at a clip. Unfortunately, I was only a half a pint in when I made it to their table. I did get a hard line on their pizza prep though. Irish guys with a wood burning stove? We got to check that out.

7.  Yellow Hook Grill

Read number 6 above. Subtract that they are good at serving beer. Scroll down.

8. Red Star

Red Star had the home court advantage. Despite that and the fact that I have bellied up to the Red Star bar on many a wing night, I still felt their wings were fairly middle of the road. Again, all the wings in the competition were top notch but when you compare the best of the best you have to draw a line. I have to call it how I taste it. The ironic thing about that statement is the next time I eat wings it will be these because I live a block away. So in that sense Red Star’s wings win!

9. Bean Post Pub

Two steps to my left, over to this table, was the biggest surprise of the day. Anthony, from Bean Post Pub, and his delicious wings won a place in my heart. First off, Anthony and his co-wing slinger (I forgot her name. Sorry guys.) had a bunch of different wings for sampling including “killer”. I stuck with the original in fear that I would burn out my taste buds and not be able to properly review the rest of the entries. The wings were nice and meaty and very simply prepared. They were classically red and carryed the expected traditional heat that comes along with the hue. So, at this point I was thinking that it was a nice but fairly basic wing. I took a bite. My opinion mostly stayed the same. As my tongue sucked back the meat after my teeth dislodged a nice chunk, I tasted the red hot sauce, the spice and the chicken. All very standard and traditional. Exceptionally well done mind you but there was no distinction. And, as I discussed, I was looking for distinction. Then I pushed the meat to the back of my mouth and the whole world changed. As my molars grinded on the succulent meat, crispy skin and spicy sauce a new flavor entered the mix. My back buds instantly picked up a heat cooling sweet flavor. My eyes popped and Anthony’s mouth started to turn up in the corners. His big smile and my, now nodding noggin were reacting to the same thing. Anthony mixes a secret into his wing sauce. A sweet BBQ sauce that camouflages itself behind the redness of the other ingredients. Like a good sniper you can’t see, smell or taste it until it is too late. Just as I sent that bite down my throat BOOM, that sniper pops out and nails me straight in the taste bud. Needless to say at this point, that made the wing spectacular and unique. A small nuance like that is what separates good food from great. Trick me. Make me think. Make me reconsider what I have already, so ignorantly, taken for granted. Thanks to Anthony and Bean Post Pub I have a new tasty story to tell and a new favorite Bay Ridge bar to visit. For a quick minute I was transported back to 1994 and my first Ralph’s hot wing of the semester.

10. Atomic Wings

Nearing the end of the competitors I reached the Atomic Wings table. Have you tasted Atomic Wings in Manhattan? Well…they tasted like that.

11. Wing Wagon

They had 3 types of wings for me to try; mild, medium and honey BBQ. The traditional two were good but lacked meat. The Honey BBQ on the other hand was quite tasty. The first Honey BBQ wing I had all day. It hit the spot on the flavor scale I was lacking. Despite it’s flavor punch I felt the wing lacked some size and meat. More sauce than meat makes me a sad kid.

12. The Kettle Black

Another team from Bay Ridge had a delicious looking dry rub wing. Unfortunately, that is where it ended. I skipped the blue cheese on their recommendation and bit into a large but dry wing that lacked punch in its flavor. I hate to be so blunt, remember all the competitors had top notch wings. Some were just better than others.

13. Teddy’s

They were a late arrival to the setup. I am not sure what exactly was going on here. There was some red hot, some breading and some temperature issues (a ‘lil cold). They were working hard though. And they had a mess of wings with them. Three full trays it looked like.

14. SarahJames

Last, but not least, and purposely saved for my final taste was SarahJames. I saved them until last because they were the only table that made the wings to order. Points for that. I liked the presentation but beyond that a fairly standard wing. I will say it aired on the beefy side and it was a clean wing. It was not over sauced and was not too hot. If I were to name this wing I would call it “The Sophisticate”. I see these wings being served at some “downtown” themed uptown gala. One in which the young urban professionals want to feel more like LES hipsters but couldn’t bare to trade in their J Crew and Ann Taylor for the grittier, but just as trendy and tired, Diesel skinny jean or retro, neon Camp Beverly Hills sweatshirt with thick rimmed glasses.

After about 2 hours I had made my way around all the tables, once for pics and a second time for eats. With a belly full of 28 wings and a memory card full of 280 photos, I gulped down the rest of my pint and slipped through the now shoulder to shoulder crowd and out the front door.

As food competitions go, The Best Wings In Brooklyn Competition had a good showing. Two hours in and there was still a line outside Red Star. Considering the G train was broken and the temp was hanging around a windy 25 degrees, I’d say Brooklyn takes their wings pretty seriously.

As I meandered home on my chicken wing high I felt a nap coming on. This daydream was interrupted by the sharp reality that in 3 hours I needed to be at Aimee and Eric’s for Chilifest 2010. Is an eaters job never done?