Home > Chef Oz: Inside the CIA > Archives > 2009 > June > 15 > Entry
Grazing Brooklyn
Allow me to apologize for slacking on the blog these past few weeks. BUT, in my own defense, let me just say that the culinary curriculum up here in Hyde Park has been kicking my ever widening boo-tay. I do have to admit the food up here is quite a bit different from what you get in the average college cafeteria. There was one week of cramming for finals followed by another week of fabricating fish followed by another week of cutting up all kinds of meat. It’s been a little hectic, but I have managed to squeeze in some extra-curricular adventure here and there.
A couple of weeks ago one of my classmates, who is a native of Brooklyn, took me on an all-day stroll through his old stomping grounds. Brooklyn is the epitome of urban cool, and we managed to do a major-league food crawl in an effort to discover some of Brooklyn’s finest cuisine. What prompted our quest was a casual comment I’d made about pizza. New York is noted for its pizzerias, and for me—the last time I had sampled any was before George the Third stole the election back in double-ought. I had purchased a slice through a walk-up window somewhere in the East Village and had a craving for more ever since—funny how something as simple as a slice of pizza can stick in a fellow’s head like the refrain of “The Lime and the Coconut.” I was jonesing bad, and since Brooklyn was just a two-hour train ride away, off we went. But we didn’t limit ourselves strictly to pizza.
We started the day with a hot cup of joe from a Zagat rated coffee shop called Cafe Regular. The coffee was about as good as it gets, thanks to the La Colombe Torrefaction beans they use, and the pastries weren’t no slouch neither. Sticky buns there come from Marquedt Patisserie, and the award winning rolls are made in the famous Sullivan Street Bakery. We were still in the mood for something breakfasty so we hoofed it over to a little Polish sausage joint called Jubilat Provisions. The proprietor is a jovial Polish guy named Stanley Kris, and everything about the place screams Old World ambience. Most of the space is devoted to a huge smoker that turns Stanley’s old world charcuterie creations into veritably magical viands. Traditional sausages and other smoked meats, house-made pickles and kraut await savvy shoppers. We each got inch-thick slabs of smoked bacon to munch on as we hiked to our next stop. My motto—“It’s better with bacon.”
We ambled in to Christie’s, a hole-in-the-wall source for Jamaican jerk, to try the meat patties. My guide had advised me to try what I had pictured to be something akin to hamburger, but man oh man, I was in for a treat. The beef patty was a spicy concoction encased in a savory pastry, and I couldn’t stop at just one, although i should have, considering what was coming next on the agenda.
It was pizza that had inspired us on our food jaunt, so by 2:30 that afternoon we made our way to one of the most highly rated pizzerias in all of New York, Di Fara Pizza. From the looks of the place I didn’t think there was anything too special going on. There’s nothing fancy-schmancy, but there was one major clue that told me this was the place. In the middle of the afternoon there was a line out the door and down the sidewalk. The guy who makes the pizza is just as big of a draw as the pizza. His name is Domenico De Marco, and he’s been at the pizza game since he got off the boat back in 1959. People at the counter watch in reverent silence as the master crafts each pizza, one order at a time. We each ordered two slices and washed them down with a cold cream soda. Plain, basic, cheese pizza with freshly snipped basil never tasted so good. Mr.De Marco gets about as much media coverage as Madonna. The inside walls are plastered with rave reviews from the New York Times, The New Yorker, USA Today, and other notable publications too numerous to mention here. At four bucks a slice, pizza from Di Fara would be a steal at twice the price.
We spent the rest of the afternoon in a couple of establishments renowned for excellent libation. Char #4 is an upscale bar/eatery that specializes in Class-A whiskey and house-cured meats. We had some old Irish whiskey and some lamb pastrami with aioli and a fistful of micro greens. Pretty yummy. From there it was off to the Spuyten Duyvil (spit at the devil), a classic beer garden that stocks every kind of weird beer a hop head could imagine. We ordered a short snort of Bourbon County Stout that had definite chocolate overtones. In fact, we thought it’d be just dandy with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. The stuff packed quite a punch, too—14% alcohol, but at $9 for a six-ounce glass it was a tad pricey for my budget, so I switched to a more affordable anise-flavored IPA. The evening wasn’t getting any younger, so we sallied forth once again afoot, and made our weary way to our dinner destination.
Williamsburg is a generally tony part of Brooklyn, and we dined at one of the neighborhood’s landmark establishments—a place simply called, Diner. The emphasis there is decidedly in the sustainable/buy local/seasonal ingredient camp. And dinner at Diner was delicious. Some of the courses were a bit too aggressively salted for my taste, but the overall experience was exceptional. My spanish mackerel with polenta was superb.
We had feasted all day on a wild array of tasty treats, and so, with bellies stretched taut, we made our weary foot-sore way back to the train, back to the campus, and eventually to my narrow cot in a spartan dorm-room where I slept like a dead man.
It occurs to me that there are places of note tucked into out of the way corners of Central Texas that offer best-of-the-best dining experiences. I can think of a bunch myself. But what I want you to do is share some of your favorites within a two-hour radius of Waco. Thanks for sharing and reading and bon appetit!
Comments
By ruan pearson
June 16, 2009 9:25 AM | Link to this
oz—the next time you grace waco with your appetite, you must try the slippery minnow—a newish place on lake waco (with boat-in facilities in addition to the more mundane four-wheel parking lot). live music. sit outside on the deck and sweat. hamburgers to die for….in addition to the catfish baskets. fun place, yummy food.
By Chef Oz
June 16, 2009 10:00 PM | Link to this
Thanks Ruan—I’ll be back in mid-July. I’m about ready for a big ol’ burger. You wouldn’t believe what people at this school eat in the lunchrooms every day. Just today I had a poached chicken breast with jus lie, perfectly tourneed potatoes, and batonet of rutabaga, turnip, and some perfectly glazed carrots and a couple of very decent biscuits. That was on top of a fresh red leaf lettuce salad with goat cheese,candied walnuts, and dried cranberries. That was lunch. Man, I’m so ready for some fried chicken I can’t see straight.
By woodway
June 18, 2009 11:23 AM | Link to this
Miss you at HEB cooking connection in Woodway!!!!!!
By carey casey
June 21, 2009 7:20 PM | Link to this
Don’t worry big boy. You’ll be in San Miguel soon enough and can eat your fill of corn tortillas and guacamole, not to mention real margaritas. Love, C
By Nelson
June 21, 2009 7:54 PM | Link to this
I’m soooo envious of your whole adventure. I’ll trade sandwiches for pizza.
Nelson
By Chef Oz
June 22, 2009 8:52 AM | Link to this
Hey Nelson— I’m jonesing so bad for a schmaltz’s right now. I used to require one or more per week. Can’t wait to fall off the wagon. Carey—see you soon!
By Dawn Bryant
June 23, 2009 9:53 AM | Link to this
I really enjoy Zur Autobahn just outside of Cranfills Gap. The German food is outstanding and the stonefaced couple that run the place are a hoot!
By Kathryn DeWald Sublett
June 26, 2009 3:41 PM | Link to this
Joe and I are so happy for you and this adventure you are on! I, personally, am sooo envious..not just of the CIA but getting to sample the food in the NY area that I’ve only heard about. Love your blog…you ARE a wordsmith! As far as food to recommend in a two hour radius of Waco….go to Austin! Baja shrimp tacos at Torchy’s Tacos.
By Matt Hogan
July 3, 2009 10:07 AM | Link to this
I can’t believe I didn’t know about this blog until just now! Great stuff Oz. I miss the days of you working at the Wooded Acres HEB. I always enjoyed finding things to work on near the Cooking Connection to see either what you were cooking or how you were entertaining the crowd. Sounds like quite the adventure and I’ve got to say I’m a bit jealous.
By Megan Brock
July 20, 2009 10:59 AM | Link to this
Hey Ozzy - I saw your post about Schmaltz’s, I have to go EVER time i go to see Uncle Steve for a cleaning - I am really sure his hygenists enjoy the onion/garlic breath after…but I sure do!!! I would drive from Dallas any day for a Schmaltz’s sandwich.
There is a new restaurant I have been raving to mom about in Austin and it is worth the trip - it is called Parkside, we did a dinner of appetizers and it was the BEST choice - Steak tartar, the best either myself or my boyfriend had EVER tasted. Crab fritters, fried to perfection and bone marrow were the hit of the night among other items. I also recommend the raw bar - you cant beat a great raw oyster and the chef’s recommendations about the other items like ceviche and king fish were dead on!
We will be in NYC for a week in September and would love some recommendations on places to dine. Scott and I are both foodies. We would love for you to join us also.
Cheers!
Megan Brock (Daughter of Martha Little)
By Chef Oz
July 20, 2009 1:18 PM | Link to this
Hey Megan— Thanks for the tip on Parkside, Austin sure has a great restaurant scene. As far as NYC goes, I really think The Fatty Crab is an up and comer. Also, I’d recommend the place described in the blog, Diner. The waitresses come out and recite all the menu choices and write them down on the butcher paper tablecloths—it’s the way the ancient wait staff did it at the old Stagecoach Inn in Salado. The place is all about sustainable and local agriculture. This is one of the most exciting trends in the food service industry, proprietors and patrons sharing an equal interest in the provenance of their food, and I believe this trend will result in more young people getting involved with organic and even beyond organic agricultural pursuits. Market demand can spark lots of good things. The whole idea has certainly caught on in my new neighborhood.
I can recommend lots of interesting sights and sites in the Hudson Valley. Rheinbeck, Hyde Park, Kingston, and Redhook are some of the townships within spitting distance of The CIA, and all have great restaurants, vibrant farmers’ markets, and wineries galore. There are also plenty of art galleries and funky shops. The CIA has five world-class restaurants on the campus, but be sure and check the school calendar to make sure they’re open when you visit. Reservations are highly recommended.
Woodstock is not too far a drive from where I reside and is well worth the trip. Real live hippies still exist. I’d grow my hair down to my ankles if I had any—hair that is. The ankles are still there, thankfully.
Say hi to your folks and thanks for blogging in.