Queen

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We have a new favorite restaurant in Brooklyn Heights: Queen!
This is especially delicious considering 2 of our favorites in that area closed (Ciao, La Traviata-- I miss your shrimp fra diavolo!)

That's just about all you need to know when it comes to Queen, a long-standing Italian restaurant on Brooklyn's busy Court Street. It's less than a 2 minute walk from a bevy of subway lines, so you really have no excuse for not trying it!

Right off the bat, you get this gorgeous, complimentary plate of carby delights, with a vinegar/olive oil combo on the side for dipping.
(Note--they make their own mozzarella-- and you can order a Caprese salad even though it's not on the menu-- notes for next time!)

Crispy flatbreads, crunchy breadsticks, fresh, fluffy Italian (white)bread, a darker version, and the star-- this delicious chewy and soft riff on bruschetta, crowned with a garlicky tomato sauce that just about sang. They offered us more, but we showed some restraint and demurred. I really wanted to have room for dessert, and I could easily make a meal out of that bruschetta.

We each had a glass of wine as well-- a fruity Merlot for ABF, a luscious Nero d'Avola (only $8!) for me. Perfect!

My friend J insisted that the eggplant parmigiana was the go-to dish. I don't normally order that, but on her recommendation I decided to give it a try. Holy deliciousness. Do you see that gorgeous dish? Tender, thin slices of eggplant-- not the thick, heavy,clunky versions you might have had elsewhere, cloaked in a thin, oozy layer of cheese, and of course, red sauce. I took home the leftovers for lunch the next day, and it was even better.

ABF ordered the chicken parmigiana. Why not go with some classic dishes to test this place's chops? His chicken was surprisingly juicy and tender, and I had at least two bites of this. It came with a side dish of perfectly-cooked penne with a different (yet even more delicious) red sauce. Both dishes-yum!
ABF had checked out pictures on the website that make the portions look teeny-tiny, precious, even, but we both saw for ourselves that they are huge!

The waiter told us they make their own desserts at Queen, so we both saved room. I went with the apple tart, which comes with cinnamon gelato. The tart was clearly homemade, light and delicious. The gelato was much milder than I expected- I wanted a little more cinnamon, but it was still creamy and tasty.

ABF went for the ricotta cheesecake, one of his favorite desserts overall. I've never been a fan of the texture-- I like my cheesecakes dense, heavy, and tangy. This, however, was great. I'm not saying I'd order it myself, but if you like ricotta cheesecake, you will LOVE theirs, which comes with a tangy zig zag of two fruit purées-- kiwi and strawberry this time.

We went all out on this meal, wrapping with cappuccinos (decaf for me). Everything about this meal was lovely from first bite to final sip. The staff were just as welcoming to us as to the many customers who were clearly regulars. I can't wait to go back-- and try the homemade mozzarella!

Queen
84 Court Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 596-5955

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Brooklyn Heights Wine Bar

One chilly Saturday in Brooklyn Heights, I met up with my glam and gorgeous friend CG. She and her boyfriend excuse me, fiancé (congratulations again, you two!!!) were preparing to move from their BH neighborhood, and I wanted a chance to chat with her before they got all swept up in the chaos and torture that is moving. We walked around a bit and wound up at this cozy corner spot near the Clark Street subway stop.

It was a bit early for dinner, too late for lunch, and I had eaten neither, so I was ready to nosh. Wine and cheese STAT please!

CG ordered the appetizer of homemade meatballs, a perfect pick for that bone-chillingly brisk day. She shared one with me and it tasted delicious, but they were a little chewier on the outside then I normally like. The sauce was finger-looking-good, though.

I started with a glass of Montepulciano and found it to be a perfect balance of fruit and tannins and also YUM.

We ordered the cheese plate and I was shocked (in a wonderful way) at how much cheese they gave us! We selected 6-month aged Manchego, Gorgonzola, and perfectly salty Pecorino. I would have finished every bite if I could; as it was, I still nibbled far too much. Each cheese was wonderful--the tangy, salty bite of Manchego, the creamy, smooth Gorgonzola, and the equally nommable Pecorino all went down wayyyy too easily. We ordered an extra helping of the fig paste because hello? have you tried this? #Mouthheaveninaglass!

The service was great, Cassie tells me that it's a family-owned business. I think the man who picked up my napkin (which had fallen to the floor yet again) might even have been the owner. Everyone took very good care of us and they were so accomodating, even rushing off to get us another jar of that craveable fig paste (fig paste + gorgonzola = nirvana).

CG doesn't live in this neighborhood anymore, but I hope she'll make the trip back with me--this place is worth repeat visits!!

Brooklyn Heights Wine Bar
50 Henry Street
NY 11201
(718) 855-5595

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Armando's

One of ABF's favorite restaurants, Armando's, closed not long after the first time he took me there. Another business took over and quickly shuttered, and soon we heard rumors of Armando's return. The restaurant is back with a new look and new menu, but we waited a while after reading bad reviews about service, food, etc. I don't think ABF would have enjoyed having his good memories there sullied by a bad experience. We suddenly decided last night would mark our return, and we headed out to one of our favorite neighborhoods: Brooklyn Heights.

La Traviata

One of the BF's favorite places (and now mine!) is a spot in Brooklyn Heights, just one subway stop from the Financial District in Manhattan: La Traviata. We started going there by default, when a we showed up for dinner at a spot 2 doors down (Armando's, RIP), only to find they'd closed! BF was quite disappointed, but we were still hungry, so we walked into La Traviata. We were pleasantly surprised--their entrées come with salad or pasta, and we always choose the salad. Their house dressing is a spot-on vinaigrette over mixed greens, red onions, and cucumbers. Simple and scrumptious.


Another must-have is their fried zucchini. Until we visited this place, I always thought fried zucchini had to be heavy and clunky, but the folks at La Traviata slice the veggies lengthwise into thin, delicious pieces. The breading isn't overpowering, and you just get a clean taste of zucchini (made even better with a spritz of lemon and some red sauce. I LOVE RED SAUCE!)

Red sauuuuuuce!

I've tried a few dishes over the year and a half we've visited, but I always go back to the Shrimp Fra Diavolo. Last night, however, it was WICKED spicy. The only thing I'd suggest they do is get consistent with the spicing! While I enjoy spicy food, I don't like it so hot that I'm almost choking! It took me a lot longer to eat this dish last night, as I had to pause for pieces of bread or cold water to cool my burning throat. It's not usually this spicy, but maybe someone complained about it not being spicy enough and the chef took retributive action?? Still good, though.

The BF tried a new dish: Chicken Lucille. I apologize for the fuzzy photo--I'm still learning the settings on the fantastic new camera the BF got me for my bday! The dish came in a cream sauce that had a strong but pleasant portobello mushroom flavor. The chicken was tender, and the sauce was very good. I'm still a little skeeved out by portobellos, so I preferred a taste of the infused sauce to the actual slices of shrooms. Baby steps. :)

La Traviata
139 Montague Street
New York, NY 11201
(718) 858-5592