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PHILLY CITY OF BROTHERLY UGH

This doesn't really come as a suprrise to anyone who has ever been there for more than about 5 seconds.... maybe there is something to Josh's theory that Philadelphia is an epicenter of earthly negative/evil energy. Huh.

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there was silence and the hush was almost deafening

I don't really use this blog as a confessional or a diary. When my mom died, I kept my mouth shut because, like, who even on the internet knew her? But the loss of my little best friend prompts me to this. Once I write my famous novels about him, the whole world will know who he is, and who he was. Until then, you'll have to make due with photos.

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Good Day

Doris Lessing, 87 years old, has won the Nobel Prize in Literature. We like her very much and think she is fan fucking tastic. Plus, she loves alienz.

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My Tummy Talks about: Tournesol

This is not the place to go if you are on a diet. The first time we went here, we went on a whim and had a decently expensive (for us) but very satisfying and romantic dinner. I cannot for the life of me remember what we ate, but I know we left feeling stuffed and excited about the prospect of returning. The staff are French, very attentive and super nice.

The atmosphere here, at night is really romantic, lots of candles, and comfortable. When we returned for brunch, it's a bit different: very crowded, buzzing with activity, they open the front of the restaurant on warms days, it's sunny and loud. They have spectacular food. I've had the Croque Monsieur both times I ate there for brunch. Like I said, it is NOT for the diet conscious, but it is a real treat. It has both swiss and brie on it, it's grilled and warm and amazing. Go there now and eat one. I swear you won't regret it.


HIGHLIGHTS: The cheese. The Coffee.
LOWLIGHTS: It can be really crowded. But, what good place to eat doesn't?

Food= French. Great.
Surroundings= Great.
Other Diners (ones not at my table)= Too busy eating to notice (the highest compliment I can pay)
Wine= Too early for booze!
Price= On the expensive side. But reasonable for what you get.
Company (people eating with me)= As always, the best.

Tournesol is at 5012 Vernon Blvd # B in Long Island City.

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My Tummy Talks About: Northeast Kingdom

Been here several times. I've never been OVERLY impressed with the food, but I have to say it's always been good. This place is slightly out there -- it's in Bushwick, afterall. That said, this past Saturday's 20 minute drive to Northeast Kingdom was well worth it.

The staff here is great. I'm not very high-maintenance though, I'll be honest. As long as you don't puke on me, forget I exist, or talk too much, I'll think you're great. Because you are: I waited tables for 8 years, I know.

Anyway. I had an Olive Plate for starters, and picked at my friend Emily's sausage, egg and olive salad, which ruled. For dinner, I had the cauliflower gratin. MAN am I a sucker for a gratin: and it was so good!!! Only problem: not QUITE huge enough, in my opinon. It was cauliflower, bread crumbs, cheese (gruyere, I think), and tomatoes, baked. YUMMY.

For dessert, Josh ordered Banana Cream Pie, while I had Strawberry Shortcake. Both amazing. Mine was better, I think. The biscuits were slightly bitter, which I like. Lots.

We also had the GREATEST bottle of white wine, but I can't remember what it was!! Man, I need an on the spot food/wine journal! And a bigger pair of pants.

Love,
Laura June.

HIGHLIGHTS: Shortcake, The WINE!!
LOWLIGHTS: The drunks!! (see below)

Food= Very Good
Surroundings= Great (Romantic, if you will)
Other Diners (ones not at my table)= So fucked up that they were screaming "WOOO" like every 10 seconds. And I think they were 2 people on a date, seated next to two other people on a date. Slightly awkward.
Wine= The best.
Price= Reasonable
Company (people eating with me)= They were cool (same as at Brunch!!)



Northeast Kingdom is at 18 Wyckoff Avenue on the corner of Troutman Street in
Bushwick, Brooklyn. It's really good.

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My Tummy Talks About: Brooklyn Label

We go to Brooklyn Label about once a week. It's the BEST restaurant in Greenpoint, Brooklyn that we have found, by a LONG SHOT. It's also close!!!!

First, the surroundings are great. Franklin Street is really getting nicer by the week, and Brooklyn Label is obviously a great addition, lookswise. The interior is great, and though the place is sort of small, they really manage to cram the people in without making you feel like you're eating with a bunch of strangers.

We mostly go for brunch, and that's what we had there this past Saturday. We were in luck: usually we wait about 5-10 minutes for a table, but this time, we were seated right away. Brooklyn Label, unlike Diner, allowed two of us to be seated, whilst waiting for our other, my beloved. How refreshing!

Anyway. The staff here is consistently nice, and attentive in the way that I find to be helpful but non-intrusive. They're busy!! so they don't make a lot of small talk, so if you're looking to get flirted with, head somewhere else.

Brooklyn Label has an OUTSTANDING brunch menu. My personal favorite is the Huevos Rancheros, which is what I had on Saturday. I always start with their fruit plate, which is... fruit. It's fresh, too!

The Huevos Rancheros is a recent addition to the repertoire of "things I'll eat," because honestly, such a thing never sounded that great to me. I have only ever had it here, but they are SO delicious, that I have a hard time ordering other things! (even though I hear the Eggs Benedict are also great). So, the Rancheros is a crunchy tortilla, lettuce, tomato, onions, AMAZING Guacamole, some sauce that is totally killing me to think about, black beans, and two fried eggs with gooey yolks. It is so delicious. Next time, I'm going to have something else, I swear.

Other great things about this restaurant include their spicy, homemade ketchup, and their huge selection of beverages.... they have great coffee, too!!!!

They also serve lunch and dinner, with different menus... but I never get over there! WHY?!?!? :(

I can't actually say enough good things about this place. Even when the music's loud, it tends to be good. I mean, who doesn't want to listen to The Misfits at full blast on Sunday morning (read: noon-2pm), right?

I'm going to review this place every time I eat there from now on, and I promise to try new things. I'm sure they're all great. I get excited when I see the staff walk past with other people's plates. I fucking swear. Personally, I call it Brooklyn Labels.

HIGHLIGHTS: the Ketchup and the Guacamole (they also have pastrys from Balthazar!)
LOWLIGHTS: the Lemon Tree isn't real, and I thought it was!!!

Food= Sooo Great
Surroundings= Great
Other Diners (ones not at my table)= Too busy eating to notice (the highest compliment I can pay)
Wine= Too early for booze!
Price= Cheap!
Company (people eating with me)= They were cool.

Brooklyn Label is at 180 Franklin Street, Brooklyn New York, 11222. Yep. That's Greenpoint.

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My Tummy Talks About: Diner

I've been meaning to start writing restaurant/food reviews for a really long time, since we go out to eat about 3 times a week, and have been trying a fair amount of "new" places, in addition to the old favorites... but I'm lazy. This past weekend, however, my friend was in town, and it got me thinking about what places are good to take visitors to and which are not.... so I'm starting the food reviews. Now.

Up first is Diner, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Let me preface by saying that we've been here a million times, but this past Friday was the first time we'd been there in months. We have our reasons.

For me, restaurants are predominantly about food. As long as I'm semi-comfortable, if the food is good, I'll leave happy. There are only a few deal-breakers for me, and I have to say that Diner has in the past, and seems to still teeter on the edge of the "deal-breakers" for me.

I just turned thirty. I've been listening to blaringly loud music my entire life. If I had only ONE thing I could say about Diner this past Friday night: the music was so fucking loud that I could not hear the 3 people I was with. I had to read their lips. Literally. And those front end booths are teeny, so you know how close I was to them!!!!

But that's really one step ahead of myself.

The first thing that strikes me about Diner when I walk in Friday, is that they have one of the most annoying policies on the planet earth about not seating anyone until the "entire party" is present. Now, I get it. The place is tiny, always crowded, and people often lie-- they pad their numbers. They say, "there's going to be 8 of us." Then only 5 show up and they've sucked up your entire back end for 2 hours. Or maybe not whole parties sit around too long waiting for drinks and that missing friend, when you could have immediately seated someone who was going to eat right away and max out the turnover even more!! But I doubt it. Anyway, sure, I understand your policy. But I don't really like it. It's like all of a sudden YOU, the hostess are the customer, and I have to fulfill a bunch of criteria before you'll let me have a booth. Which, by the way, is what's most annoying. My fiance, bless his soul, when told that we three would have to wait for "the late one," said to the dear hostess, "but, there's 3 of us here already-- we'll take up the same amount of space." And he's right!! Whether there are 3 of us or 4, we'd still need the same amount of space!

The hostess mumbled something about "that's how we do it," and also something inexplicable about how they "announce the specials." Enough about this. Cause really, it was quite pleasant to sit outside on that wet stoop and have a drink and wait the 4.5 minutes for Phyllis to show. I'm being serious, it was! Anyway, MINOR annoyance only. Totally to be expected.

Now for the good stuff. Our waiter was very nice, and very attentive. Also, he was wearing what appeared to be flesh colored short shorts, which, in that lighting, was a real shocker.

I'm just going to tell you what I had, because I can't even remember what everyone else had. This food critiquing is a work in progress, and if I'm going to do this, I'm obviously going to have to start taking notes.

Cause like, I can't remember what bottle of wine we had. It was red, fairly priced, and very good.

First up, I had one of the specials-- a Tomato soup. It had some other ingredients, but I can't remember what they were. It was super good.

Then, I had the Goat Cheese Salad, which is mixed greens, Croutons, a little onion, a massive glob of Goat Cheese, and a vinaigrette dressing. Sounds totally standard, I know, but it's not: it's REALLY great-- consistently, so that I order it every time I'm there. It's fair to say I sometimes crave this salad, and anyone who is into cheese and going there for the first time should definitely check it out.

See, I didn't order an entree, because i was saving room for dessert-- but I ran out of room even still!!!!

This ends my first restaurant review.

Highlight: Goat Cheese Salad, Seemingly Pantsless Waiter. Oh, also, they always have tons of specials. I like that.
Lowlight: THE MUSIC VOLUME!!! :)

Food= Great
Surroundings= Good
Other Diners (ones not at my table)= Douchey to the Max
Wine= Good
Price= Totally decent
Company (people eating with me)= Priceless

Diner is at 85 Broadway in Brooklyn, NY 11211 Their phone number is (718) 486-3077, but I doubt they take reservations. They're way too cool for that.

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