Brains!

[berna]

My SO is dying for some brains (take that however you like), but really the kind his grandma used to make when he was a kid. He used to get (and please pardon the spelling) cervelle? at a midtown french place which is no longer there. On a recent trip to Brussels he had what he seems to consider a great plate of brains. My question is does anyone know where he can get some good brains? LOL! Thanks

[Brian S]

Many Argentinian places, such as La Portena in Queens, offer brains. Just grilled though.

I remember reading that amoral book about the exploits of "Hannibal Lecter" and running out to a French restaurant (Le Perigord) to order brains. They were delicious but I got sweetbreads by mistake, thinking they were brains. Le Perigord might well have brains, by the way.

[Wilfrid]

I've enjoyed classic French brains in black butter at La Lunchonette in Chelsea - I don't know if it's still on the menu.

[berna]

He's had the brains at La Lunch but says that the brown butter is too overpowering. But thanks for the rec.

[bigjeff]

I feel like I've seen brain tacos here, maybe at tehuitzingo in hell's kitchen but maybe in some of the taquerias on roosevelt ave as well. not sure though.

[Miss Needle]

I don't think it's at Tehuitzingo. I ordered the cabeza, thinking it would be brain. It was the meat from a pig's head.

Parea used to have a brain dish.

[JungMann]

Cabeza is indeed meat from the head. If you're trying to order brains, the word to use is "sesos."

[Miss Needle]

In Puerto Vallarta, they called brain tacos cabeza. I was a bit surprised to see that it was a literal translation here.

I'll try ordering "sesos" here. Thanks.

[bigjeff]

ya I've seen places that offer both, and usually they do beef for both, the cabeza is the face, literally, and with all the delicious gelatinous bits, yummy. but haven't had the sesos yet here in nyc but definitely, I've seen it on some taqueria menus.

[rrems]

Chez Napoleon.

[berna]

Thanks rrems! I looked at the menu and that's just what he was looking for. We'll give it a try and report back.

[rrems]

We went there last night and I had the brains. They were very good and a generous portion. My partner had the venison, which was also very tasty, and our friend liked the veal scallopine. We had not been to CN in a long time, and it was completely unchanged, a good simple classic bistro.

[kobetobiko]

Babbo has a lamb's brain ravioli but the brain flavor is very subtle. Devi used to have a salad with brain, but no sure if it still exists.

I have heard that you can get calf's brain at Arthur Ave in Bronx. Chinatown has pig's brain on Friday at Dysnasty Supermarket.

[Peter Cuce]

It's not the style you're looking for, but Minangasli, an Indonesian restaurant in Elmhurst, Queens, has a good brain dish.

[JungMann]

The only restaurants I know that still serve brains are a few of the Indian restaurants on Lexington. But they're not made like cerveaux sautés. For that I think you'd have to stop at one of the butchers on Lexington and purchase a package of calves' brains to make the recipe at home.