Ate My Way Through Brooklyn -- Thanks!

[TravelLuv]

Hi Everyone:

I just returned home from a whirlwind 4 day trip to NYC and followed the Brooklyn 'walk' through the old Little Italy put up by Brklynbobby on July 30th. All I have to say is WOW!!!

I know the debate will go on about food. I think what I am looking for is what we used to eat when I was a kid. It doesn't have to be gourmet, but I want it to taste like when we used to visit relatives, or we went out on the RARE occasion....we landed at LGA at 8am, and by 10 we were at Coney Island. My 16 year-old daughter has never been, and I am always happy to come home for awhile. It was fun to show her where I came from, though I haven't been to Coney Island since I was 12 years old, I was born nearby. We walked the Boardwalk to Brighton Beach and headed over to 18th....

J&V Pizza at 64th and 18th absolutely brought me down memory lane...after a great cheese slice (we had 2 slices and a large fountain drink for $7.00 and with no wait except the heating of the slices), we walked up 18th Avenue. Lemon Italian Ice for $1.00 each from Kaffe Italiano, real foccacia and butter cookies (I cannot find the name of the bakery!), the Aldo Bakery (recommended by the gentleman at J&V) had the best Sfogliatelle I have ever eaten and the semolina bread (but the rainbow cookies were not as I remember them -- they were good, just not what I was seeking), oh, and I had nowhere to cook ravioli from Queen Anne's so I settled for bringing home the dry pasta. We were tempted and we had to stop and have some 'hand pulled' noodles (though they were Japanese and we had nothing to compare them to) -- we shared a giant bowl for $4.75. [We ate the noodles and the lemon ice, took the rest to go for later]. We didn't make it too far past 72nd, but we had a blast!

We went on up to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens for a few hours. Then, we headed over to Smith Street for dinner at LULUc (between Baltic and Butler). It gets really mixed reviews, so I went because I liked the menu. I think LULUc is confused. the name and the lovely lady who served us are French, and it looks like a French Bistro. The menu tries to be Italian, but it confused me. I think it gets mixed reviews because if you have the Braised Lamb Shank you will think you have gone to heaven. It is served with Mushroom Risotto with truffle, which is good, but it doesn't go with the lamb somehow...the sauces are too different. Anyway, it was great for the price. We also had the salad with the roasted beet and apple with herbed goat cheese. We shared the salad and the entree without any funny looks from the hostess, and it was PLENTY (we took leftovers with us). The Pinot Noir tasted like a bad Chianti to me. The place is casual but you won't feel out of place if you are dressed, and it is a great place for a date or a get together. The menu is small, so it wouldn't be somewhere I would go over and over for dinner if I lived nearby.

I hope you enjoyed my little 'trip report' of sorts. I just signed up because I had to post and thank Bobby.

Here is what Bobby Posted:
Take the N train to 18th Avenue in Brooklyn. It lets you out at 64th Street & 18th Avenue. On the corner there is J&V Pizza. Walk down 18th Avenue towards 86th Street and you'll find pizzerias and Italian bakeries. You can nibble your way down the street on pizza, pastry & Italian ice. 18th Avenue is the heart of what is left of Brooklyn's little Italy. Brklynbobby Jul 30, 2009 .

[Brklynbobby]

I'm so glad you took the trip to Bensonhurst. Although not what it once was, there are still several little Italian jewels there. I have lived here for 15 years (originally from New Haven's Little Italy, i.e., Pepe's and Sally's) and I never lack for something good to eat.

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Little Italy
585 E 187th St, Bronx, NY 10458