Prospect Heights recommendations

[samanh]

Family from Chapel Hill, NC coming to Brooklyn for a wedding. We are staying 2 blocks from the Grand Army Plaza for the weekend. ("We" are a very pregnant wife, a 4 year old boy and me. we don't have a car.) Hoping to get recs within a reasonable distance. Kinda more interested in family owned Italian, ethnic, great cafes/bakeries. Thanks in advance for suggestions. Kiddo does really well even in fancy places. Price not as important.

Also, anybody know about pick-up soccer in the park?

[samanh]

Just wanted to let every know that I appreciated the recs....As things ended up we had very little time to check out the restaurants that we wanted b/c of the wedding. But I have to say that I loved Prospect Heights and liked it better than Manhattan by a long stretch. We hung out in the park, played soccer, enjoyed the cafes, even got a massage at the Chinese place on Vanderbilt (yes, it is really a massage place). The museums, botanical garden and library were top notch and free or inexpensive. The farmer's market was impressive and I found the recs from the wine shop to be good. We stayed at the Sofia Inn on Park and Vanderbilt which was a great deal and gave us a full kitchen.

We did try out Tom's Place, Milk Bar and Joyce's bakery which were all pretty good. I do recommend the Strawberry croissant at the bakery. I had my first egg cream at Tom's place. It was good. That place is crazy busy. Really wanted to try Aliseo but could never find a free dinner. thanks again everyone.

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Aliseo
665 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

[Ralphus]

I think Franny's is a gem if price isn't a worry.

Mitchells was replaced by Piquant that has very good Mexican/sw style food and solid margaritas.

Stop in at Washington Commons on Washington for a beer after.

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Washington Commons
434 Park Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11238

[jen kalb]

the Mitchells that was mentioned earlier is an old fashioned soul food restaurant on Vanderbilt between St. Marks and Bergen. Ralphus is referring to a totally diff restaurant on Flatbush between 6th and St Marks - now Piquant

[missmasala]

thanks jen, i didn't think it had closed, tho i have heard it's not as good as it used to be.

[Sneakeater]

The only difference I can detect between Mitchell's now and Mitchell's at any time over the 25 years I've been eating there is that at some point during the last few years they lost the lucite bullet guards.

[Bob Martinez]

"at some point during the last few years they lost the lucite bullet guards."

A sure sign it's no longer authentic.

[douglas525]

If you just feel like reading, here's a previous thread on the area from just a few months ago: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6602....

Aliseo seems to be a common theme, but I'll add The Islands for heaping plate fulls of Jamaican comfort food and Chavella's for Mexican -- although that one might be a bit of a walk with your situation.

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Aliseo
665 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Chavella's
732 Classon Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

[missmasala]

There's tons of pick-up soccer in the park on nice weekends. just wander around the long meadow until you find a game that appeals.

Great suggestions here already--Jen is very well-informed.

also, for your 4 year-old (and maybe pregnant wife) there's blue marble, an ice cream parlor on underhill. very good artisanal ice cream.

In the more ethnic/cheaper vein, there's also Mitchell's, a soul food throwback that's been around for a while. They used to have great fried chicken, potato salad, and a corn and okra dish, but haven't been there in a while. That's take-out only. However, considering where you're from, you probably don't need soul food. It's not as good as Mama Dips or Allen and Sons.

For caribbean sit-down, there's The Islands on washington ave, which i've never been to but comes highly recc'd on this board.

Agree that Le Gamin is nothing special; however, if you're coming from a place where french creperies are in short supply (I'm from the triangle area but it's been 20 years or so and i know it's way more sophisitcated now than it was when i was growing up there, so maybe now you have creperies), that might also be a winner for your child.

Nearer the creperie, on Vanderbilt, are The Vanderbilt and Beast--both hipper, small plates type joints. They get very mixed reviews on this board, but might be worth checking out.

For real, old-school, family-owned italian, you would have to leave that neighborhood, as that neighborhood is not an old italian one. However, you can hop on the B71 bus to carroll gardens, which is an old italian neighborhood. Here you'll find a pork store, several bakeries, and quite a few places that make their own mozz--tho the quality varies. There's great rice balls at joe's perette on smith street and a nice little park with playgrounds for the kid. Would be a nice day outing. Do a seach on the board for more carroll gardens recs.

I realize that is probably more info than you need.

Enjoy your visit!

[sjjn]

Franny's definitely and Flatbush Farm

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Flatbush Farm
76 Saint Marks Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

[Bob Martinez]

Aliseo would work. Well made Italian served at reasonable prices. Nice atmosphere too.

http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/...

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Aliseo
665 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

[jen kalb]

I agree re Aliseo - the quirky owner from the Marche is still doing a good job creating a relaxed atmosphere and the cooking and the wines are still very tasty.

Amorina, with the same owner is also good for individual pizzas, pasta dishes and salad, on the other side of the street. Food tastes very good, the price is right, and it is a great family place.

Both have a typically italian, as opposed to italian american flavor.

Joyce's Bakery has very good, tho pricy pastries and coffee and the Milk Bar also has very good coffee and some light dishes I have not sampled.

All of the above are on Vanderbilt and are popular with families and young folks in the area, including from the International school nearby.

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Joyce Bakeshop
646 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Amorina
624 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Milk Bar
620 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

[samanh]

thanks
will try these out and report back

[jen kalb]

Other pleces in your orbit -
Geido, nice family friendly Japanese, Flatbush Ave between Park Pl and Prospect, Pros Hts side
Christies Jamaican Patties (with other Jamaican food) - flatbush near Sterling Place, Pros Hts side - patties, jamaican breads and cooked dishes
Little Miss Muffins (????) - a lower end bake shop on Park Pl. just off Carlton (some CH have recommended, Ive never tried)
Franny's - flatbush between Prospect and St. Marks - Stylish high end Pizza/locavore place seriously good food at higher price/smaller portions
There is a Guadeloupe/French place on 6th Ave thats been written up here - havent tried
James at Carlton and St. Marks Ave - upscale modern ingredient driven cuisine, can be quiet or buzzy depending on when you hit it - I see familes in there
then there's Park Slope...
farther down the Vanderbilt hill, near Bergen Dean are an Italian place Cafarros and a crepe shop - I havent tried the first and the second didnt thrill me.

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Geido
331 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

[samanh]

Thank you so much..Is Marche the same as Le Petite Marche?

[jen kalb]

the crepe place on Vanderbilt is Le Gamin - it has a nice shady garden but is fairly generic.

Here is the website for the Guadeloupe restaurant I mentioned Kaz An Nou http://kazannou.com/aboutus.html.

there is also a cheerful, tasty and fairly priced Cuban place at Sixth Ave and St. Marks Ave.

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Le Gamin
556 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Kaz An Nou
53 6th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

[buttertart]

Excuse me while I go kill myself for having left this neighborhood. ;-)

[jen kalb]

where did you finally land?

[buttertart]

Rutherford. I love the new place, it's very convenient, and the restaurants are quite decent, but PH is PH...I think I need to take a break from the Outer Boroughs board for a while!

[missmasala]

Where is Rutherford? Is that New Jersey?

[buttertart]

Yes - 8 mi nw of Manhattan. Very easy commuting distance and nice properties.

[Juanita]

Are you serious about the Cuban place... Cubana Café? Because I've been to the restaurant of the same name on Smith St. and it's awful & not even Cuban. I want to believe there is actual Cuban food in my neighborhood but I'm highly skeptical about this place.

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Cubana Cafe
272 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

[jen kalb]

The place on 6th offers quite a good Cuban sandwich - ample in size. the pork is juicy and well seasoned and the sandwich has the ingredients it should have. My adult kids have enjoyed some of their salads and other offerings. Am I prepared to say it is a "real" cuban restaurant - no., thats rare on the ground these days in NY. I wouldnt suggest someone yearning for the real thing rush over here. But it is tasty fresh food and good value in the neighborhood.