VittlesVamp

Astoria's Culinary Tourist Trap Is Shuttered

Uncle George's has long been the Astoria "it" destination for Fodor's-lugging gyro and souvlaki loving tourists.

The food was greasy. The help was greasier. And, now it looks like all that grease from Greece - and goodness knows what else - has finally caught up with the joint. Signs on the darkened windows declare that the restaurant is under renovation, but it is the sign from the Department of Health that tells the true story. As of late last month, they took down Uncle George and any nieces or nephews that remained.

(Photo credit: Eating In Translation)

Pizza Pie -- Hold The Line

After some serious taste testing at the likes of Veloce, Sac's Place and Motorino in the search for pie perfection, I figured it was time to brave the blocks-long line of tourists at the Zagat-beloved, coal brick-oven, Brooklyn pizzeria Grimaldi's.

Actually, I decided to bypass the tourists. I'm a New Yorker. No time for standing on lines. So, instead of standing on Old Fulton for a hour or two to claim my 'za, I went on a Tuesday evening. Late evening. 15 minutes before the place closes.

The reward?

No line. Speedy service. And, most importantly, the beautiful, expertly-crafted specimen pictured above, topped with a zesty blanket of bright Tomato Sauce, a generous portion of oozing Mozzarella, slivers of sweet Roasted Red Peppers and leaves of fragrant, fresh Basil. Bellisima.

Still, I can't decide if I have a real fave though among all my recent pizza stops. When I'm honest with myself, I have to admit that I might just have to try them all again to make a judgment call. Moreover, I'll probably need to also stop by Lombardi's, Artichoke Basille's, Co. and travel to L&B Spumoni's for good measure, before a final verdict can be had from the Vamp.

Anyone want to join me?

The Motorino City

Before the Motornio hoopla hit about its new Manhattan branch, I had my eye on the Williamsburg pizzeria.

Now, it was time to hit it up. Viva la Brooklyn!

With my pal Jennifer and her red-headed two-year-old tot in tow, we nabbed an early dinner table and decided to be daring. No typical 'za here. Oh, no. We ordered up a pie topped with oozing, smoky Scarmoza cheese, meaty chunks of salty Pancetta bacon, slivers of slightly sweet Butternut Squash and fragrant, flash-fried Sage Leaves.

Jenn convinced her tyke that the squash was just like a melon and suddenly he was chowing down like the two of us.

For once, something that lives up to the hype. Viva la Motorino!

Rumor Alert: Hecho En Dumbo To Leave Brooklyn

There has already been buzz about the team behind Hecho en Dumbo securing a license for a new Mexican hot spot at 354 Bowery on the site of the former Marion's Continental. But now, it seems that the Hecho team is dumping DUMBO outright for its new location come November, throwing a a bye-bye bash to Brooklyn on October 31st before they go full tilt in Manhattan.

For Brooklynites, this Halloween party sure to feel more like a trick than a treat.

Tony Soprano's Favorite 'Za

How could I resist the chance to enjoy a pie from The Soprano's cast and crew's favorite Italian spot? I couldn't. So, when visiting Astoria the other day, I bypassed the traditional Greek meze joints and joined a pal at Sac's Place for a deeply satisfying coal-oven pizza that was lightly charred, crisp, thin and topped with a zesty tomato sauce, oozing mozzarella and a trio of toppings that included sweet roasted peppers, crumbled meatballs and slices of portobello mushroom cooked in garlic and white wine.

Unsurprisingly, the slice pictured above wasn't the only one I ate.

A Taco Tour of Sunset Park

I'd long wanted to explore everything that Sunset Park had to offer by way of grub. As loyal readers may know, I've already hit up one of its two international culinary enclaves -- King's County Chinatown. Nevertheless, dim sum and fresh lychees aside, I had been remiss in checking out Sunset Park's other cultural claim to fame -- "Brooklyn's Little Latin America," blending Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico into a vibrant nabe all its own.

After years of Cal-Mex and Tex-Mex at Benny's Burritos and alike, I had a yearning for the real deal when it came to Latino fare. And, luckily, I finally found an intrepid foodie friend to join me in this adventure, a fine gent named Kyle, who came equipped with a handsome murse and -- more importantly -- comfortable shoes and taste-buds ready for anything.

Still, I had to wonder if the murse was a dead giveaway that we weren't "from these parts," as we stumbled into our first stop, the down-to-earth and hipster-free Tulcingo Deli VI. Entering the sparse, fluorescent lit dining room, we drew more than a few stares. But, thankfully, it soon subsided once we settled into a table, ordered a couple of Coronas and shared an Arabes Taco (pictured above), filled with lightly charred lamb, topped with chopped onion and bits of cilantro, and slathered with a tongue-tingling sauce.

Muy buen! But no matter how intriguing the rest of the menuor the Telenovela on the tube, we had to keep moving.

A few blocks down, we hit the more upscale Tacos Matamoros, where "grande" Chorizo and Pastor Tacos were ordered. The pair arrived, folded cone-style, hand-packed with buttery Guacamole to off-set the spicy sausage and marinated pork.

To compliment both, we raised glasses filled with Jarritos Toronja, offering bubbly relief from the tacos' peppery heat and a snappy, citrus kick of grapefruit to boot.

Our next destination was right across the street. There was no excuse not to keep forging ahead. So, la cuenta was paid and we journeyed to the other side of 5th Avenue to Tacos Xochimilco.

As soon as we walked into the restaurant, though, Kyle and I were taken aback.

Something was wrong. Something was very wrong -- very, very wrong and located smack dab the center of all the dining room tables.

Cabeza Tacos? I WISH! No. Unfortunately, it was this...

Honestly, I didn't know if I could go through with taking a seat beside a vase of these sky-blue faux-blooms. But the waitress' warm welcome and the fact that actually DID have a Cabeza Taco on the menu convinced me otherwise.

My hope for exotic meat-parts notwithstanding, Kyle urged me against Cabeza and eventually we settled on a pairing of Carnitas and Lengua Tacos. The latter was luscious, moist and magnificent.

The former was fine too and the overall experience encouraged us to be a bit brave and try a "pequeno" Barbacoa Taco -- a.k.a. a tiny Goat Taco, which ended up being more than a bit too forceful in its sure-footed goatiness...

For a finale, we decided to aim for a "T" alternative to the Taco and venture to the 24-hour fave Bakery La Flor, a well-worn bakery and coffee shop that is known for its massive Mexican Torta sandwiches.

The Chorizo and Eggs version, graced with slices of Jalapeno Peppers, stewed Red Beans, slivers of Tomato, lettuce, onions and more, didn't disappoint on the size scale (below is a snapshot of HALF of one of these gargantuan beauties), but admittedly it didn't live up to the tasty Taco options of the evening.

So, to take the edge off of our sorrow -- cause we certainly didn't need an edge taken off of our appetites -- we ordered up a classic Latin American dessert, Flan.

Dense, golden, eggy and capped with honey-sweet carmel, it only took a few gorgeous, tender bites to make us realize that this tour had come to a close.

The "N" train was calling our names. That said, we would definitely return to the nabe for more Latino delights. Or at least I would. Because, one way or another, I do plan on trying a Cabeza Taco one of these days-- and the more I think about it, some blue flowers might prove to be the perfect compliment.

Elettaria Exits

Guess my pal's birthday dinner won't be held at Elettaria after all. Just got a call from their reservationist and tonight is their last night, so tomorrow's table for four is cancelled.

Should I blow out the candles earlier than expected?

Ouch!

Chef Sara Jenkins -- The Culinary Queen Of The East Village

I remember 50 Carmine in all its rustic Italian glory, from then-chef Sara Jenkins' flavorful Paparedelle with Wild Boar Ragu to her winning Tangerine and Olive Oil Cake. It was undeniably Mediterranean comfort food taken to a new level.

Then Chef Jenkins disappeared from the scene only to reemerge with a seductive swine-focused storefront, aptly named Porchetta, that graced the East Village with Roman-style sandwiches worthy of worship.

And, just recently, she turned her attention to another restaurant, Veloce Pizza, also in the EV. The place itself is just as low-key as her other two ventures and the food is just as exquisite.

My recent dinner there started simply enough with a deceptively uncomplicated appetizer of Bruschetta with Fresh Ricotta. Pictured above, you can see that the creamy mound of soft, delicate cheese was ample and seductive. Snowy white and fluffy, topped with sprinkling of cracked pepper, a few chili pepper flakes and a drizzling of olive oil, it was slathered on toasted slabs of bread -- providing me with a low moan and wide smile.

Then there was the main event: the pizza. Dining with a vegetarian, it was still surprisingly difficult to make a choice.

Five Onion with Leeks, Scallions, Sweet Onion, Chive, Red Onion and Ricotta?

Arugula, Mozzarella, Fontina, Sweet Onion and Cherry Tomatoes?

We bypassed both -- and other veggie-friendly options as well -- and opted for the plainly named Mushroom...

Needless to say, in Chef Jenkins hands, plain is never without its abundant charms. In this case the charms came in the form of both Hen in the Woods and Oyster Mushrooms, Fresh Thyme, Mozzarella and Gran Padano Cheese. And, the crust? Superlative. It had just enough heft and vibrance to stand up to any series of ingredients.

Dessert? Of course! A small bowl of silky, sublime Panna Cotta served with Pistachios and shavings of Dark Bitter Chocolate made me moan once more. I added a glass of Prosecco, just to linger a bit a longer.

What will Chef Sara Jenkins take on next? I don't know. I don't care. I just know that I'll be there, fork at-the-ready.

Restaurant Reboot Alert: Watty & Meg's

Looks like the owners of the new Cobble Hill corner restaurant Watty & Meg's took their middling to bad reviews to heart and decided to do something about it. Word on the street is that plans are in the works for an official reboot next month.

In an effort to get the kitchen in high-gear with high-appeal fare for finicky Brooklyn foodies, scenesters and hipsters alike, they've already brought in a Bouley alum as chef with an Insieme alum at-the-ready as sous. The menu is starting to receive an overhaul accordingly, with tweaks and refining to come.

New American cuisine will still be the name of the game, but if a test-run brunch dish of Barbecued Duck Hash with Duck Egg and Cured Duck Breast is any indication, King's County customers will be lining up for tables at the "new and improved" Watty & Meg's. Heck, there might even be a Manhattanite or two in the mix.

A Sign In Brooklyn

This beauty caught my eye the other day, as I strolled down Smith Street. I hoped it was a sign of good things to come. Good juicy, tender, barbecued meat in particular.

Regrettably though, the early reviews of the sign's owner - the oddly named BBQ spot Since 1963 - have been lackluster to say the least.

Still, anyplace with the fine sense to put a sign such as this at their front door can't be all bad. I might just need to taste the place's Pulled Pork Sandwich or St. Louis-Style Pork Ribs to see for myself.