Let's give 'em something to talk about

Adventures in Red Hook, a trip to Provence in West Village and Brooklyn Heights bakery runs. Plus, not-boring NA options and birthday dinner ideas.

Feb 21, 2025

After my sister and I read The Guest by Emma Cline, we had a lot of Thoughts. It definitely wasn’t our new favorite book ever, but we both had this inexplicable urge to spend a long time talking about it. We realized, after long-winded impassioned ramblings, that to some extent it wasn’t just about whether we liked it or not; there was merit in the fact it made us think.

There are plenty of restaurants I encounter that I do not wholeheartedly love, but I make note of the ones that stick with me because they got me thinking, or they expanded the aperture of my culinary knowledge, or they captured my attention with something unique. This week, I was told to put buttery escargot on a leaf dusted with ranch (ranch!). I also learned about and tasted a dish called Pissaladière, straight out of Provence. I didn’t love it all, but it made me want to talk about it. Read on!

Dispatches from the Corner Booth

Tales from a week of dining.

A joyful mess of a meal in the heart of Red Hook, followed by rum-fueled mini golf.

An IKEA return brought me to Red Hook on a Sunday night and gave me the perfect opportunity to try Pitt’s, the new eccentric yet charming restaurant from Jeremy Salamon of Agi’s Counter glory. Stepping through the door, I found myself warmly greeted by a bucolic crew consisting of a chef rooster, a glowing duck, an oil painted pig and a ceramic cow. To my right, I clocked cozy diners dipping fried saltines into towering cups of pimento cheese underneath ornate Tiffany lamps. What a vibe.

The pleasantly helpful bartender curated our entire order, from a Pink Tuxedo cocktail special to an array of that-sounds-weird-but-let’s-do-it dishes (read: a cold meatloaf tea sandwich, escargot in green goddess butter with ranch dusted leaves). A giant slab of pork chop arrived next, sitting in a pool of liquid gold “Pitt’s Sauce.” After, two tiny coupes of complimentary bubbles appeared while we waited for the grand finale: a stunning pancake soufflé, cut open in front of me, that melted in my mouth and wrapped me in a sweet syrupy hug. All in all, this parade of weirdness made me really happy, both in its superb execution and its utter uniqueness. “A Joyful Mess,” as the menu pronounces, indeed it is.

Post-dinner, we spontaneously biked over to Shipwrecked. The bleak entrance and elevator bank felt like I was entering the severed floor. This place is super strange, but I had a fantastic time sipping my build-a-bucket made of rum, frozen piña colada, blue curaçao, candy worms and a rubber duck while playing a round of mini golf.

A trip to the rustic countryside of Provence on a charming corner in West Village.

I think Zimmi’s is good, really good, but maybe just not good for me. I have no doubt that chef Maxime Pradié is wielding a wand of Provençal greatness on this quaint corner in West Village. Think, dishes featuring briny anchovies, tangy dijon mustard, rich foie gras, velvety chicken liver. I wish I was the type of girl who was immediately a moth to the flame of these flavors, but I fear I am not. That said, I found them thoroughly interesting to try, first the savory pissaladière tart (caramelized onions, anchovies, olives) and then the zippy poireaux vinaigrette (poached leeks, eggs, dijon mustard). I can’t say these strong flavors will be unanimous hits on the table, but they’ll give you something to talk about.

My fettuccine with pesto genovese and beans was comforting in its warmth and delicious in its simplicity. The three scoops of vanilla ice cream, enhanced by the boozy punch of a surprise glass of Il Mallo Nocino Liqueur, was steeped so deeply in vanilla I felt like I was eating a candle (I think I mean this positively). The service from start to finish also felt extremely endearing, often checking in to ask how I was doing or bidding me adieu with an earnest best wishes. And the snug space, with gingham cloths on the tables and Loewe Oregano hand soap in the bathrooms, was very chic.

A rainy morning grabbing treats from two of the finest Brooklyn Heights bakeries.

Can this winter be any colder, wetter and windier? I embarked on a joy finding mission on a rainy Sunday morning through Brooklyn Heights, beelining to a rare line-free L'Appartement 4F for flaky croissants and then Poppy’s for my favorite clementine coriander buns. I ate them all back at home, while devouring the latest book I’m reading, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.

A post-Paddington natural wine bar debrief in LES.

Two things to know about me, I’m a longstanding die-hard Regal Unlimited member, and I think the Paddington movies are some of the greatest pieces of cinema of all time. So imagine how happy I was to spend Friday night at Regal Essex Crossing seeing the new Paddington in Peru on its premiere date. I laughed, I cried, I loved every single second of this joyride of a movie. Wiping my tears, we then skipped over to the often easy-to-get-into Skin Contact to debrief. We enjoyed glasses of Kabaj Sivit Pinot and Pierre Bonhomme Le TelQuel. The bartender was taken aback by our overly friendly disposition; must be the Paddington effect, no less.

Bathroom Mirror Selfie

Design inspiration from restaurants.

I think I almost spent more time this week obsessively scouring Etsy, eBay and Chairish for vintage ceramic bunnies than I did writing this actual newsletter. Inspired by the whimsical veggie and animal-filled world at Pitt’s, designed by Sydney Moss, I loved living out my pastoral, campy dreams this week. All the finds can be found here.

Yes, they do actually have this Horse toilet paper holder mounted in the bathroom. In the other, a bear.
I learned what a vinegar valentine is from the walls of Pitt’s. I fell down an Etsy rabbit hole finding more: The Butcher, The Baker, Newly Rich, Bar Room.
How many vegetable serving platters is too many? I want this one and this one and this one and this one and this one.
Everyone is burning the Keap Wild Figs candle. Light it up with this rooster matchbox from The Archivist to stay in theme.
Outside the bathroom hangs baskets and cutting boards. I like this Zara Home bird rattan basket or this vintage one.
Wallpaper perfection has been achieved here, with Morris & Co. Bird & Pomegranate in the bathroom and the Maison Flaneur Wisteria Carrot in the bar room.
All the vintage rooster plates I found here, here, and here.
Why doesn’t my kitchen have more vintage ceramics like this vintage radish storage jar or this bunny planter?
A French-feeling white and gold soap dispenser.

The Reservation Desk

Curated suggestions for your dining dilemmas.

Dilemma #1: A fun date restaurant that happens to have interesting mocktail/NA options?? Get a little dolled up and go to the art-filled Clemente Bar, either for their tasting menu in The Studio or snacks in The Lounge. When I went, I was struck by how enticing their zero proof cocktails sounded, such as the “Apium Elixer” or “Proxy Fizz,” both made with Seedlip spirits. For alternative mini itineraries, try the “Green Apple & Sorrel” at Overstory before a dinner at Crown Shy, or explore the entire “On Dry Land” section from Sunken Harbor Club before a dinner at Gage & Tollner. If we get a warmer day soon, the Dante N/A Italian Spritz or the San Sabino Falso Spritz also sound nice.

Dilemma #2: 6 guests (3 couples), 30th birthday dinner for guy friend, downtown, guests coming off the L. Made a bit of a game of this one, going stop-by-stop and thinking of options that hug as close to the L line as possible, below 14th St. Off the 1st Av stop, enjoy sustainable sushi at the trendy Rosella. Off the 3rd Av stop, try some of my favorite Thai food in the city at Soothr. Off Union Square, get your Italian fix at Leon’s. Off 6th Av, explore vibrant Southern Indian cuisine at Semma; Foodie Habibi also brought to my attention last night that the vibes at Cecchi’s were great. Off 8th Av, have some fun in the big U-shaped booths at the energetic Bangkok Supper Club or split skewers and noods at the lively Sappe. Happy Birthday!

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