This festival was a truly spicy event and the fires were burning despite a drizzly day. There were many chile-themed demonstrations, hot sauce tastings, fruit and vegetable carving, and spicy chocolate fudge for sale. But the big attraction throughout the day was the Chili Take-Down in the corner of the room. Tasters crammed into the area, armed with cups & spoons to slurp down samples of the five competing chilis. Host Matt Timms provided running commentary on the proceedings as the chefs chatted with the tasters and talked up their concoctions. By the end, every drop of chili had been devoured and the votes were cast.
In a very official room, the awards ceremony attracted many of the tasters to witness the 5 cheftestants receive their prizes, great and small. No losers here, just least amount of votes!
Although this was an invitation-only event, most Take-Downs are open for anyone to enter. Check out future Take-Down events hosted by Mr. Timms here. Coming soon: Fondue!
9.25.2008
9.12.2008
9.05.2008
Pequeña in Fort Greene
Pequeña is a tiny Mexican restaurant in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Like sister restaurants Olea and Maggie Brown's, and brother bar Moe, Pequeña has a real neighborhood vibe. It's located off the main drag on tree-lined South Portland Ave., just down from Lafayette. Having heard that they did a pretty awesome brunch thing, I arranged to meet a friend there on a late Saturday morning.
There are some restaurants that would be good if only the ambiance were better. Then there are some that are just fine despite harsh, florescent, overhead lighting and cracked vinyl booths - think pho joints. Then there is the magical circumstance where you are so drunk on a perfect moment that nothing can be bad and everything is, in fact, elevated by the environment in which you find yourself. It was that kind of perfection that I found myself bathing in while I waited for my friend to show up at Pequeña. Not all the credit goes to the restaurant. It had just rained and had that early morning feel of freshness, despite the sun slanting through the trees overhead.
When I walked in, I was surprised to find it mostly empty, with just a few couples and singles around the cozy room. I had expected to wait for a table - the place only seats about twenty or so. But everything was peaceful and calm, so I sat at the wide open window bar and waited for my friend. I ordered an Americano - a risk in nyc - but it was perfect and looked beautiful:
Ahh.... coffee and a crossword puzzle.
The menu is a blur to me, because everything looked good so I just picked the first thing that didn't seem too heavy. Basically, it was a scramble with chiles and onions, a side of black beans and 3 corn tortillas. The beans were deliciously salty, the eggs hot from the pan and nicely fluffy, and the tortillas were warm and folded just so on the plate.
My friend ordered an all-in-one sort of dish. Fried eggs on top of sweet plantains topped with cotija cheese, cilantro and salsa.
I've always thought the prices at Pequeña were too high for tacos and burritos, but their brunch is downright bargain-licious. (Yeah, I said that.) Our bill for two breakfasts, an americano and a coffee including a 20% tip was under $20! Also, the server was friendly, heavy-handed with the coffee refills and had the most beautiful, i-could-drown-in-there blue-green eyes.
Pequeña
86 South Portland Avenue @ Lafayette
718-643-0000
www.pequenarestaurant.com
As a bonus: the Fort Greene farmer's market is just blocks away. I found amazing mixed greens, more heirloom tomatoes, and the best beef tenderloin I've ever had. (Ok, so it was probably the first time I've ever had it, but I made it myself on the grill with salt, pepper and love. It's grass-fed, hormone and antibiotic-free and you get to buy it from the farmer who actually raises the beef!)
There are some restaurants that would be good if only the ambiance were better. Then there are some that are just fine despite harsh, florescent, overhead lighting and cracked vinyl booths - think pho joints. Then there is the magical circumstance where you are so drunk on a perfect moment that nothing can be bad and everything is, in fact, elevated by the environment in which you find yourself. It was that kind of perfection that I found myself bathing in while I waited for my friend to show up at Pequeña. Not all the credit goes to the restaurant. It had just rained and had that early morning feel of freshness, despite the sun slanting through the trees overhead.
When I walked in, I was surprised to find it mostly empty, with just a few couples and singles around the cozy room. I had expected to wait for a table - the place only seats about twenty or so. But everything was peaceful and calm, so I sat at the wide open window bar and waited for my friend. I ordered an Americano - a risk in nyc - but it was perfect and looked beautiful:
Ahh.... coffee and a crossword puzzle.
The menu is a blur to me, because everything looked good so I just picked the first thing that didn't seem too heavy. Basically, it was a scramble with chiles and onions, a side of black beans and 3 corn tortillas. The beans were deliciously salty, the eggs hot from the pan and nicely fluffy, and the tortillas were warm and folded just so on the plate.
My friend ordered an all-in-one sort of dish. Fried eggs on top of sweet plantains topped with cotija cheese, cilantro and salsa.
I've always thought the prices at Pequeña were too high for tacos and burritos, but their brunch is downright bargain-licious. (Yeah, I said that.) Our bill for two breakfasts, an americano and a coffee including a 20% tip was under $20! Also, the server was friendly, heavy-handed with the coffee refills and had the most beautiful, i-could-drown-in-there blue-green eyes.
Pequeña
86 South Portland Avenue @ Lafayette
718-643-0000
www.pequenarestaurant.com
As a bonus: the Fort Greene farmer's market is just blocks away. I found amazing mixed greens, more heirloom tomatoes, and the best beef tenderloin I've ever had. (Ok, so it was probably the first time I've ever had it, but I made it myself on the grill with salt, pepper and love. It's grass-fed, hormone and antibiotic-free and you get to buy it from the farmer who actually raises the beef!)
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