Favorite Local Restaurants

My friend Tracey (http://morethanaminivanmom.blogspot.com) "tagged" me to list my top 5 favorite local restaurants.

Here are the rules:

1. Link to name of person that tagged you.
2. Include state and country you live in.
3. List top 5 favorite local restaurants.
4. Tag 5 other people and let them know they’ve been tagged.

Hopefully, no one is disappointed that I am not tagging five more people. But I find it necessary to break some rules, some of the time, to prove (to myself) that I am not a conformist. Or, because I don't have five friends who keep ACTIVE blogs. And, really, I am just want to redeem myself with the blog by putting something up...and maybe it will start a chain. Maybe I will blog a couple more times even after this....Anyway, back to my favorite restaurants. These are in no particular order.

Brooklyn, NY USA

1. Apartment 138. (Boerum Hill, Brooklyn) When Derek and I first moved back to NYC from California, we sub-leased a small apartment in Brooklyn Heights for six weeks (and then month-to-month after that). How we got so lucky to find someone that needed to sublease their aparment for 6 weeks, and then have the option to go month to month after that, was miraculous. MIRACULOUS. But somehow, on Craig's List, miracles happen. We got to NY from our cross country drive around July 10th or something like that, and I had to take the New York Bar exam on July 24th or something like that. Two weeks. I had off work. All of our stuff was being moved across country and then in storage until we closed on our condo. We had an air mattress and two bowls and two spoons. And a pot that we never used. Derek bought me a chair and a folding table after we realized that studying on the air mattress just wasn't cutting it. Every night, we would walk to Smith Street to go to dinner. Despite saying we would try a new place every night, we always went to Apartment 138. And we'd order a pitcher of Sangria along with our meal. And every night, Derek would have 1 glass, and I would have the rest of the pitcher. Because all I had to do the next day was, you know, study for the bar. Which I would do for about 2 hours, get restless and bored and then take the dogs to the dog park, and then take a nap with one of my books laid on top of my chest (b/c I have always believed in osmosis and the power of sleep), and then wait for Derek to get home so we could walk to Smith Street and eat at Apartment 138. And drink the Sangria. (By the way, excellent food, excellent salads, excellent turkey meatloaf, they serve bread in cute little miniature tin buckets with really tastey olive oil to dip it in, and have excellent desserts, and a cute outdoor patio).

2. Mango Thai. (Park Slope, Brooklyn) Everyone that works at Mango Thai (on Seventh Avenue in Park Slope) is nice. Everyone. The food is really good (I prefer it to most Thai places). The deco is simple but nice. They also deliver - with a very broad delivery map - and every delivery man from Mango LOVES our dogs. They don't get scared when two big dogs greet them at the door. They pet them, always after they hand us our food. They smile. (This is not exactly common for NY delivery people). And the Chicken Pad Thai is always delicious.

3. Chavella's. (Prospect Heights, Brooklyn) One half block from my house. Brand new (it has been opened for about 3 months). Small space -- only seats about 20 people, very tightly. Did amazing deco work both inside and out. AUTHENTIC Mexican food. As in AUTHENTIC. As in you have to go deep into Mexico to have this kind of food. And so fresh. It is worth every penny - and it isn't too many pennies. We just wrote a letter in support of Chavella's getting its liquor license.

4. Franny's. (Park Slope/Prospect Heights, Brooklyn) Some may think it is overrated and overpriced. I don't. On the menu -- creative appetizers and personal pizzas. They cure their own meats (I've never had such good sausage). They make their own gelato (one if the flavor of milk -- which tastes exactly like milk and is very good!). They offer good wine and interesting drinks. They, too, have a great outdoor patio. It is buzzing with conversation. It is hip. We take everyone there -- those visiting from 2 miles away in Manhattan, those visiting from 250 miles away from Boston or DC, those visiting from 2000 miles away from Colorado, and those visiting from 3000 miles away in California. Every single person has loved Franny's too. So I think the people from here who say it is overrated and overpriced have a chip on their shoulder.

5. BLT Burger. (Greenwich Village, Manhattan). I could have listed another restaurant walking distance from our house (which could be in any number of neighborhoods). And, technically, BLT Burger is. It is only about 3 miles from us. But we never walk there. We first went in search of a good milkshake when some of our closest friends were visiting from DC. We read about it, passed it, and felt it our destiny to try it. Not only do they have great milkshakes, but great burgers too. Including Kobi beef (American or Japanese), or turkey burgers, or salads. And I am a fan of burgers. So when I want one, I go there. And yes, I feel guilty because I am reminded that I really should be a vegetarian. I see pictures of the cows and farms, and I feel guilty. And usually I like to AVOID things that make me feel guilty. But this is worth it. It is good.

And those, my friends, are some restaurants worth visting! No doubt that if those of you from far away (whether over the bridge or across the country) come visit, we will take you to at least 4 out of 5 of these spots:)