My sister and I get together a few times a year to have a few drinks and do some walking and eating in Brooklyn. Saturday we did a 40 block stretch of Avenue U. It was a trip across several universes.
First stop was Jay & Lloyds Kosher Deli at 2718 Avenue U. This has a 1950’s era ambiance (with lots of 1950’s era customers too). I had two of their own hot dogs. They had a fairly good beefy flavor but at $2.75 each I think they were overpriced. I’d guess they were 8 to a Lb. size. We each had a Knish which I thought was only average. I got a pastrami sandwich to go. I had that today and it was the best of the 3 items I ate. I’m really disappointed that I could not give this place a better rating. Very nice people, and there just aren’t many places like this around anymore.
About 5 blocks further east we did a nice walk at the Salt Marsh Alliance refuge. It’s peaceful 2 mile circular walking path thru the marshes by the water. Except for a few apartment buildings visible in the distance it’s hard to believe you are in Brooklyn. And right off Avenue U and East 33rd Street.
http://saltmarshalliance.org/ Now it was time to start heading back west on U. After the Jewish neighborhood in the East 20’s one passes thru another Brooklyn Chinatown. We did not make a stop here, but there seems to be several places to try. Chinese food in Brooklyn is hit or miss. I did not want to take a chance and wind up with a miss, so we just drove thru and looked around.
Next stops were in the Italian stretch of Avenue U at what I call “The Joe’s”. First there is Joe’s of Avenue U, which is a foccaceria with many Italian Specialties. They are noted for their Rice Balls. We each had one. Here’s a link to a picture and a menu:
http://www.bridgeandtunnelclub.com/bigmap/brooklyn/menus/joes.htm Just a block or so further west is Joe’s Bar & Grill, at 257 Avenue U. A step-back-in-time hangout for Brooklyn’s Italian American Senior Citizens. One of the few remaining places where one can order the Sicilian specialty called Vestedda. Yep, calves spleen. We both had been in here before, (no, we didn’t sample), so we decided to skip it this time around. But it would be a must stop at least once. Lots of local color.
Time for an early dinner (Hot Dogs, Knishes, and Rice balls notwithstanding). Our dinner stop was Fiorentino’s, thanks to Roadfood. My sister and I have a combined over 90 years of living in Brooklyn ( I lived there until I was 35, my sister still) and we are both ½ Italian American from a big extended family, and neither of us had ever heard of this place until it appeared as a Roadfood Restaurant of the day a while back. A very comfortable, somewhat upscale, but very friendly place indeed. And the food and service was great. I had Chicken Fiorentino (Pictured in the review) and my sister had a chicken and sausage dish (I forget what it was called). Tons of food and each of these entrées was only $12.50. With a bottle of wine, one appetizer and one dessert and one Espresso with Anisette, the entire bill came to only about $60. We had plenty of food left over to take home.
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=4419 Still not done, we took an after dinner walk all the way across the street to Eagle Cheese. An oldschool salumeria where I bought some fresh mozzarella and a box of homemade fresh manicotti (“monnigut” to the natives) for Sunday’s dinner. It was maybe the best I’ve ever had!
What a great day on Avenue U. And there’s still about 40 blocks of Avenue U heading further east that we did not get to. Maybe next time.
PS: We did this mostly by car, but one could easily start out at the Salt Marsh and walk all the way to Fiorentino’s (about 40 blocks = 2 miles) and then take the Avenue U bus back to the starting point.
