Eating Our Way Through Fort Greene

Maya and I were greeted at the door by a sign encouraging us to bring our own wine (the restaurant had recently opened and was still in the process of obtaining their liquor license), so we detoured to The Greene Grape, a wine store conveniently located just steps away. We asked the Greene Grape staff to recommend a wine appropriate for a meal at Veliis, and they smiled and enthusiastically suggested a medium-bodied Argentinean Malbec called Altos Las Hormigas. Of course, that meant nothing to us, but we were in no mood to refuse such a friendly recommendation.

Bottle in hand, we returned to the restaurant and Maya remarked that it smelled like a very good dinner party. I’m not entirely sure what she meant by this comment, but I liked the thought, and indeed, the restaurant staff treated us like familiar guests. Spotting the wine, our waitress brought over two glasses and a bottle-opener and skillfully uncorked and poured the wine while reciting the evening’s specials. After some discussion we agreed upon the following:

• Scallops ($6.50): We chose this as an appetizer and were served five small scallops drizzled with vinaigrette on a bed of greens. I found the Scallops a little underdone, but Maya preferred the term "tender."
• Antipasto Plate ($6.00) and Home Fries ($4.00): I had some vegetarian struggles with the menu, so I ordered these two sides as an entree. The stacks of grilled portabella mushroom and roasted red peppers of the Antipasti Plate were very good, but I found the large slice of eggplant overwhelming and the sprig of decorative rosemary ostentatious. Also, the home fries were a bit greasy.
• Skate ($12.50): Maya chose this very reasonably-priced fish and mashed potato pairing and later complimented the dish’s sophistication. It was, she says, "breaded but not greasy, delicate but not bland, and very impressively presented."
• Chocolate Cake with Blueberries ($5.00) This thick slice of cake topped with chocolate whip cream and blueberry sauce was undoubtedly the highlight of the meal. A classic chocolate cake with gourmet touches, the dessert alternately reminded us of a Hostess cupcake and a French soufflé, and, as such, might have been enjoyed equally as well with a tall glass of milk or a strong espresso. That said, it went just fine with an Argentinean red too.

Overall, we found the restaurant to be warm and inviting and were impressed by the high ceiling and particularly grand pot rack hanging above the open kitchen. Moreover, we found Veliis surprisingly uncrowded and relaxed for a Friday evening and the service quite good.

Ack! One last important note: Veliis accepts cash only.

Maya and I were inspired to try this new addition to Fort Greene's collection of French restaurants after learning that our upstairs neighbor had recently joined their kitchen staff.

We walked into Ici on a Saturday night and found the dining room completely empty—a discouraging start to the evening until we discovered that everyone was sitting out back. In Brooklyn one rarely has the opportunity to enjoy a quiet, summer meal in the company of fireflies, and the novelty of the experience showed in the serene looks of the patrons. More than half of these patrons spoke French, and our waitress confirmed that Ici had quickly become a favorite meeting place for Fort Greene's misplaced Gauls.

The patio was artfully lit by candles and bare bulbs and enclosed by a white picket fence, with fixtures like flower pots and candle holders appearing to have arrived straight from a Crate and Barrel catalog. Ici's menu offered a fairly limited number of choices, but from these Maya and I had no problem selecting the following.

• Arugula, Mushrooms, Fennel, and Grana Padana Salad ($7): Last winter a friend introduced me to the surprising combination of shaved parmesan cheese and fennel, so I was excited to try this salad, but disappointed to find the refreshing taste of fennel masked by an overabundance of bitter greens.
• Young Spinach & Feta Cheese Tart ($6): Served with a small side of greens, this small appetizer was well-prepared and distinguished by a buttery, flaky crust.
• Spaghetti with Lemon Asparagus and Ricotta) ($12): I plan to make a return trip to Ici for the sole purpose of again enjoying this entrée. The spaghetti tasted especially fresh, and the crunchy, zesty asparagus perfectly balanced the creaminess of the Ricotta.
• Fish of the Day ($17): Maya was not overly impressed with the baked cod, reporting that the fish was a bit bland and the accompanying spicy red sauce unremarkable.

Ici offered several bottles of wine, but only two reds by the glass. We decided to sample both, and actually preferred the less expensive of the two, a 2002 St. Chinian Rimbert ($6).

After the meal we considered dessert, but nothing appearing on either the menu or other diners’ plates interested us, so we decided to pick up some chocolate during the walk home. On the way out, we paused again in the still-empty dining room, this time to admire the whitewashed bricks and baskets of lemons. The dining room seemed just as well put-together and inviting as the patio, and we look forward to enjoying future meals at Ici both indoors and outdoors throughout the year.

A final note: Ici also serves lunch and breakfast.

It's seldom that I would begin an IgoUgo review by urging readers to avoid a restaurant at all costs, but Gia is not your typical bad restaurant. Most bad meals are easily forgotten with a resigned shrug of "lesson learned," but my bitterness towards Gia only grows. Please forgive me then if I abuse both Gia's reputation and the reader's goodwill by seeking catharsis with this review. So apologies aside, I might as well say it. Gia is two pounds of shit stuffed in a one-pound sack.

If only because of its small portions, minimalist décor, and glass façade, Gia has staked a claim as Fort Greene's "special occasion" restaurant. For this reason, I recently took Maya there for her birthday, and almost without exception, we enjoyed the food. Moreover, we were seated in front of an impressive, second-floor plate glass window and watched a romantic downpour gracefully wash over Lafayette Street. That said, the attention to detail and service at Gia sucked.

No matter where you dine, a trip to the restroom shouldn't require drying your hands with tissues. And even if a restaurant is "fancy," never is a single dinner roll wordlessly offered from silver tray preferable to a simple basket of bread. Such laconic service seemed to extend throughout Gia's staff and hit its curtest peak when our waitress explained a special we didn't recognize as simply "fish." Sadly, the only time the staff really spoke to us at all was when we were committing an error—once when Maya pulled her chair over to share a bowl of soup and again when they caught us still finishing our drinks five minutes before closing.

I should probably say something more about the food:

• Red Beet Soup ($7.00): Another example of ostentatious serving—the waiter first dropped a dollop of crème fraîche and pickled red onion in an oversized bowl and then poured the soup from a silver teapot. I would have preferred less display and more taste.
• Watercress Salad ($7.00): This was very good—a fun mix of poached pear, crunchy candied walnuts, blue cheese, and honey-Dijon vinaigrette.
• Sea Scallops ($9.00): The fact that only two scallops comprise this dish says it all.
• Skate Fish ($22.00): Maya enjoyed this fish served with crunchy bits of candied lemon, a well-balanced carrot salad, and butter sauce.
• Chocolate Mousse Cake ($8.00): No complaints about this well-presented cake topped by blueberries, raspberry sauce, and a flowered strawberry.
• Strawberry Bavarian Cake ($7.00): The strawberry flavor of this dessert tasted strangely artificial.

We ate all of the above with a 2000 Giesen Pinot Noir ($76) which, in truth, had much to recommend it.

Despite all my complaints, I can't claim that I walked out of Gia unhappy. My mood, however, had everything to do with the company on my arm. You see, even the worst meals are enjoyable with the right company. Happy birthday, baby.

I imagine one of the hardest parts of opening a new bar or restaurant is naming it, and perhaps that's why so many these days opt to assume the name of the space's former tenant. Or, more probably, it's simply the hip thing to do—Williamsburg, for example, is home to both Pete's Candy Store and Union Pool (formerly A-1 Pool and Pest Supply). Anyway, Fort Greene has it own restaurant named after a former tenant, Liquors, and Maya and I recently gave it a try. I'll leave it to the reader to guess the previous tenant.

I should add that a major reason we tried Liquors was an IgoUgo reviewer that described the restaurant's patio as her "favorite in Brooklyn." As patio fans ourselves, we arrived at Liquors and determined that she was indeed on the right track. Despite the remarkably unseasonable coolness of the August night, we found ourselves too cheered by the bright, big-bulbed Christmas lights strung across the patio to consider relocating inside.

The service at Liquors was very friendly. At one point our waiter overheard us discuss the weather and politely asked if he could add his two cents. (He too felt it was rather cold.) Throughout the night we were served by a variety of people, all of whom made us feel relaxed and comfortable. It's a good thing too, because the food, though certainly well-intended, consistently disappointed. I think the major problem is that the chefs simply overshot when it came presentation—for the most part, Liquors serves southern soul food, and it's a little strange to see such friendly food served in such an aloof manner.

We ordered the following:

• Roasted Beet Salad ($6.75): Served with crumbled Roquefort cheese and plantains chips, this interesting combination of tastes was marred by what seemed like canned beets.
• Coconut Curry Mussels ($8.00): The mussels could have been cleaned a bit better as we encountered several sandy bites, but the broth was very good.
• Corn Crusted Catfish ($14.50): This was the first piece of fish I'd tried in years, and well, it will probably be the last. It was served with collared greens, a large corn muffin, and an overly flamboyant drizzle of remoulade sauce.
• Fish of the Day ($15.00): Maya enjoyed this fairly rare piece of Salmon, though like the beets, the wilted greens served with the dish also tasted canned.
• Choco Paradise ($6.00): This was very good chocolate soufflé. It took a full half hour to arrive on the table, but we were in no hurry and took this as a sign of fresh preparation.

Liquors was out of our first choice of wine, so we enjoyed all of the above with a Cudgee Creek Shiraz ($27.00). In sum, the dinner wasn't cheap, and it wasn't particularly good, but somehow it was one of our better dining experiences of the summer. All credit goes to the staff with whom I'd much rather share a drink than a meal.