[fantasty]

I tried the Sicilian pie at L&B Spumoni Gardens yesterday. I think this pizza is all about the sauce, which had a clean, tomato flavor with maybe a hint of something porky. There was a fairly thick layer of it on top of the pie, along with a few sprinkles of grated parmesan. This made it hard to tell whether there was an actual layer of cheese anywhere. There was, melted into the soft, doughy crust. I liked the crust, which reminded me much more of frozen pizza crust (Elio's for example) than, say, the crust on DiFara's Sicilian (which, compared to L&B is, I think, a different species of genus Sicilian). The whole effect made for a simple, well-balanced, tasty slice.

I also sampled two flavors of spumoni, vanilla and pistachio. Vanilla was studded with what we thought were chopped almonds, and overall had more of an almond than vanilla flavor. The pistachio was hideous: bright, Kelly green and a taste that reminded me of Fruit Stripe gum.

I'd been told that the real appeal of this place is the scene. That aspect did not dissapoint. Track suits, gold necklaces, and rhinestone-studded sunglasses were popular with grown men. Teased, frosted hair and inch-long painted fingernails were part of the look for women. As a norm, I just don't see that everyday.

All in all, it was worth a visit. Yesterday's suggestion of spring meant outdoor seating in the garden. I can imagine that when it's warmer, the garden is an enjoyable place to pass part of an afternoon.

[Daniel]

Fast forward 5 years and the place is totally different.. Now an ultra modern, ultra hip nightclub/small bite Asian Fusion restaurant.. I kid, I kid, this place hasnt changed in the 70 years they have been opened.. In fact, I am not even sure they changed the prices..

We arrived last night at 830 to a packed house..We waited 20 minutes watching enormous plates of food roll out of the kitchen.. A 5 pound plate of fried calamari (galamad) brought to a table of Firefighters over here, a tray of square pizza for a family of 8 over there.. The food just keeps whipping out of the kitchen.. The room filled with the smells of roasted garlic, wine, and butter..

Just when we think we can no longer wait, "Daniel, Daniel, your table is ready".. With much relief, I stop chewing on my hand and walk up to the counter.. On my way up, i am casually met by the owner, Lenny..

"Hey guys, thanks for waiting so long.. Don't worry about ordering, I am gonna set you guys up"

"Set us up?" i think.. "What does set us up mean?"

Now for the past 20 minutes while we were waiting, we labored over our choices from the menu.. We had decided on what we wanted.. Miss K was ordering the lasagna, I was ordering the veal Sorento, Miss A was ordering rigatoni vodka with prosciutto, and we were going to split an order of clams and try a square slice of pizza.. Non of this frou frou Italian dining, we were going for Italian American, with Sicilian influences, classic red sauce, open for 70 years, type food..

But again, all this kind of went out the window once I hear, "don't worry, we are going to set you up"

So, with that, the waiter comes to the table.. A very pleasant looking guy with a thick accent.. He comes over and takes our menus away..

He says "don't worry, my boss says he is going to take care of you" "Does everyone at the table eat meat?"

"Yes" I say "We all eat meat, I want veal sorrento, the little one wants lasagna, and......"

"Don't worry" he interupts, "My boss is going to cook for you"

With that, he brings a bottle of red wine to the table and the food starts coming out..

A plate of pasta (Cavatappi) in a red sauce (san marzano) with potatoes, mushrooms, ham, mozzarella, and tons of basil comes out.. The pasta was good.. Especially when added with the salt from the fresh Romano they left at the table.. The potato was a little thicker than match sticked.. It was most likely poached in a deep fryer but, could have been boiled.. It had a really nice chew to it.. A very interesting dish..

As we were eating the pasta, the owner Lenny comes over.. Now at this point, i am assuming he thinks i am someone else.. i am getting kind of nervous that he is going to be disappointed when he sees that it's just us.. But, no, the guy is as sharp as he is friendly.. He comes over and puts his hand on my shoulder. He introduces himself, he jokes with Missie k, he tells us about the neighborhood, about his families restaurant.. He is honest, he is so welcoming, I immediate think something is up.. It's not, sometimes nice people are really nice people.. He is a true sweetheart.. A sweetheart that is trying to kill us with food..

So, as the pasta is sitting on the table out comes a plate of shrimp.. Half are fried, half are poached, served with house made tarter and cocktail sauce.. The poached shrimp are amazing.. Shockingly good.. They are butterflied.. They taste of some really nice poaching liquid, the cocktail sauce is amazing. The breaded and fried shrimp are done so well also.. A really great version..

With the plate of shrimp, out comes a salad.. Tons of red onion, shredded arugala, shredded romaine, lots of cheese, a really nice salad dressing.. And again, we are talking L&B portioning.. Just the amount of lettuce looked like it was some how fattening.

We are drinking our Chianti which was an 07. It was a simple table wine.. I think it was like 13 or 16 bucks on the menu..
I am thinking, ok, the storm is over.. We get might get a meat course and we are done..

Not a shot..

Lenny comes by to drop off a dozen baked clams. Breaded little necks sitting in a plate of butter and lemon wedges.. molto buono.. Miss K, still waiting for her lasagna, has eaten everything that we have put in front of her.. Especially since Lenny has come by to make sure she was eating.. This was no schtick, he was a parent, we were in his house, no one was leaving hungry.. Especially not a growing young girl..


We get the cavatappi to go, keep the salad on the table and the rest of the stuff we finished... Out of the corner of my eye, I see a dozen cops sit down for dinner..

Plates are cleared.. The waiter without asking comes by and drops off a carafe of sprite for Miss k.. Apparently, there are free refills on soda..

So, round two starts..

This is when it got over the top.. Cause, at this point we were finished. Out comes the parade of food..

A huge plate of lasagna for Miss K.. A plate of broccoli rabe in garlic, veal in a white wine sauce with potatoes and eggplant, and a huge plate of french fries with parsley and garlic.. Oh My... I am beginning to feel a little relief when I see tables of people, leaving with bags of food.. Bags of food like they went Christmas Shopping at Macy's..

The broccoli rabe was the best plate of broccoli rabe I have ever eaten.. Better than I have ever prepared, better than i have eaten out. After 70 years, your learn a thing or two about a thing or two.. This is just one of the many things they have learned..

The veal was great, the lasagna was really, really good.. We ate as much as we could and they were happy to wrap everything up for us..

Well, now its over, nothing but, coffee and maybe a Sambuca..

We order double espresso and sambuca.. Our waiter comes over with two mugs of espresso and puts down a bottle of Annisette.. No small glasses, no conversation, we just have an opened bottle of liquor on the table.. It goes nice into the coffee..

This is the only photo of the evening.. It was crazy.. This place is called Spumoni garden.. His grandfather did start out with a horse and carriage selling Spumoni.. Now, they own the block, now they have food but, before all this, they were about the Spumoni..


This thing was huge.. It would have been a lot if all they had was one of the massive scoops of Ice Cream.. Orea Ice Cream, Vanilla Ice Cream, Chocolate Ice Cream, there is a slice of mousse cake, a slice of carrot cake.. In the middle is a huge chocolate glazed ball filled with choclate ice cream, there are towers of whipped cream everywhere, there is a huge scoop of spumoni sitting in the middle on top of the chocolate ball..The spumoni, easily the best I have had.. The ice cream, just delicious..



As we are winding down yet again.. Lenny comes by.. Standing there with his arm around me.. And not in an annoying way, in a warm friendly way.. We talk some more.. About the neighborhood, about the importance of education, of family.. He is such a nice, nice person.. He says "I am going to get you some hats and t-shirts, I will be right back"

As he is getting us hats and tshirts, the waiter stops by with two more bags of food.. Lenny wants you to have this pasta he just made.. We have leftovers and you should take this home.. Gemilli with lentils.. A 2.5 to 3 pound bag I weighed in my hand.. Alicia is getting nervous.. We are waiting for the check..

The check comes and it's 90 dollars.. No itemization, just a little piece of paper that says $90 on it.. 90 dollars was way too cheap for the three of us.. When I tell you that we are set for the weekend, i am not joking..

As we were leaving, Lenny gives me his card, he gives me the "secret phone number" where they will put my name of the list as I am on my way over.. We don't know what we did to deserve all this but, something tells me this is how everyone is treated.. This guy, proud of his family, proud of his restaurant, it really shows..

He asks Miss K to paint or draw him something he can hang in the dining room..

We still have yet to have the pizza.. We will certainly have to go back..

[Daniel]

It's 5 in the morning.. The food coma has just been lifted.. I feel like it was cathartic working through this with you guys.

[fentona]

Sounds like a wonderful evening, Daniel! Lenny clearly knows how to make people happy.

[Ron Johnson]

I'm full.

wow.

[Steve R.]

I havent been there in years except to stop for some spumoni on the way home from tennis a year or two ago. I love reading these kind of things... makes me remember the Bklyn I grew up in.

Daniel - looks like you're having fun in Bklyn. Try New Corners in Dyker or Ortobello off Bay Pkway. I'd love to hear how they're doing.

[Wilfrid]

That is an amazing post Daniel.

[Sneakeater]

Daniel went to L&B and they cooked for him.

I'm awed.

[Rich]

My office is just a few short blocks from L&B. When a visitor is staying for lunch - that's the place of choice in the neighborhood. No one does shrimp better than L&B. And with a salad it's the perfect lunch. Even the wines are surprisingly drinkable for the under $20 list.

[Blondie]

Great writeup, Daniel.

Assuming it made the final cut, there's a scene in the new Bruce Willis/Tracy Morgan film "Cop Out" shot there.

[Sneakeater]

PS -- You know you've really made it when they offer you delivery service.

[StephanieL]

Great post, Daniel. I've always gone in the summer and have never thought beyond getting a slice of square and a rainbow spumoni & eating them in the outdoors space. I'll have to try the full restaurant (if I can restrain myself from visiting Joe's of Avenue U instead).

[Rich]

Great post, Daniel. I've always gone in the summer and have never thought beyond getting a slice of square and a rainbow spumoni & eating them in the outdoors space. I'll have to try the full restaurant (if I can restrain myself from visiting Joe's of Avenue U instead).

Steph - Joe's is right across the street from my office. It's not close to what it was. It should be easy to restrain yourself.

[Sneakeater]

This is horrible news.

[Steve R.]

Great post, Daniel. I've always gone in the summer and have never thought beyond getting a slice of square and a rainbow spumoni & eating them in the outdoors space. I'll have to try the full restaurant (if I can restrain myself from visiting Joe's of Avenue U instead).

Steph - Joe's is right across the street from my office. It's not close to what it was. It should be easy to restrain yourself.

This is horrible news.

Been that way for quite awhile now. Ferdinando's leap frogged over them and is now the better of the two old Sicilian joints.