sunday in brooklyn

sunday, bloody sunday- mezcal, house bloody mix, sambal, high life nip // juanny appleseed- reposado tequila, hot apple cider, cinnamon, brown butter

pecan sticky bun

grain bowl // toasted barley, boiled egg. spicy cauliflower, mustard greens, kale, charred avocado

long island patty melt // caramelized onion, yellow mustard, swiss, sour pickles

I'm all about a neighborhood spot that offers both a feel-good, casual atmosphere as well as fresh and delicious food. Sunday in Brooklyn strives to do just that with a welcoming restaurant, market and coffee counter in South Williamsburg. The owners have taken their favorite day- Sunday!- a day of comfort, adventures, and family, and made it the mission of the restaurant. I was a big fan of Isa, the previous restaurant in this location, so SIB had big shoes to fill in my book. My husband and I stopped in for brunch recently, and are already looking forward to a return trip soon. We started with cappuccinos and a warm, freshly baked pecan sticky bun, which pulled apart in perfect ooey, gooey layers. Since it was Sunday, after all, we indulged in a bloody Mary and spiked hot cider, which were perfectly spicy and sweet. It was hard to decide on entrées as we were tempted by several dishes- the malted pancakes, biscuits & gravy, plus a variety of sweet and savory sandwiches all sounded delicious. We decided on the grain bowl and patty melt, which did not disappoint. And how pretty are the marbled ceramic plates!? Scroll through the photos to see more descriptions of each item. Even better, at SIB it's Sunday every day, so brunch is served seven days a week! Pop into the cute market shop for some ready-made pastries and pantry items, or grab a coffee to-go.

I've also had the opportunity to enjoy dinner at Sunday in Brooklyn, and the meal was fantastic (see below!). I love that they've utilized the upstairs dining area- a space that Isa reserved for private events- because it has such a lush and cozy feel to it that makes it seem like home. Plus the rooftop garden and sidewalk café are open in the warmer months, which is clutch for any NYC restaurant! The spring menu was so fresh, vibrant, and über colorful- the chef knows how to put the season's bounty to good use in the tastiest ways imaginable. Some dishes, like the radishes with koji butter and the beets with nuts & seeds, were truly works of art and just begging to have their photo taken (I was more than happy to oblige, of course). The roasted cabbage with fermented black trumpet mushrooms had such a unique and interesting flavor profile that kept us coming back for more. I'm not even a fried chicken person (I know- who am I?), but the housemade togarashi blend coating the drumsticks really took these babies to the next level- totally addicting! If you can believe it, I didn't get a good photo of our desserts. I'm actually surprised this doesn't happen more often considering how little discipline I have around sweets. But I can assure you that both the goat ice cream with date molasses & bitter chocolate AND the warm devil's food cake with peanut butter ice cream & cocoa nib praline are to die for!  I'm already looking forward to returning soon for an afternoon cocktail in the rooftop garden! 

dark ginger rye cake with yogurt & honey

 
 

I'm typically in charge of dessert for my family's holiday dinner, a task I take on with joy. There's always plenty of cookies around from the cookie exchanges my mom attends, so I wanted to do something a bit different. After a bit of browsing and research, I came across this Dark Ginger Rye Cake with Yogurt and Honey by Andrew Tarlow in Bon Appetit. I absolutely love the warming and comforting flavors of molasses, ginger, and cinnamon, and was intrigued by the addition of rye flour. I made a couple of changes, INCLUDING Using a dollop of honeyed yogurt as the topping adds the perfect balance, and keeps things from getting too sweet. Because of that, this moist cake works equally as well as a breakfast or brunch cake. I love the rustic nature of the cake, so feel free to break it into pieces rather than slicing if you prefer. Regardless of when or how it's served, it's sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Get the recipe here! 

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chewy molasses ginger cookies

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These are a winter favorite in my house! Or I guess just with me, as my husband isn't a big fan of molasses (his loss). Either way, I love the warming, comforting flavors of molasses, cinnamon, and ginger. Like most cookies, I tend to under-bake them just a tad, since they will continue to cook after being removed from the oven. These just scream "holidays" to me, and are also a crowd-pleasing treat to bake for any cookie exchange you might be attending this season! Enjoy!

Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/4 cup molasses

  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

  • 2 tsp baking soda

  • 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1 tsp ground ginger

  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves

  • 1/8 tsp ground all spice

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar, for coating

  • optional mix-in: 1/2 cup candied ginger, dark chocolate, pumpkin purée

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cream butter and both sugars together in bowl of stand mixer until fluffy. Add in egg and molasses, and mix well. Gradually add all dry ingredients, mixing to combine. Fold in optional mix-ins, if desired. Chill dough for at least one hour. Put remaining sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into balls, dip into sugar, and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely. Makes about 32 cookies, just under 1 oz. each.

*Can be made vegan by substituting a flax "egg" for egg, and coconut oil for butter.

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double zero

 

It's not hard to find good pizza in New York (hello Paulie Gee's and Roberta's!). But vegan pizza?! Now that's another story. My best friend is a registered dietician and vegan chef, so whenever she comes to town, we hit up all the vegan hotspots. Double Zero, a plant-based pizzeria from esteemed chef Matthew Kenney, was at the top of our list on her most recent trip, and after indulging in quite a few pies, I'm so glad that it was. The organic, veggie-heavy pies are unique in their seasonal flavor profiles, and are cooked to perfection in a traditional wood-burning oven. From their innovative take on a farro-fennel "sausage" pie, to a classic spicy marinara arrabbiata pizza with shiitake "bacon", to a white pie with roasted corn and baby kale, all the pies I tried could easily stand up to their more standard meat-and-cheese counterparts. As a non-vegan myself, one of my favorite things about Double Zero (other than the deliciously charred yet chewy crust!) was their delicious take on cheese. None of that gross, gummy, non-melty "cheese" you typically think of, but rather freshly made nut-based cheeses like smoked almond ricotta, cashew mozzarella, garlic or herb macadamia ricotta, and chili cashew cheese. They were all super flavorful, and lent a nice textural component to each pie. 

Pizza is not the only thing on the menu, however, and I definitely recommend you try some of their fresh salads or pasta dishes, like the farro bolognese with beet-zucchini spaghetti and mint pesto! Desserts were obviously on the agenda as well, and both the tiramisu and bread pudding were creamy and decadent, as they should be. Feel free to scroll through the slideshows to see more of our delicious meal. Even my extremely omnivorous (read: meat lover) husband was satisfied with this meal, which I consider a great success. I look forward to going back to Double Zero again soon for more tasty, yet healthy plant-based cuisine.