Brick Cafe & Locale Make for a GREAT night

Last night was the best night ever, apart from the cold and wet of course. Tristan & Isolde was alright. I’m not going to rush and get the DVD when it comes out or anything, but I’d watch it again on HBO and it was a pleasant movie. John said it had shades of British propaganda, he’s Irish, I should have seen that coming. They screwed with part of the myth to make for a more romanticized ending, but eh, it’s a myth with multiple versions. For all I know it could be a variation of the myth.

Afterwards I had my long awaited dinner at Brick Café. All I can say is, why didn’t I go sooner?!! This is seriously the best restaurant I have eaten at in Astoria. It’s a Northern Italian/French fare. I really wish John had brought his camera. Hopefully I will go back soon and make amends for lack of pictures. My words won’t do it justice. I really need to get my own cam. Anyhoo… Although I made a reservation, we didn’t really need it when we arrived early. I have a feeling the rain kept people away, so I would still recommend them. We were seated right away. Immediately the tables reminded me of the rustic tables at Le Sans Souci. Looking around, I had that same rustic feel. The lighting was dim, and romantic(hello total date spot!). Immediately we were given baguette and a fantastic black olive paste. The wine list was cleverly posted on an empty wine bottle. John and I both enjoyed a glass of the Syrah. The menu seemed sumptuous from top to bottom, although it’s a little easier for me to pick through as I do not eat red meat or pork, and so, I gravitate to the chicken and fish dishes. Our waitress was great, always available, gladly answered questions and didn’t falter once on the litany of specials she recited off the top of her head. I started off with the Steamed Mussels in Red Sauce, and John opted for the Grilled Sardines on Seven Grain Bread with Tomatoes and Arugula. Both helpings could have been a meal in and of themselves, and as I observed from the table next to us there are no problems only ordering an appetizer and drinks. The mussels were steamed just right so that they practically fell out of the shells. I only wish I had some bread for the sauce, it was so good. John’s sardines, he says, were nice(that’s a good thing, not average). I can’t get a good description out of him. But I do know it looked lovely, the way the salad and bread were arranged with the sardines on top. He was very pleased and it made him look forward to the main course, which came along just long enough for the appetizers to have settled in our stomachs, but not long enough for us to be even slightly annoyed. When dinner came, oh my, did it look scrumptious. And once I started to cut into it, I knew I was in for a treat. I went for the Chicken Francese with Tomatoes and Basil, which came with Mashed Potatoes and Spinach. For one, I was pleasantly surprised to see the mash, as I looooove it. The chicken was so tender and the sauce flavorful but not overpowering. It went perfectly with the potatoes. And the helping was huge, without being impossible. But I would say to definitely bring your appetite with you. John had the Grilled Veal Chop with Grilled Portobello Mushrooms and Sun Dried Tomatoes. His words, “gorgeous.” He too had potatoes and spinach with his. He said that the sauce was lovely and that each part complimented the other. If only I had a little bit of room left for dessert; I would have loved to have known what the Brick Chocolate Bomb is all about. Readers, if you have tried it, please fill me in, it sounds all sorts of divine. We lingered a bit after we finished eating so that I could finish up my wine, and we weren’t heading over to Locale until 10:30. The bill was what you would expect for a nice dinner for two with appetizers and wine; I think it was $77 before tip. John and I are definitely going back again, there are other things we definitely want to try. I think next time I will forgo the appetizer to make room for dessert. And if you don't want to do the whole sit down dinner thing, you can still eat at the bar section, from an augmented meu, on the other side. Michael says the burger is great.
Brick Café, I apologize for my absence, but I see a long and happy friendship in the future.

Thankfully the rain had stopped when we left Brick, so that we didn’t have to race two avenues down 33rd street to get to Locale. I always have my reservations about any lounge type outfit that moves into the area. As we can see, just about every block on Broadway has some sort of lounge thing going on, Scorpio Bar, NuBar, Caos, Café Valentino etc etc etc. There is too much potential for it to become an uber euro lounge that makes anyone non Greek feel unwelcome or out of place. Locale has not yet fallen victim to that trapping. Michael, who lives just up the street, is of the opinion that it is just far enough off the Broadway track that it should be ok. I hope that remains the case. The large window paned exterior makes for an inviting atmosphere. It was lit well enough to set a nice mood, although Brian thought it could have been dimmer. What I liked was that when you walk by all you see are tables, which for a lounge doesn’t seem very comfy. But when we entered I was pleased to see that Danielle, Brian and Hannah were sitting in the slightly elevated second level which had comfy seating and was very inviting for the large group we would be growing into. There was another large group occupying the larger corner and there was enough room for us, plus a somewhat large group to occupy the other corner. The décor was kept simple, which is always good. I think that with the windows opening up to a street view, too much on the walls would be excessive. Our waiter was spot on with catching us on refills and getting the rest of the gang who was trickling in started with their drinks. Local also has a nice looking menu, although none of us ordered. The folks next to us did and it looked yummy, so I may have to come back and try some of it. Nothing huge or of the proportions we had just enjoyed at Brick, but good bar sized food to go with drinks, but definitely not pub food, like you would find at Sunswick. I definitely saw a small plate of pasta and a panini on the other table. The music was great, only a few times were we all like, what the heck is this, in bad way. There were a few songs I wished I had asked the waiter to try and identify, in case it was on a CD. It was loud enough to enjoy but not loud enough to make you yell at your friends, although being a few seats away would make for some strained hearing and requests for a repeat in convo. All in all I liked Locale. I would definitely go back for a glass of wine, and I do want to try their food. Definitely what I hoped for, an unpretentious chill spot to hang out. Keep it up!