Eating In Translation

Stinky Bklyn

I'm an admirer, too.

G. Esposito & Sons Jersey Pork Store

Balls of fun.

Felmingo

I ended up at the freezer case, not the fridge.

Ferdinando's Focacceria Ristorante

They're wafer-thin: Think of panelle as little panels of deep-fried chickpea flour, a popular snack all by themselves at this old-timey café-restaurant. Put 'em on a bun and lay on the ricotta, and you've got the panelle deluxe ($4.60) for a little crunch, a little chew. I've also heard great things about Ferdinando's pasta con sarde (that is, sardines), a Sicilian dish that also features fennel, pine nuts, and dried grapes.

Ferdinando's Focacceria Ristorante
151 Union St. (near Hicks St.), Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
718-855-1545

Margaret Palca Bakes

Even if it's difficult to distinguish between the raspberry and the apricot, Margaret Palca's rugelach ($12 per pound here, $15 at Court St.) are very buttery and nutty. I like the looks of those mini tarts, too.

Margaret Palca Bakes
191 Columbia St. (Sackett-Degraw Sts.), Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
(also at 210 Court St.)
718-802-9771

Let Them Eat Pie

We're not talking dessert here; we're talking savory grab-and-go grub, Aussie-Kiwi style. The old-school steak-and-kidney pie had departed the menu, so I got my hand on a steak mince pie ($4.25), whose insides mushed together ground beef and onion gravy.

Let Them Eat Pie
193 Columbia St. (Sackett-Degraw Sts.), Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
646-202-9412
www.dubpies.com

Petitte Crevette

When visiting a restaurant called "little shrimp," you'd expect the accommodations to be cozy and charming; that's true even after a recent expansion into the former flower shop next door. The menu takes an unpretentious approach to market-fresh seafood; I'm looking forward to perusing the day's catch, once I snag a few friends to join me.

Petitte Crevette
144 Union St. (entrance on Hicks St.), Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
718-855-2632

Caputo's Bake Shop

Perhaps this particular loaf of lard bread caught me at the wrong time — it seemed too peppery, and a tad overbaked — but given Caputo's stellar reputation, I'll walk this way again.

Caputo's Bake Shop
329 Court St. (Sackett-Union Sts.), Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
718-875-6871

Provence en Boite

Come brunchtime, this amiable bistro displays a delicate touch.

Court Pastry Shop

The display cases of filled pastries were exceedingly, even sinfully tempting, but on this visit I stepped back outside to the window that serves housemade ices and spumoni. The electric-green pistachio and off-white custard flavors seemed to be doing the best business; the lemon ice (medium, but laid on very generously; $1.75) turned out quite well, too.

Court Pastry Shop
298 Court St. (Degraw-Douglass Sts.), Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
718-875-4820

D'Amico Foods

Best-known as coffee roasters extraordinaire, the folks at D'Amico have set a granita mixer spinning for the summer. Fill yourself a cup of grainy slush (large; $4.25), then choose a flavored syrup — say, cherry — for the counterman to stir in by hand.

D'Amico Foods
309 Court St. (Degraw-Sackett Sts.), Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
718-875-5403
Closed Sunday

F. Monteleone & Cammareri Bros. Bakery

Though most items at Monteleone were in the usual Italian vein, I uncovered this interesting nugget: a nut-covered mini-tart filled with cannoli cream ($1). Nice, even if — since it was prepped in advance — the cream was on the firm side. Neighborhoody place, worth digging around on another visit.

F. Monteleone & Cammareri Bros. Bakery
357 Court St. (Union-President Sts.), Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
718-852-5600

Cubana Café

Some combos worked better than others, my friend Sue and I agreed after breakfast at this bright little restaurant. Ingredients did mingle well in my Cubana benedict ($6.50), poached eggs and chorizo over toasted Cuban bread with chipotle hollandaise sauce. However, a side of yuca with mojo ($3), boiled, with roast garlic, olive oil, lime, and parsley, left me craving the straightforward fried version (with or without chicharron).

Good Cuban sandwich ($7.50), said Sue, and good maduros ($2), but the mango salsa that accompanied those sweet plaintains clashed in flavor as well as color. Coconut rice pudding with dried fruit (of some sort, as shown at bottom; $3.50) and café Cubano ($2.50 or so) were good.

Cubana Cafe
272 Smith St. (Degraw-Sackett Sts.), Brooklyn
718-858-3980