A Full Belly

Al fresco in Brooklyn

NYC Al fresco dining options in Brooklyn

christie's jamaican patties

NYC After reading yesterday's New York Times paean to the thing of wonder that is the Jamaican beef patty, Island Flavors in a Yellow Envelope, I decided to have one for lunch. Lucky for me I recently moved to Brooklyn and live within walking distance of one of the best Jamaican patty places in all of the city, Christie's.

My $3 dollars bought me a beef patty engulfed in sweet fluffy coco bread and an ice cold can of Coke, a deal so wonderful it made sitting in a rickety plastic chair on dirty old Flatbush Avenue watching the cars speed by as I ate feel like a blast. If you don't like beef, they have chicken, pork (jerk options available for both), goat and of course, veggie patties; their fridge is stocked with Jamaican sodas like Kola and ginger beer besides the usual sodas and Snapples.

Christie's
334 Flatbush Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11238-4302
(718) 636-9746
Q train to Seventh Avenue, 2/3/4 to Grand Army Plaza.

Dine in Brooklyn Week, April 15-22

Borough President Marty Markowitz has announced Dine In Brooklyn. A la Restaurant Week, participating restaurants will offer three-course, prix fixe menus for $18.98 (1898 is the year Brooklyn joined New York City), lunch or dinner. View a complete list of participating restaurants here.

Hot Grimaldi's Pie

Grimaldi's Pizzeria
19 Old Fulton St., Brooklyn
718-858-4300

al di là expansion?

Amy Langfield snapped this shot of what appears to be work on an expansion of Park Slope's popular al di là. Does anyone have the inside scoop?

al di là , 248 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn
(718) 783-4565
Reviews: Citysearch, NYMetro, NYTimes

Thanks, Amy!

Peter Luger

NY Newsday's roundup of steak houses

I'm not going to bother listing their ten favorites because as I understand it, if you're serious about your steak, there is only one steak house -- Peter Luger (178 Broadway, Williamsburg; 718-387-7400).

Xtra hot pork sausage at Schnäck

Hawk of Schnäck writes to tell us, ". . . we have just added a xtra hot spicy pork sausage to our special board. It was made with/for us by Jubilat in Sunset Park. They are one of the best traditional Polish butchers in the city and it really shows. We are selling a 4 to 5 oz portion on a hot dog bun for $4.00." Sounds tasty.

Schnäck
122 Union St., Brooklyn
718-855-2879