Dan Shapiro

Cinco de Mayo Taqueria

1202 Cortelyou Road

Brooklyn, NY 11218

718 693 - 1022

There are now several good restaurants on Cortelyou Road., but perhaps the most underrated is Cinco de Mayo.

This Taqueria appears as a simple working mans formica counter top dinner, but some one in the kitchen knows what they are doing. Perhaps, the true test of a great cook is that they can produce a variety of dishes at the same time and have all of them taste very good and very distinctive.

Mexican sauces are acknowledged to be among the most complex in the world. A mole sauce containing chocolate can have over thirty ingredients. Pepian is a green sauce made from the seeds of a Calabasa Squash, Green and Red Salsas can take all day to get right .Adobo sauces with a vinegar base can destroy a meal if not made right, but a Tingua with onions can bring even boiled till dead chicken back to life. I have many dishes at Cinco de Mayo and each sauce has been amazingly good, consistent and distinct.

Open seven days from 9:00 a.m. to 10:p.m. Don't expect great service, but with great food comes prices that are almost embarrassingly cheap. Two main courses with a Guacamole appetizer and beers cost less than $ 40.00

for more see www.ditmasestates.com

Poor Porter's Problem

Porter's Restaurant and Lounge

216 Seventh Avenue

New York, NY

888-316-1028

I had checked out Porter's restaurant on the web about a week before making reservations. The website was attractive, the menu tempting, and live music was advertised. When the got to the restaurant there was no live music or DJ and the menu had changed significantly. But we still started our dinner with high hopes at this tablecloth restaurant because it looked good and we actually found free parking very close.

We were greeted courteously and seated. The staff was friendly and had a real grasp of their duties. Daily specials were presented intelligently and in detail. Our party ordered mussels, crab cakes, onion soup and salad and except for the bready crab cakes all were good.

We ordered one Steak au poivre medium rare and another medium well, the steaks came out the without the typical crusting, and some how tasted sour. Eventhough one was supposed to be medium well, both were medium rare.

We ordered chocolate soufflés for dessert, which were served with vanilla cream and whipped cream and although they were light and puffy, they didn't taste of chocolate, very strange.

During every course the wait staff was attentive and helpful, but the food was mediocre at best and at $ 200 for four dinners, Porters is overpriced.

Later, I rechecked the website and it was no longer available and with a sparse attendance, no music and mediocre food this restaurant may not be in business for long.

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Arno Restaurant
141 West 38 Street
New York, NY

212-944-7420

Arno Restaurant like the Arno River is classically Italian. The ambiance of dark wood and large mirrors reminds you of Tuscany. Interestingly enough Tuscany is famous for its beef and there is very little beef on Arno's menu.

What Arno does have is someone who knows fish and seafood. Its Calamari was freshly done, fried Calamari that sits becomes greasy and rubbery, and the sauce was nicely piccante, just a little heat. Avoid the Mozzarella and Basil it was very plain Jane.

There are daily specials and we got Bass with a butter, cream and caper sauce that was truly good. Bass is not often found in NYC restaurants, being a inland fresh water fish and when done right is delicious and this was superb.

If you have to die a martyr's death consider Arno's desserts as a reasonable reward their white chocolate cake with strawberries is to die for and their ordinary chocolate mouse is far from ordinary.

The service is excellent, but the dinner can be pricey at $ 180 for two with tip.

for more see www.ditmasestates.com

New Star Restaurant (Dim Sum)
1217 Avenue U
Brooklyn, NY

718 998 -0350

Yes, I am a Dim Sum fanatic, but who can blame me. This Chinese brunch ritual is wonderful and New Star impressed me.

New Star has expanded and this has given them the ability to present a huge variety of Dim Sum (small plates) at a very reasonable price. Their Shui Mei (meat) and their Har Gow (shrimp) dumplings were excellent. The variety and freshness of their other offerings was amazing. I tried a new item, a mini fried egg with fish mouse inside that seemed to float off the plate and was silky smooth. Dessert for me is always an Egg Custard tart.

I know I can be picky, but I never liked plastic chop sticks the wooden ones though less hygienic have a better grip in your hand and on the food.

An "I ate too much" brunch was $ 25 for two including tip

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On Saturday about 11 a.m. a walk through Chinatown, NYC, I noticed that most of the restaurants were essentially empty except the Dim Sum places. For those who are not native New Yorker's or Californian's, Dim Sum is a weekend brunch where small tasting plates of various Chinese dishes are wheeled through the dining room. Typically you are put at a large table with people you have never met, often there are family group from Grandma to infants. As they stop by your table, you can pick out the dishes you like and a card is stamped indicating your purchase. These Dim Sum Palaces are often huge and can easily fit several hundred people and often the noise level, while not loud is a constant hum.

Sunshine 27, at 46 Bowery, is the successor to HSF, a Dim Sum stalwart. While I found the variety of dishes was smaller than the former HSF or 888 Palace, the food was quite good. A stand out was boiled beef short ribs, cut very small, served on top of rolled Chow Fun noodles and topped with either oyster sauce or chili sauce. There are many varieties of stuffed wontons or pot sticker such as Har Gow, with translucent outside and a shrimp paste stuffing. My favorite dessert is an Egg Custard served in a tiny pie tin with a flaky crust.

Brunch usually runs about $ 12-15/per person

for more see www.ditmasestates.com