In the presence of professionals

Padre Figlio
310 east 44 street
NY, NY


There is something about Padre Figlio, which just tells you they know what they are doing. It starts with the hostess, who greets you by name even though you have never been there before and have not announced yourself. The Maitre D’ proceeds to announce the voluminous specials of the day, including the ingredients and the method of preparation…just so.
We were not interested in just beef, I wanted to see what the chef can do and even this jaded New Yorker was impressed. Some of us started with a wonderful tricolor salad topped with slivers of Romano cheese. I had a pickled eggplant and mushroom mélange wrapped in radicchio with gobs of freshly made buffalo milk mozzarella, still warm and silky smooth. Ah…yes
Pasta is the reason for Italy’s existence and my judgment is strict and unforgiving. I am not sure what they called my dish. It was a variation of Spaghetti Matricana. Home made spaghetti perfectly al dente, with pancetta (unsmoked bacon), onion, and garlic with slices of filet mignon in an excellent tomato sauce topped with ricotta. The serving was so large, I cancelled my next course. Also at the table was home made lobster ravioli with large chucks of lobster and a perfectly grilled mediterrain sea bass.
It’s a rough life, but someone has to do it and I am volunteering for your share at Padre Figlio.
Dinner for four was $ 250 with a tip. But I noticed that they have a limited menu prix fixe dinner at $ 35. I am definitely going back to try it

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Another good meal on Cortelyou Road

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