Dale Talde is pretty busy these days, what with the upcoming release of his new cookbook, Asian-American, and the planned fall opening of a new restaurant in Miami, Talde Miami Beach. That is, mind you, all while running five other restaurants spread amongst Brooklyn and Jersey City. So when there’s time to kick back and relax, he does so with comfort foods from his favorite local haunts. Below, his culinary tour of Brooklyn, in five meals.
“Mile End Deli is a block down from my house and I always get a bagel with schemer, lox and the works. They always give you a copious amount of capers, that’s why they’re my favorite. I hate the guys that are cheap with the capers.”
“I just had brunch at Prime Meats which was fantastic. I got a hotdog and the wife got shrimp and grits—delicious. You know, Prime Meats, when you eat there you always feel like they’re doing it right. You know everything is made in-house—just delicious.”
“My friends on Fifth Avenue and Sixth Street at Du Jour Bakery have the illest tuna melt. It’s exactly what you want in a tuna melt; toasted, hard rye bread, mayonnaise, tuna, onions, celery, tomatoes and American cheese. And then, I’ll say it, their pastries are the best in New York City. They have a brioche ham and cheese—outstanding. They make everything in-house; they even laminate their own puff pastry. Do you know how hard it is to do that? Making puff pastry is one of the hardest things to do and they make it all fresh.”
“Junior’s is my go-to, hands down. Their fried chicken is a deal for a half chicken plus two sides. It takes like 15 minutes because they make it, like, the minute you order it. Their cheesecake is amazing, but I always get their cakes or their pastries. Their Brooklyn Black Out Cake is delicious.”
“Grand Army has a great cocktail program. They have this weird Pina Colada-type drink with curaçao (called the Surfliner and made with rum, allspice dram, curacao, orgeat, lime juice, pineapple juice and bitters) that’s blue and feels like summer.”
More good reads from T+L:
• Chef’s Tour: Matt Bolus’ Nashville in Five Meals
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