Ugly Baby

Two visits to the same restaurant in a matter of months for us two who don't eat out all that often, means it must be worth sharing with you. So today you get my chili-filled ramblings about a new favorite: Ugly Baby. 

This tiny restaurant's about the same size as our very small living room. The walls are covered in bright, warm paint, a line of tables is squeezed down one side, and a minuscule open kitchen is squished in the back. Combined with the waiters' colorful—often fruit-themed shirts—and upbeat music, it's clear that Ugly Baby is here to entertain you. And you soon learn you'll be doing that in the sweatiest, noisiest way (Did you know certain chilis make you temporarily lose your hearing?). 

Between two people you'll get through about three dishes from the neon menu (we tried to order more on our first visit and left with enough food to keep us going for a couple more days). The waitress will talk to you about how much spice you think you can manage, and what you should order based on that. Don't try to impress her with your heat-tolerance: she won't believe you, and you'll regret it. That dish which begins with "stay-away spicy" really is stay-away spicy. 

Tue Ka Ko (little coconut milk cakes)

Our two favorite dishes which are still on the menu are the sweet, definitely not super spicy, Tue Ka Ko (little coconut milk cakes with black bean and taro), and Kao Tod Nam Klook (curried rice, pork skin, peanut and ginger) served with a mountain of fresh leaves, herbs, and raw veg, to make the most magical lettuce wraps (pictured up top!). The green chicken curry was the spiciest thing I've ever had. I couldn't hear. My eyes were watering. Wine didn't help. Water didn't help. Thankfully, the remaining coconut milk cake did. But it was fantastic and worth every burning mouthful.

Rice vermicelli & spicy green chicken curry.

Try to go early: those tables fill up fast. Listen to the waitress: she wants to help you. But be prepared for pice: you're not going to walk out of there without a hint of heat tingling on your lips.

Ugly Baby, 407 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY 10002

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East One

When a coffee shop opens with your old London post code as its name, nostalgia comes flooding back. Even before we'd tasted the coffee, we were unfairly biased towards loving this place.

While we're not short of coffee options in our Boerum Hill/Cobble Hill neighborhood, a beautifully designed new place, roasting its own beans and frothing creamy milk, is always welcome.

The imposing dark grey building is brightened up with huge windows, and a simple red London post code sign. The coffee roaster itself is displayed in a glass box: we can look, but not touch. There's no underestimating how much of a prized possession this magic machine is!

We stopped in for morning coffee and muffins: on a Saturday it's packed. On the weekdays, you can find a table to sit and work in an idyllic caffeine-fueled, airy space. In the back room, behind the bustling, Nordic-inspired café, you'll find an all-day restaurant. It's next on our list for a proper brunch — malted pancakes with berry compote, mascarpone, and maple syrup can't be ignored for much longer.

East One, 384 Court St, Brooklyn, NY 11231.

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Ferdinando's Focacceria

To celebrate a year since we moved from Haggerston to Boerum Hill, we spent a weekend being tourists in our local neighborhoods. Which really means we spent two days stuffing our faces. Our first stop was in the Italian streets of Carroll Gardens, at Ferdinando's Focacceria.

We were held back at the door as elderly (and obviously Italian) Alfredo and his wife had arrived at the same time as us, and their table was ready and waiting for them, so they were ushered in with the utmost courtesy and respect, while they motioned at us to wait to one side. Once that welcome serenade was over (this neighborhood is run by deeply-rooted family relationships, arguments, businesses, disputes, money, and friendships), we were acknowledged with a nod of the head, and once some tables had been rearranged for another  Italian family of nine, they found two seats for us in the corner. 

Stepping into Ferdinando's Foacceria is almost a culture shock. Walking through that door from Brooklyn sidewalk into Sicilian weekend lunchtime is likely the closest I'll ever get to being able to teleport. We were rapidly presented with menus, drinks came flying towards us, and we tried to quickly figure out what on the menu we could stand to skip.

Crispy, light, freshly deep-fried panelle with a huge splodge of ricotta and a scattering of sprinkled cheese will forever by one of my all time favorite accompaniments to a cold glass of wine on a hot summer's day.

We couldn't go somewhere Sicilian and not order arancini (or, more correctly, one giant arancina). Because, well, arancini are perhaps one of the best food inventions ever. And at Ferdinando's they're ginormous and stuffed full of meat and peas and covered in tomato sauce and cheese and... well... as you can see, it was fab. When we'd wiped those plates clean we realized we had definitely over-ordered.

Pasta con sarde followed. A giant bowl of bucatini topped with smoky, lightly spiced, subtly sweet sardine and tomato sauce, which was wonderfully slurpy and messy and made me massively regret my decision to wear white. 

And, just in case that wasn't enough, we'd also ordered a meatball parm roll. We didn't want to miss out. Rich meatballs, covered in sweet tomato sauce, melting cheese, and tucked in a fluffy bun are always welcomed, no matter how severe the food coma that follows.

Ferdinando's Focacceria, 151 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231. Cash Only.

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