In a lot of ways, Ridgewood, Queens, reminds me of Philadelphia. (Giants fans, please don’t @ me.) Let me explain: There’s the narrow streets, which create this cloistered, deeply neighborhood-y feeling. It’s broadly residential, teeming with a diverse mix of families, young working people and longtime residents — you have to look out for the businesses because they blend so well into the surrounding apartment buildings.
And just like Philly, I’m always excited to spend time eating there. It is worth your time to explore the root causes of the neighborhood’s rapid gentrification, and it’s just as important to observe its vibrancy up close as it quickly becomes a very special place for dining out. Here are three ways to make the most of a day of eating in Ridgewood.
Masa pancakes? Oh yes.
I visited Hellbender last year for a late dinner, but I decided to drop by again for the Mexican-influenced restaurant’s brunch. The menu overlaps in some places with Hellbender’s dinner offerings (i.e. skirt steak, lamb tacos and fried Oaxacan cheese), but I believe brunch has the potential to be its strong suit. It’s here that I discovered the answer to all my pancake dreams: masa pancakes with cinnamon-dusted butter and maple syrup.
You read that right. Masa. What that means is a crispy exterior that gives way to a somehow melty inside. The pancakes themselves aren’t all that sweet — that’s what the maple syrup is for; pour it with aplomb — they lean more earthy and savory. Those who don’t believe pancakes should be a main might consider ordering two of the scrambled egg tostadas with black beans, Cheddar and salsa macha on a crispy tortilla from the small plates section of the menu. Or Hellbender might consider making that dish a main; it’s that good.
Reward yourself with a Neapolitan pie
As for pizza in Ridgewood, more often than not Decades Pizza, a chic spot with natural wine, is the center of the conversation. But friends of the newsletter who live in the neighborhood usually head to the Italian-owned Pizzeria Panina, a dimly, but not too dimly lit restaurant at the corner of Catalpa Avenue and Forest Avenue.
Once you’ve browsed the vinyl collection at Fringe Records, had some on-site tailoring done at the vintage store Grace Land and purchased a few books at the Topos Bookstore Cafe, Panina is a perfectly wonderful place to order a Neapolitan pizza with squishy, crispy crust and a stiff Negroni. (The crust is made with sourdough starter from Bakeri, which shares ownership with the pizzeria.) You also can’t go wrong with either salad, currently a fennel salad and a mixed greens Caesar, both dressed to the gods. Let the warmth of a true neighborhood restaurant wash over you with every bite.
A nightcap and a pernil ‘crisp wrap ultimate’
OK, we’ve covered dinner; now for a nightcap or several. This is when it’s time to go to Aunt Ginny’s. My Ridgewood friends call it a dive bar, but Aunt Ginny’s puts far too much effort into its wacky social media presence and its food menu to be considered a mere dive.
To be more specific, the “restaurant” at the back of Aunt Ginny’s, known simply as I Like Food (girl, me too) takes bar food to a beautiful extreme. They serve seven variations on fries, including churro fries and everything fries, and eight different chicken sandwiches. Most important to me, and Taco Bell’s lawyers, is the pernil “crisp wrap ultimate” stuffed with pork shoulder, avocado, Jack cheese and sour cream that somehow manages to not be a gutbuster thanks to sliced tomatoes and some shredded lettuce. It’s a miracle to behold and to eat, whether you’re stoned or not.
One Reader Question
I’m fortunate enough to have two children graduating at the Barclays Center. Where to eat after to celebrate? (Looking for something other than Gage & Tollner, please.) — Rebecca F.
If you’re going for fun, you should celebrate at Strange Delight, the New Orleans-inspired restaurant in Fort Greene. What is more celebratory than a seafood tower ($35-$120), crab dip ($35) and a round of catfish sandwiches on milk bread ($27)? Or for something a little more off the beaten path but no less delightful, the Italian food and the ambience at Aita in Clinton Hill are always delicious. The pastas are the best part, try the fettuccine verdi with short rib ($27) or the oxtail ravioli ($26).
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