Pulling off Shabby-Chic and French-Mexican Fusion is Easy For Jolie Cantina

Jolie Cantina - Cobble Hill
241 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231


What is French-Mexican fusion? I'm still not quite sure, but Jolie Cantina pulls it off with ease. And where else would rustic potted plants sit comfortably next to metal lawn chairs and junk-yard shab-fab?

It doesn't matter if this place has a confused décor. I happily drank my tea out of the charming ceramic mug that reminded me of Winnie The Pooh's honey jar.

Ms. Dahlia's Is Home

Ms. Dahlia's Cafe - Bedford-Stuyvesant
449 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn, NY

A small cafe with green chair pillows and pink ceilings provides a welcome bit of charm and flavor to the Bed-Stuy neighborhood. Ms. Dahlia's is more homey than hipster, more old-school than new-school, and more flavor than charm (though it is quite charming).

One word of caution, though. Ms. Dahlia specializes in biscuits and breakfast; desserts are not the forté. After two disappointing experiences with red velvet cupcake in a jar and Nutella pound cake, I don't think I will wait for a third strike on dessert. Nevertheless, this welcoming food parlor is worth a visit. I put my full backing behind the biscuits. Turkey bacon, heavy biscuits with flakey outsides and warm insides, and eggs any style. Throw on some gravy if you'd like--you'll die of a heart attack with a smile affixed to your face. 

A Taste of the Outback is as Close as 79th Street

Burke & Wills - Upper West Side
226 W 79th St., New York, NY 10024

Have you ever had a sudden craving for sweetbreads? Can't say that I have. What about kangaroo? Ever wake up one morning and crave a 'roo burger? Well, at Burke & Wills you can satisfy all the outback cravings you never knew you had.

The restaurant located at the 79th Street subway stop on Manhattan's Upper West Side isn't exotic in name or even decor. The small drawings and maps hanging on the wall are the only indications that the restaurant serves Australian fare.

Below the restaurant's skylight, we nestled into our two-person table against the wall and cracked open the leather menu to look for the typical one-page insert detailing the options for Restaurant Week. One did not exist. Instead, the waiter informed us that we could select from the regular menu--one appetizer, one entrée, one dessert each. Nothing was off limits, though a few items did explicitly indicate a $5 or $10 additional charge.

Justifying the additional $5 charge (when have I ever seen kangaroo on a menu?) I ordered the kangaroo loin to start, followed by the spiced duck breast, finishing with a warm chocolate cake. My Restaurant Week partner in crime ordered veal sweetbreads to start, and then enjoyed his kanga-experience in burger form for the main course. For dessert he had the affogato.