Traif: Non-Kosher, but Suitable Even if You Don't Eat Pork!

So I checked out Traif this last week, a restaurant in South Williamsburg just a hop, skip and a jump away from me. Traif's mission statement is that it celebrates "pork, shellfish, and globally-inspired soul food." Non-kosher indeed.

Upon sitting down, we were greeted with steaming pork broth to warm us up. A quick glance at the drink and food menus very quickly revealed that we could imbibe bacon-encrusted drinks and indulge in bacon-specked donuts, in addition to enjoying such tapas as bacon-wrapped dates and bacon-topped salad. I indulged in the shellfish options myself, which were utterly delectable. But if you like bacon, you need to check out this place.

Oh, and it was co-founded by a Jew. For the full story, you can visit the Traif blog, where chef and co-founder Jason Marcus wrote, "So, Traif is a restaurant that celebrates the foods that I love most, which just so happens to be the foods that I am not supposed to eat." Touche. Eating forbidden foods can be especially delectable.

Early November NYC Adventures

I would say my fun last week began on Wednesday, November 3, when I met up with my friend to eat dinner at DuMont in Williamsburg. With a heated backyard garden and a pan-seared scallops special, my dining experience at DuMont was truly exquisite.

(The heated backyard garden at DuMont, open and airy,
and even more romantic and alluring by night.)

Then on Thursday, November 4 was Yelle at Highline Ballroom. Although I understood only a handful of the words in Yelle's lyrics, the songs are truly infectious, with high-energy rhythms and the lilting sounds of Yelle's titillating French.



And on Friday, I had yet another lovely Williamsburg dining experience: at Dressler's, located in South Williamsburg incredibly close to me. Dressler's is easily the most upscale place I have yet dined at in Williamsburg, with its charmingly decorated interior accentuated with classy chandeliers. Although my date was unable to secure reservations (unless we wanted to eat close to 10 pm), we enjoyed dinner and drinks at the bar, accompanied by a seemingly unending stream of fresh rolls. And topped off with a fresh apple tart. I do have to warn, it's not the most vegetarian-friendly place for dinner. This just means I'll have to return soon to Dressler's to try their brunch...

(Dressler's, above)

Yum. It has been a delicious week.

And speaking of delicious, I also finally redeemed a LivingSocial special for a box of handcrafted chocolates at Bespoke Chocolates, a simple, elegant chocolaterie in the East Village. Bespoke's profile on their website reads:

"Bespoke Chocolates is an award-winning artisanal chocolaterie established in New York City in 2008. Bespoke Chocolates specializes in the production of luxury handcrafted chocolates created with the freshest ingredients. Our chocolates are of the finest quality on the market, marrying classic European techniques with modern flavor profiles. Our Bespoke Chocolate shop, located in New York City’s East Village, features an open kitchen, allowing our guests to watch and interact with our chocolatier. It also serves as a unique destination for experiencing chocolate through regular in-store classes, tastings open to the public, and private sessions with our chocolatier for groups or corporations."

With chocolate morsels such as pretzel-covered sea-salted caramels, Turkish coffee bonbons and orange-infused dark chocolate, Bespoke Chocolate's diverse array more than compensates for is small size. I may just have to find out when the next chocolate tasting is.

(Above, the Turkish coffee bonbon.
As described on BeSpoke Chocolate's website:
"Soft Caribbean dark chocolate ganache, delicately infused with cardamom and coffee.
Not exactly a trip to Istanbul, but close enough for a Tuesday afternoon.")

And last night I discovered an East Village staple, Heather's, a very inconspicuous "dive" bar on East 13th St. (Personally, I see this place as more lounge than dive bar; it is simple and clean without being pretentious.) It was so refreshingly free of 22-year-olds and loud frat-party types that I felt like I was back in Williamsburg, that is, before Williamsburg also became flooded with people from outside hoods and boroughs. Yelpers also rave about their happy hour and DJ's.

So many places to try and so many places to try again.

Dram: Cocktails in S. Williamsburg

Another swanky bar in my part of Brooklyn! Only a few blocks from me, Dram is a stunning mellow bar in Williamsburg featuring premium top-notch cocktails and an unobstructed view of the street.

The place is rustic chic, with the solid wood paneling of the bar, tables and bathroom nicely complemented by the exposed brick of the outer wall.









At 177 S. 4th St, the bar is almost hidden; well, it's visible, but with no name on announcing its identity on the outside, it's one of those places you don't really feel truly comfortable entering until you know about it. Consider yourself informed.