Dine In Brooklyn: Our Picks

At yesterday’s Dine-In Brooklyn launch, savory monkfish with shrimp crackers and juicy gingered duck were highlights at the Southeast Asian spread for Mai restaurant.

We have to admit — we have mixed feelings toward Manhattan’s restaurant week. On one hand, it’s a great opportunity for low-budget foodies like ourselves to try some of the city’s most cost-prohibitive restaurants. But when you add on drinks, tax, and tip, it’s really not all that cheap — and in most cases, you’re not getting the good stuff. Truth is, big-time Manhattan restaurants don’t really need your vote. Brooklyn’s restaurant week, however, is a totally different story. You may not see all of Brooklyn’s brighest stars on the Dine-In Brooklyn list (sorry, guys, Luger isn’t participating), but it does include a ton of solid restaurants that are hungry for your business. Unlike the chi-chi Manhattan spots, they’re more likely to throw down their best dishes for an affordable $21.12.

Restaurant “week” runs from March 19th through 30th, but for a deal like this, tables fill up quickly — so for the hottest tables (at places like Applewood or the The River Café), you’ve got to make your reservations ASAP. Check out our picks after the jump…

In Fort Greene, we love the rustic fare and airy setting at Olea Mediterranean Taverna — and we like the idea of getting a cheap meal at Luz to soak up their delicious cocktails. DIB offers another excuse to visit the highly recommended Tanoreen in Bay Ridge, but since they’re only offering the DIB price at lunchtime, you may need to snag a weekend reservation.

Brooklyn Fish Camp is our go-to spot in Park Slope, but we also like the earthy seasonal fare at Rose Water and inventive Italian at Scottadito Osteria Toscana. At yesterday’s DIB event, we also tasted some deliciously fresh salmon tar tar with a hot mustard sauce and watercress from Melt — a one-year-old restaurant on Bergen Street and 5th Avenue — and we’re looking forward to sampling their other specialties.

In Carroll Gardens, we’ve going to go out on a limb and recommend Marco Polo Ristorante on Court and Union. You’ll get an inexpensive sampling of their traditional Italian fare, which is normally a bit pricier than other neighborhood restaurants — and the old Brooklyn atmosphere here is priceless. On the opposite side of the Carroll Gardens dining spectrum there’s Crave. We hate to let the cat out of the bag on this one because it has very few tables — and we have yet to get our own reservation — but this hidden gem offers an incredible, eclectic menu. We’ve been there for past DIB dinners, and the discounted pricing makes this meal a steal.

If you’re looking for a really cheap date, hit up Chip Shop in Brooklyn Heights or Park Slope where you can feed two for $21.12. Or, better yet, head over to Zipi Zape Tapas Bar in Williamsburg for the same low price.

Check out some more restaurant specialties in the photos below:

Fancy vertical plating by the chefs at Baci & Abbracci in Williamsburg

The chefs from Chip Shop, Palo Santo, and Marco Polo (nice hat!) prep tasting plates

A tasty treat from Grille de Paris, the only French Kosher restaurant in Brooklyn

We sampled some beignets from Stan’s Place for dessert, and Mr. B learned that when eating mounds of powdered sugar, one shouldn’t inhale

Dine in Brooklyn 2007 Kicks Off [Brooklyn Record]