Interview_Margo Patisserie Cafe_Almond Croissant

FOOD:
Flaky, buttery croissants are a hard to find french staple, done properly, even in New York City. 
Margo Patisserie is a cozy cafe tucked away at the corner of Driggs & Fillmore Place, in uber locale of the moment, Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Margo Patisserie is unpretentious, laid-back and authentic with selections from sweet to savory, along with outdoor seating and free wifi. Margo Patisserie caught my attention when I needed a quick afternoon bite. I went for a coffee and pain au chocolat (which was excellent) but kept staring at an empty row, flecked with pasty flakes, that had held almond croissants. Ummmm, almond croissants - not too sweet, moist, filling and rich. A few weeks later, I stopped and tried the almond croissant...one of the best ever. Supporting small, artisanal food businesses is good for the taste buds. Here's a video we shot with the owner, Margo, about making almond croissants at Margo Patisserie Cafe. The music is Tres Tres Chic from Mocean Worker. Have a look.

video:wbj

Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge

Honeychiles' Po Boys

FOOD:

Jesse Crawford, co-owner
photo:wbj

Oyster po' boy and Fish po' boys at Honeychiles'
photo: wbj

Jesse Crawford, one of the owners, was behind the counter at Honeychiles' when I went in after a show in Williamsburg (see music post below).  Went in with a couple of friends wanting a good, filling, and fast meal to soak up the beers before bedtime). Honeychiles' name brought a big smile to my face thinking about all the sunshine in this southern term of endearment.  I could hear the distant lilt of grandmothers and aunts in Virginia. Perfect place on a summer night for seafood po' boys and a cold beer.  Honeychiles' is inside the Charleston, a rocker bar on Bedford Avenue and North 7th.  The food was the attraction not the insouciant, tattooed and just-so-coiffed bar patrons. The oyster po' boy was crunchy on the outside with a juicy, briny, fresh oysters crowding an pretty average italian roll slathered with a lemony remoulade sauce and shredded iceberg lettuce.  My friends found the fish po' boys equally good even a bit large because they had to skip out on the bread and go for the fish.  There are other items on the menu worth trying. Honeychiles' has been getting lots of press for it's punk meets New Orleans comfort food m.o. Go early to avoid the 'scene' and grab a table and a cold one. 
MUSIC:

NOT BLOOD PAINT

Not Blood Paint
In early August, I saw Not Blood Paint at Cameo in Williamsburg. Cameo is a backroom performance space behind The Loving Cup Cafe on North 6th Street.  A raw room with high ceilings, lots of concrete and brick so not the best acoustics but still a good room.  Never felt like the music was bouncing all over the place.  Met up with Leisa Arndt from TrashCan Magazine and our friend Carlos to see Not Blood Paint (NBP).  TrashCan is a new online mag where Leisa wrote a music review for NBP.  A few weeks later FREE WILLIAMSBURG, posted an article, "Not Blood Paint: Band Most Likely to Start a Cult",  that peeps in on the NBP's fanatical followers and straight-out-of-bushwick cred.  Wondering if NBP is this art hood's Fischerspooner?. Not Blood Paint made me think of Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust days.  NBP had crazy presence with a theatrical and choreographed performance that would have kept you caught in the onstage antics and projected visuals if they weren't such a solid  band with each member in the mix on vocals. 
Enjoy,
Cooking Lounge!