Wednesday Food and Drink Round-Up

Ba Xuyen
4222 8th Ave. at 42nd St., Sunset Park, (718)633-6601.

“Ba Xuyên’s setup is pleasingly simple, as well as illiterate-friendly: Eight toasted [banh-mi] sandwich offerings are displayed via color transparencies, à la Burger King. My knees weaken for the No. 3, the shredded pork ($3). It offers tender, torn pork bits, a sandwich that could slide into a menu of a southern smokehouse. But the real whopper is the No. 4: the meatball ($3).

This is no rehashed Italian hero: Soft golf balls of pork and onion are topped with fresh ground pepper, then dressed with a dash of fish sauce. Order it extra-spicy (Ba Xuyên stints on jalapeños and chili sauce), then quench the burn with a fresh jackfruit milkshake ($2.50). They’ll occupy your stomach far better than the French did ‘nam.” [NY Press]

Photo by The Hungry Cabbie for Gothamist

After the jump: Patsy Grimaldi himself makes slices at Aviator; Queen reigns as Chowhounder’s fave Brooklyn resto.

Grimaldi’s at Aviator
Aviator Sports and Recreation Center, Hangar 5, Floyd Bennett Field, near end of Flatbush Ave., no phone yet.

“Patsy Grimaldi [of Grimaldi’s in Dumbo] is coming out of retirement to run a pizza joint at the new Aviator Sports & Recreation complex at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. […] Our tipster tells us that Mr. Grimaldi and his wife, Carol, will run the pizzeria, which is located in the “Brooklyn Hall of Fame Food Court,” and that this will be something completely different for Mr. Grimaldi. First, he’s doing slices, which he’s never done before. Second, the oven is not coal-fired; it’s a Wood Stone gas-fired, brick-lined oven.” [Slice]

Queen
84 Court St. at Livingston, Downtown/Heights, (718)596-5954

“Went 11/18. The bread basket was fresh and varied. Breaded and fried homemade mozz. w/anchovy and wine sauce still amazes me, very nice chicken livers, gnocchi w/wild boar sauce that was light but with lots of cubes of tasty boar meat and a fried calamari/ zucchini/mushroom mix that had no extra grease and lots of flavor (& salt) made for a great start w/our first bottle of barbera d’asti(?…you know me and wines…not a clue). The entrees we all ordered were simple but very nice… 2 chicken parms w/pasta sides, my lasagna (this is the standard I use to compare other places’ product), and one veal scallopini w/some green or other and some very hot looking red peppers all went well with the 2nd bottle of wine. One dessert of a whole poached orange, with candied orange rinds, homemade vanilla bean gelato was enough for the 4 of us. A couple of espressos and a cappucino. Approx. $135/couple and well worth it. Need to go back soon. I like the place.” [Chowhound]