Red sauce Italian in Brooklyn

There's an interesting thread on old-school Italian restaurants in Brooklyn on Chowhound. Check it out - this is great food for a cold winter's day.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/559371

Italian film at the Brklyn International Film Festival

Here is a great opportunity to see the latest in Italian film at some interesting venues: The Brooklyn International Film Festival takes place from May 30 to June 8 at several sites - Brooklyn Lyceum, Park Slope; Brooklyn Heights Cinema; Brooklyn Public Library, Grand Army Plaza; East Coast Aliens, Greenpoint; and Lumenhouse, Bushwick. Specializing in work by young filmmakers from throughout the world, the festival will include feature films, documentaries, short subjects, animation, and experimental work.

A few Italian films are part of the roster:
- Suddenly Last Winter, 2008, a feature directed by Gustav Hofer of the South Tyrol region (www.suddenlylastwinter.com)

- Apollo 54, 2007, a feature by Giordano Giulivi (www.apollo54.com)

- ABC Columbia, 2007 a joint Italian/French/UK/US/Finland documentary by Enrica Colusso, originally from Rome

Most tickets are $10; the festival offers ticket pass and packet options on their website. Schedules and locales, as well as info on every film, is available at www.wbff.org.



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Brooklyn's oldest restaurants ... are Italian!

Brooklyn has received lots of attention in the last few years for all its new, hip restaurants. We thought that from time to time we'd take a look at some of the real old timers, since so many are, unsurpringly, Italian.

One of Brooklyn's oldest restaurants is Bamonte's at 32 Withers St. in Williamsburg. It was opened in 1900 as the Liberty Hall by the Bamonte family, originally from Salerno. Current owner is 3rd-generation Anthony Bamonte, who maintains a long tradition. Back in the day, the restaurant featured a large catering hall and bocce courts. These days, the restaurant is as much known for its ravioli with cheese and linguini with crab sauce as for the fact that it has been the setting for scenes in such classic tv series as the Sopranos and Kojak. If you go, expect classic red-sauce Italian, stick with the basics, and soak in all that atmosphere.

Just the facts:

Bamonte's

32 Withers Street (between Lorimer St. and Union Ave.)

Brooklyn NY 11211

718.384.8831

Open Mon and Wed-Thu, noon-10:30pm; Fri-Sat, noon-11pm; Sun, noon-10pm; Tue, closed

Cards: MasterCard, Visa

Cost: entrees, $13-$20

Menu: Click Here

Subway: G, L at Metropolitan Ave.-Lorimer St.

Map: Click Here

Website: http://www.bamontesrestaurant.com/

(currently out of service)

Vespas in Brooklyn

Here's a business you may not know about: Scooter Bottega, owned by Alberto Bruchi, in Carroll Gardens. Bruchi ws born in Pontedera, Tuscany, hometown of the Vepsa factory. For Bruchi, Vespa's are a part of everyday life. His logo is Vespa = Freedom.

Here is one of his gorgeous bikes for sale, a vintage Sprint Veloce Silver 150cc.

In 2000 Bruchi restored and brought his first vintage Vespa to the U. S. - a 1970 Gran Turismo. Thanks to the great response and numerous questions he'd receive from passersby, he decided to open Scooter Bottega. Bruchi refurbishes old Vespas and Lambrettis, and is about as good as they come in bringing old vespas back to life. Moreover, Bruchi returns to Italy a few times each year to search out old Vespas from the 1950s to the 1980s. A visit to his shop offers a true taste of La Dolce Vita.

For even more enticement to visit Bruchi's shop, there are several Italian restaurants of note very nearby:

Ferdinando's Focucceria Rstrnt
151 Union St, Brooklyn, NY
(718) 855-1545

Two Fifteen Cucina Napoletan
215 Columbia St, Brooklyn, NY
(718) 858-2960

House of Calzones
132 Union St, Brooklyn, NY
(718) 624-9107

Lucali Brick Oven

Fabulous pizza.
575 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY
(718) 858-4086 -

Nino Pizzeria
531 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY
(718) 834-0863

Bocca Lupo
391 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY
(718) 243-2522

Frankies Spuntino Restaurant
457 Court St, Brooklyn, NY
(718) 403-0033

Scooter Bottega is located at 65 Union Street at the corner of Van Brunt.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=65+Union+St,+Brooklyn,+NY+11231,+USA&ie=UTF8&ll=40.685568,-74.004807&spn=0.008168,0.012832&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1

Call for an appointment at 718.858.4667 or email alberto@scooterbottega.com.

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Some great Italian restaurants in Brooklyn

We'll be offering restaurant reviews in the future. For now, here are six places worth visiting; even a list as brief as this one suggests the varied approaches to Italian cuisine to be found in the borough of Brooklyn.

Al di la. One of the most dependable, and truly exceptional, Italian restaurants in Brooklyn. Venetian style. Plan ahead - no reservations, so arrive at opening time or wait in their wine bar around the corner. Moderate/expensive. 248 Fifth Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn 718.783.4565

Grimaldis - lots of disagreement these days whether Grimaldi's is still worth it, but is well known for its Patsy's style thin-crust pizzas. On good days, they're really good. Beware the long lines, regardless of the weather. Inexpensive. 19 Old Fulton Street, Brooklyn 718.858.4300

Here's a little-known old style place: Lodomini's. Try the pizza with mussels or of spaghetti with tripe and peas. 871 Third Avenue, Brooklyn 718.768.4373

If there's one reason for pizza-lovers to come to Brooklyn, it must be DiFara's. Domenico DeMarco is a true saint; there has never been a better pizza made in New York, period. Also long lines but it's worth it. Once you finally order, stay at the counter to assure that your pizza is being made, then witness a master at work. Inexpensive. 1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn 718.258.1367 (pictured above)

Locanda vini e Olii is a charming Clinton Hill restaurant/wine bar known for its homey, Tuscan-style food. Housed in an antique pharmacy. Inexpensive/medium 129 Gates Avenue, Brooklyn 718.622.9202

D.O.C. Wine Bar - how many Sardinian wine bars have you visited? This one has a very good selection. Inexpensive/moderate 83 North 7th Street, Brooklyn 718.963.1925

Defonte's Sandwich Shop in Red Hook has been around long before any of the neighborhood's artists were born - even before their grandparents were born. Try any hero with fried eggplant - simple but superb. Inexpensive. 379 Columbia Street, Brooklyn 718.855.6982