The Mango Lassie

Empanada Boy and I are moving to Brooklyn in January. We don’t know where we’re moving, mind you, but we know we’ll be going to that borough. After a year in Mahattan, we are ready to move to a neighborhood that’s more our speed and one that’s not an hour’s subway ride from the majority of our friends. In search of the right neighborhood, we set off on Saturday on a walking tour through Prospect Heights, Gowanus, South Slope, Windsor Terrace and Greenwood Heights. We walked for miles, through light rain at times. As we walked up to the Prospect Park F Train Station at 15th Street, it started to pour. I spotted a tiny Vietnamese cafe called Henry’s. It didn’t take much to convince EB we needed a lunch break.

As the rain started coming down harder, we went up to the counter in the closet-like restaurant and ordered a classic banh mi and an almond bubble tea from one of the red-shirted servers. The classic is made with pate, Vietnamese ham and roasted ground pork with a tangy carrot and radish slaw served on a toasted French baguette. The bahn mi is an amazing amalgam of Vietnamese and French flavors—the bun is even buttered as the French do with their sandwiches—reflecting the history of French colonization in Vietnam. We split the sandwich, and I was glad we did because it was rich and packed with deep, satisfying pork flavor. The ground pork gave it extra crunch, while the layer of pate added foundation. But my favorite element was definitely the vegetables, which were seasoned with the same vinaigrette you find on a green papaya salad.

Unfortunately, the bubble tea was a poor choice, flavorwise. It tasted like pure almond extract blended with some milk. This may well be what it actually was. I couldn’t stand the taste of it, but EB successfully managed to fish out the tapioca balls.

As soon as the rain cleared up a bit, we continued on our tour by about 6 pm, we were totally exhausted. We took the train to Vladimir Pudding’s house in Boerum Hill and crashed wearily onto his couch. After a few drinks, we called Basedrum Crumb and invited him to come from Park Slope to meet us for dinner. (We had been planning to meet somewhere in the middle, but EB and I were too tired/lazy to walk.)

Instead, we walked down the street to a New Orleans-style bar and cafe called Stan’s Place. We had Abita beers (made in New Orleans) and three out of four of us ordered po’ boys. EB got catfish; Crumb got fried shrimp. Still in the mood for sandwiches, and having just finished reading a New York Times article on the dying art of the New Orleans po’ boy, I ordered the fried oyster po’ boy.

Like bahn mi, po’ boys owe some of their influences to French colonizers, in this case those who occupied the Louisiana Delta. They are made on the same baguettes and are sometimes also smeared with pate and filled with lettuce. After reading the article, I was looking forward to that crisp bread with a chewy interior. Unfortunately, the po’ boy at Stan’s didn’t live up to the ideal flavors and textures I had envisioned. The chew was lacking, as was the kick. The sandwich was also a steep $12. The oysters were tasty, though, and the crispy potatoes on the side were delicious. Probably the best thing we ate at Stan’s came before the sandwich: a spicy grilled andouille sausage appetizer with a soft homemade biscuit.

We still don’t know which neighborhood we’re moving to, but it’s clear that coming to Brooklyn will open up a whole new array of food options to explore. I’m looking forward to sampling the flavors of our new neighborhood.

Henry’s
433 7th Ave. (at 15th St.)
Brooklyn, NY 11215
718.788.8882

Stan’s Place
411 Atlantic Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11217
718.596.3110