Dine In Brooklyn Restuarant Review: Soigne Restaurant and Wine Bar

Each March Brooklyn answers New York City Restaurant week with Dine In Brooklyn. A number of restaurants across the borough offer a three-course prix fix a lunch and dinner, and various specials at brunch. Eager to take advantage of the occasion we reached out to our friends Jason and Jackie to join us (Jason was one of Jared's co-workers from his Lounge Lizard days). We had a great meal, and a fun time visiting, with LOTS of laughs.

The four of us headed to Soigné Restaurant and Wine Bar in South Park Slope at 6th Avenue and 12th Street. Their Dine In Brooklyn Menu had a nice variety of options, and between the four of us we ordered everything. I started with Warm Potato Soup, moved to Hudson Valley Duck Breast for dinner, and finished my meal with Valrhona Chocolate Bread Pudding. The soup was excellent; it was creamy with a nice amount of potato chunks, bacon, and chives, and topped with some baked cheese bites. The duck breast was very tender, and served with sautéed greens, turnips, a roasted pear, and cornbread. All of the components were good, but the turnips needed a few more minutes to roast, and the whole plate could have used a sauce to kick it up a notch. In my opinion the bread pudding had just the right amount of chocolate. I love a chocolate dessert, but hate when it is very, very chocolaty. The caramel cream was a nice addition too. Jared started with the Simple Composed Salad, moved to the Barely Seared Scallops, and finished with the Ricotta Cheesecake. He gave his meal one thumb up. And, seeing as we were at a wine bar, we shared a bottle - not a couple like Jared suggested - of 2011 Hob Nob Pinot Noir, from France. I'm not a huge red wine lover but it was light and smooth and easy to drink. 

If you are looking for a great, relaxed meal (the space is small but not crowded, and the decor is simple yet stylish) and quality service in South Park Slope, definitely try Soigné Restaurant and Wine Bar.

Movie Review: A Place At The Table

Earlier this evening I went to the movies with Danielle (one half of Ryan and Danielle Beickert) to see A Place At The Table at the Sunshine Cinema. It was a great documentary, focusing on hunger and food policy (or the lack there of) in the United States.

The directors of the documentary, Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush, have created a powerful message in their film. The children and families they follow, the advocates and experts they interview, and the facts they present (in creative, clean graphics) paint a troubling portrait of families dealing with food insecurity. These families often go without meals or subsist on food that provides no nourishment. There were several key points made in A Place At The Table, but one of the most important is the link between hunger/food insecurity, and a child's positive growth and development and success in school. Without the proper access to healthy foods (rather than processed foods) from a young age, a child's brains will develop differently, they will be more prone to obesity, more susceptible to juvenile diabetes, and less likely to succeed in school. One fact to take away: 1 in every 4 children in the United States goes hungry every day. 

​A second key point was regarding the lack of a comprehensive food policy in the United States that works. The poor laws currently in place, including subsidies for agribusiness that produce the main ingredients in unhealthy foods rather than small, family farms that often produce quality fruits and vegetables, ever-changing funding for programs to help the needy and affect change, are negatively impacting many facets of our nation including education attainment and security. While I'm just touching on the points made and not explaining in detail their interconnectedness, it is extremely important to understand why this will be one of the defining issues of my generation, and the generations to follow. 

The bright spot in this documentary highlighted faith and community-based groups and school teachers, who are largely responsible for trying to ​fill the gap between what government subsidies provide, and what a family has and needs for regular access to food. It never ceases to amaze me how the goodwill and compassion of others, who truly work to benefit their communities, far outweighs the work of our elected leaders, who often claim to hold office for that very reason. (I realize that last sentence is a bit of a political rant, but whatevs, this is my blog.) I salute those groups and dedicated individuals, and specifically in A Place At The Table, the Plateau Valley Assembly of God in Collbran, Colorado, which you can read a bit about here. 

​If you're looking for a good movie to watch, I highly recommend A Place At The Table.