I just got back from dinner at Marlowe & Sons in Williamsburg. It’s the second time in a week that I’ve left my Manhattan comfort zone. The original plan was to head to Pere Pinard for din-din and a good bottle of vino but the cash only policy put a damper on things so my scoffing-enthusiastic friends and I went to Marlowe. The wine list was great. Off the bat we ordered up a bottle of Dom de la Pepiere Muscadet 2007 to quench our thirst on a warm, muggy evening. The prickly, mineral, fruit and acid-driven wine delivered a treat.

The food was good too. While my dining mates devoured fresh oysters, I munched on a fat moist slice of tortilla. A shellfish allergy is my biggest gastronomic downfall. Following a shared salad of pig’s head with some bitter greens I’d never heard of (WHAT ARE THEY CALLED AGAIN SUSAN?), I enjoyed a hunk of bass with a delectable side of grits and fresh green peas and baby carrots. We washed down a cheese course with Puzelat’s Telquel (Pinueau d’Aunis), which initially showed fresh forward fruit and led way to a tang of mineral – all the while being deliciously drinkable. My only complaint of the night were the cheese servings — overpriced and stingy.

I loved the space at M&S it looks like an old-fashioned grocery store up front and the back has a New England oyster shack-pub vibe about it. It’s very casual and of course, being W-burg – very hip. The service was not bad, the chow was good and the wine list is great. I didn’t try the cocktails but I’m a fan of their house made bitters (my thoughtful friend Kristen had bought me a few bottles as a gift not so long ago), which they sell from their small retail store within the restaurant.

We’re walking back from the restaurant, then out of nowhere, there’s this street block that stole my heart. Right on Broadway between Bedford and Driggs. A beautiful historic stretch of buildings stood out in the land of stucco building fronts. I think it was the old Savings Bank building, surrounded by some lovely old architecture, a stones throw from the Williamsburg Bridge which was all lit up in the dark. I had an I Heart New York moment – in Williamsburg.

I took myself to Williamsburg yesterday. Not the trendy side of town but the still gentrifying spread past the Lorimer subway stop. As I walked south I felt like a lost tourist. Where the hell was I? Where were all the trendy boutiques? Strangely, it didn’t even feel like New York anymore, I felt like I was in Philly or LA. I kind of liked it. I felt instantly more at home when I walked into the chic new wine shop, Blue Angel Wines, on Grand Street. An Astor Wines alumni has hooked up with three willing partners and opened her very own wine shop. Kym Apotas has paid her dues, having worked at wine-centric venues like D.O.C. Wine Bar, Uva Wines and Astor Wines and Spirits. She’s a smart cookie, sports a girly-come-slightly-dark-rock-chick style and has a sound work ethic.

The shop’s décor is stylishly understated — all white walls, with rough and tumble salvaged wood carpentry. The back wall is adorned with beautiful silver-grey wallpaper laid with bare tree branches. The collection is small but she’s got some excellent juice on offer, made up of mostly small producers. It’s an eclectic selection and it is perfect for a hood that, until now, only had a dodgy liquor store with bulletproof glass.

Puerto Rico Importing Company plans on opening up next door. When they do, shoppers can purchase a bottle at Blue Angel and BYOB at Puerto Rico where they can sit in the garden out back and sip on a bottle

There is nothing more humiliating then being stood up — by a PR person — three times in a row! Ok she didn’t stand me up as such but has totally canceled out on me the day of our planned meetings that, strangely enough, she instigates. So when we were supposed to meet for dinner at Hundred Acres last night she must have felt bad about bailing and told me to go ahead and show up with a friend and it’d be taken care of. So I took my eager and gluttonous husband.

If you don’t already know, Hundred Acres recently opened after the owners closed down the former Provence, renovated the space and remodeled the menu. Unlike its more romantic, feminine and refined predecessor, Hundred Acres offers an haute American diner concept. The portions are massive, the food is totally unpretentious and it’s not for light, picky eaters. The kitchen turns out dishes like an open tongue sandwich, baked macaroni, chicken-fried rabbit and burgers. We went for the trio of toast, loved the liver mousse and fava beans and goat cheese toppings. Jim, in seventh heaven, sloppily devoured a mahi-mahi sandwich that was served in a bun alongside a pile of crunchy shoestring fries. I had the braised pork, which was a bit messy for my taste it came with grits and turnip greens but my plate generally looked muddy and unappealing. Our neighbor’s burgers looked great and that’s what I’m getting the next time. For sweets, the rhubarb crostada was perfect, a simple slice of pie-like dessert adorned with a generous cloud of whipped cream.

The previous wine director at Provence, the fabulous and glamorous Lee Campbell, had great taste in wine and offered some really good Loire wines. Her successor has some equally tempting geek bottles on the list. We picked a bottle of Huet Vouvray Petillant and it was incredibly yeasty and mineral. Loved it. Loved it. The choices by the glass aren’t quite as exciting but they are more approachable for the layman. Yes, it’s my blog and I can be an unabashed snob.

As we sat ourselves at the bar, I saw a sales rep from Opici who has been selling to Astor Wines for years, ever since my early days there as a full-timer. She was with her boss. Maria
was one of the nicest reps that we all adored at Astor and turns out that her boss is a sweetheart too. He discreetly paid for our bottle of Huet for no reason whatsoever. I didn’t even know until after they left – suave and sweet. Thanks Bill!