Recommendations for Brooklyn NY?

Toast
run4bread on 18 Apr 2013 at 10:59
hi, I am in Brooklyn for a week (Park Slope and the opposite side the P Park). What are the must try places for bread, bagels and pizza? Levain based preferred. It was great to come downstairs and find miche from Bread Alone on the counter! Looks like Amy's and Sullivan Street are only in Manhattan. Second question: My sisters want to go to Zabars, my grandmother's deli. I see rcommendations for Katz's. How are they similar, different? Thanks! Paula
For pizza, go out beyond Park Slope, to Coney Island Ave. (that's any one of a number of stops on the B/Q line). Ask someone on the street or pick a place that does not look fancy. There's a good place at Ave. J and Coney Island Ave. Buy by the slice and do not, I repeat, do not have anything put on your pizza. Make sure there is grease dripping when you tilt the slice; that is a sign of good pizza. I am sure there are websites where people recommend pizza. I love a place on the Upper West Side. There is also pizza in the Slope, but not as good. Another nice Brooklyn sight, is the beach. You won't be far. Walk on the boardwalk and up Ocean Parkway, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead. Zabars - This is where you want to go. Go to the fish counter during a week day. It will not be crowded in the morning or mid-day. If he is there, go to the Asian gentleman. He is the best slicer. They are all decent, so do not fret if you cannot get him. Ask for whatever amount of nova lox (about 1/4 pound per sandwich you will make). Watch him slice; he is an artist. Ask for an equivalent amount of baked salmon (called kippered salmon outside of NY). Go to the bakery section and buy some onion rolls (not great bagels at Zabars, but the onion rolls are amazing). Get regular onion rolls; the pocket onion rolls aren't as good. Buy some cream cheese, maybe get a tomato and a red onion. A knish if you like - they have kasha knishes, which are the best. Ask at the meat counter. Take all of this, walk the three blocks to the Park. Find a nice bench or sit in Strawberry Fields (nice and quiet). Make your sandwiches and eat. Eat it that day and do not save it. You will never have anything better. It is worth the $32 or more price per pound. To let you know how good this is, when we are in the city or just passing by from our usual trip from DC to New England and back, we always stop at Zabars - even though this adds an hour to the trip - to buy lox, baked salmon and onion rolls. There is usually one of us screaming something like, OMG this is so good.
thank you! I will see if I can do these. I love onion rolls. The sandwich description has my mouth watering and I am full from dinner! Fresh ricotta sounds wonderful too. The bagel hole is on the list. Breakfast tomorrow.