Silver Star Restaurant Brooklyn, New York

Silver Star Restaurant has been mentioned on this blog previously but is such a favorite of mine and mainstay of my misspent youth that I cannot help but report on every meal I have there, I have decided to do an annual spot with addendum's to each entry. Pictured above is the "Regular" for me the Roast Pork Chow Mein accompanied by Pork Fried Rice and a Crispy Egg Roll.

The Classic Wonton Soup, Today it was a little off (Hey nobody's Perfect not even Silver Star) as the Noodle seemed a little overdone and the Broth was slightly tasteless, still better than 99.9% in Brooklyn Chinese Food.

Waiter may we have some more Crispy Noodles please. These are always free, none of this the 3rd bowel and after we charge dollar.

Silver Star interior, This was a Saturday afternoon before the Dinner crowd arrived.

We have to work on getting past the line of scrimmage.

Silver Star exterior.

7/20/13 - I was here with Frank during the Dinner hour and the Hot and Sour Soup was Perfect, Once again only Silver Star makes it this way anymore in Brooklyn chinese dining.

The Sweet and Pungent Pork Combination comes with Soup, Fried or White Rice and Egg Roll ($8.95)

Just as Frank was telling me "This place can't be beat for Roast Pork" I spied in my Fried Rice a perfect cube of you guessed it, Roast Pork so I took a closeup shot with the iPhone. Yes that's Scrambled Egg in the Rice, another ingredient vanished from Brooklyn Chinese Food. On a personal note I do not like Egg's but this is So Good

LIONI's

"I Feel Like the King Of The World !!!"

I got it in my head one night that I wanted a Prosciutto Ball proper (no Rice) so the next afternoon I walked over to Lioni's which is only 2 avenues and 2 blocks away from my apartment and boy was it worth it. I recall enjoying Lioni's Prosciutto Balls but they seem to have become a bit more prominent these days as the customer in front of me ordered a dozen, I got a half dozen (6 for $5.00) and had them heat one up for the walk back (pictured above). A lesson learned over the years is Always reheat a Prosciutto Ball in a high temperature oven NOT a microwave as the breading does not get Crispy but soggy when you nuke it and from eating that Prosciutto Ball in the photo I swore to myself never to nuke again.

Lioni's prepared Food showcase. In certain Italian establishments I am hesitant to take photo's since I never ask permission and am waiting to hear "You No Take A Picture, We Take A You Camera And Break A You Head". So far no problems.

I spy with my little eye two kinds of Sausages (probably Hot and Sweet), Broccoli Rabe, Peppers (Sausage and Peppers for a Hero ?) and Pepper Shooters stuffed with Prosciutto and Sharp Provolone ensconced by some Black and White mini Cookies and what looks like Jelly Cookies.

After Lioni's I walked a half block over to Papa Pasquale's as I had in mind doing a Prosciutto Ball taste test but they only have the "mini" ones on the weekend and are more of a Rice Ball specialty place as far as "Balls" are concerned. It was worthwhile walking in as the counter person addressed me with "Waddya Need Pal ?" which is becoming a rarer saying in today's changing Brooklyn and just reminded me that much more of why I Love New York.

Probably the Best Prosciutto Ball I have yet to have. Just Perfect, Creamy and Delicious.

LIONIMOZZARELLA.COM

Juniors Restaurant - Brooklyn, New York

Alison wanted some "Deli Food" on her trip to New York so we tripped on over to the Famous Juniors Restaurant (Flatbush & Dekalb) which is the original Juniors begun in 1929 on this spot as the menu says.

Pictured above is the initial "Bread and Butter" openers but Junior's provided some Beets (nice) and Warm Cornbread (even nicer) to add to the Gestalt of it all.

Jamie's Bowl of Matzoh Ball Soup.

Alison's Corned Beef on Rye (and very lean).

Jamie's Meat "Loaf" with Delicious Collard Greens and Macamoni and Cheese on the side.

I pre-meditated on the train voyage over and went simple to sample the Cheeseburger Deluxe which was cooked to "medium well" perfection but still had some paper to it (fat) but still Excellent.

POWER TO THE PANCAKE !!!

Jamie cut a peace symbol for us to share out of our Potato Pancake 3 ways and it was most peaceful.

Our friend Lori sent over a Patti Smith poster for Jamie and I kept it a secret for a day or two before presenting it at our dinner suarez.

JUNIORSCHEESECAKE.COM

See You In My Dreams Brian

Had the most interesting and vivd dream and awoke relaxed and refreshed, I don't keep a dream diary but felt I had to put this one down.

I think I awoke in my dream and was at least in a bedroom in a spacious house I had never been in and both my parents were sleeping in the other room but I knew my mom wasn't staying over and she was going back to her own place so I decided that later that day I too would return to my apartment. Already fuzzy dream logic as my parents never lived apart.

Scene Change.

There was a free outdoor daytime concert by the Rolling Stones and a crowd was yet to really gather so I had a first row view and while I was aware of Mick I only really took notice of Charlie and Brian. I was closely watching Charlie from a slightly overhead view playing these incredibly tasty drum rolls and was thinking WOW no wonder he's Charlie Watts and a world class drummer, better than I thought he was and while he was way too busy for his style and possibly armed with a slightly bigger drum kit I was amazed. At another point a crowd had gathered and I was annoying some guys in front of me trying to get my spot back, I was honest with the guy and he begrudgingly believed me.

Then it was just me and Brian by the stage with no crowd behind us or anywhere, Brian was being very nice and cool with me but I recall none of our conversation if we even had one at all I just may have gotten a nice vibe from him (Hey, its a dream) and I think I slipped up and said something to puzzle him so I came clean and told Brian I was from the future but my dream got the math wrong and he said to me "You're not 87 years old" as opposed to 7 years old (I'm 47 years old and for some reason there was a built in increment of 40 years) so I showed him my iPhone and the internet as proof but he still didn't really believe me or did he.

Scene Change.

I was on an avenue full of stores somewhat like 86th street and away from my mom (I don't recall my parents being seen in the dream but their presence was felt) looking for the "Gimme Shelter" box set and wandered into a store looking for the music department, found some steps down to the DVD/CD room and there was a little white power strip that I felt was in a dangerous spot right along the two black rubber steps down. There was a guy sitting in a padded brown chair/recliner with an empty bottle who I assumed was just hanging around and I was also aware that I was missing the free concert but that had somehow morphed into a screening of the Gimme Shelter DVD I was looking for so I felt I was missing the movie as I was shopping for it. Although this film was called Gimme Shelter it was not the same as the Albert and David Maysles film that captured Altamont but more of a career overview with lots of various footage.

Right at the entrance by the steps was a 3 volume Kinks box set in a Blu-Ray box and wrapped in a flimsy cardboard guitar body a different shape and color for each volume but all containing early years and footage I had on DVDs elsewhere. I was being frugal and these box sets were pricey, I was expecting to see the Stones one in different bundles (i.e. with LPs, CDs, DVD etc) with a price of $94.99 and upwards, kept looking but couldn't find the Stones one that I assumed would be in a big display but came across a Procol Harum box set with a black and white photo of Gary Brooker's face on the front in a kind of padded box (Like David Byrne's "How Music Works" book) but the printing was very small on the back as I squinted to see what possible unreleased tracks were on it.

Then I woke up

Went to Amazon.com and spent $11.96 on the new Rolling Stones documentary "Crossfire Hurricane"

Advertising works in mysterious ways.