Food Diaries: The Eating (and Drinking) Habits of 5 Notable Brooklynites
Laura O’Neill
Restauranteur, Selamat Pagi and Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream
Sunday
I was in Toronto over the weekend playing Canadian Music Week with my band Laura + Greg. After our last show we headed to a great bar in the Kensington Market called Cold Tea. After a beer we quickly grew hungry for poutine and headed to Poutini’s House of Poutine on Queen West for a midnight large vegetarian poutine. It gave me stabbing pains in my stomach by the end, but was totally worth it.
We were staying with our friends and awoke to an awesome spread of coffee, homemade tofu scramble, Montreal-style bagels and fresh fruit. Next is an early afternoon iced coffee and superfood brownie from Jimmy’s in the Kensington market, then two mini vegan donuts I felt obliged to buy after using the restroom of a cafe near the Trinity Bellwood Park, where we were enjoying the sun.
Lunch was a date almond smoothie and spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce at Fresh, then a hummus plate at Pearson airport, tea and cookie on the plane, and a beer once home in Greenpoint.
Monday
Iced coffee from the little Variety on Driggs. I could wait and grab a freebie at one of our stores, but I know it’s gonna be a big day and I need it now! I grab a bag of raw cashews to nibble on while installing new menus over at our Bergen Street store.
My business partner Ben gave me half a vegan empanada; I’m not sure where it’s from, but it’s delicious. Drank a coconut water.
My brother and his wife are in town visiting from Melbourne and I ride my bike over the Williamsburg Bridge to meet them for dinner. We eat at The Fat Radish and I have the spring pea pot pie with creme fraiche and the curried monkfish with wild rice—really good. I opted out of dessert before my bike ride but eat a grapefruit once I’m home.
Tuesday
More cashews. We have a photo shoot of the ice cream truck down on the Greenpoint waterfront and I eat two cones by 11am (one strawberry/chocolate the other pistachio/ginger). I grab Toby’s Estate iced coffee.
Ben, Pete and I have a working lunch at Little Dokebi. I greedily order two mushroom tacos, a fish taco and veggie gyoza; my eyes have always been bigger than my stomach.
I bring my brother and his wife for dinner at Selamat Pagi, we share everything including the bali urap (green papaya salad), long bean lawar, coconut sautéed kale, tamarind tempeh and spring rolls. We’ve been open 18 months and I’m still hooked!
We head to Music Hall for the Angel Olsen show and I have two Sierra Nevada Pale Ales. Afterwards we all get falafel at Oasis. Two Advils for me, then bed.
Wednesday
I start the day with a cappuccino at our new pop-up shop on S 2nd. Lunch meeting with Ben around the corner at Cerveceria Havemeyer. We share shrimp tacos, cactus tacos, some guac and a tortilla soup.
My boyfriend makes us cashew cheese and lentil soup for dinner. The cashew cheese was awesome and super easy to make.
We head to Alameda for a drink with friends and I inevitably end up snacking on some cheese fries. Then we head around the corner to Achilles Heel where our friend Pocean is playing. I have a gin and tonic and a glass of Gamay.
Thursday
Americano and Ovenly choc chip cookie.
My brother’s leaving today so we have one last meal together at the new Russ and Daughters. It’s super cool. I go with “The Classic” (bagel, salmon, cream cheese, tomato, onion, capers) and one of their house made Concord grape sodas. Then more coffee.
Later in the office we are discussing a line of limited edition flavors I can’t help but grab a scoop of our new milk chocolate ice cream with salted marcona almonds.
Greg and I are headed to record tonight. I grab a veggie burrito from the Taco’s Morales Truck on N 7th and Bedford (my favorite). I get it with the works, spicy and wrapped in foil so I can shamelessly eat it on the L train.
We get back to Brooklyn at almost 2am and can’t resist our second Oasis fix for the week.
Odds & Ends
What five things do you always have in your refrigerator?
Crystals Hot Sauce, Seltzer, Cuties (clementines), Tahini, Avocado.
What’s your go-to midnight snack?
Vinnie’s Pizza- cheese slice with mushrooms and pineapple or Oasis Falafel.
What’s the weirdest food combination you’ve ever tried?
I put Crystal’s Hot Sauce on our family meal banana pancakes at Selamat Pagi once. Took a risk, paid off.
What’s your usual order at a bar?
A light red wine or a Guinness.
What’s your favorite restaurant in Brooklyn?
Reynard’s.
What’s your favorite bar in Brooklyn?
The Brooklyn Rod and Gun Club
What’s your irrational food aversion (if any)?
It’s not really irrational but I hate rosemary, it’s destroyed many roast potato moments in my life.
Are you pro- or anti-brunch?
Pro, so long as there are good non-egg options and no annoying wait.