Want A Taste Of Heaven?

New York has so many great laces to eat. How many? Well, how about this stat:

Google Maps: 48,960 restaurants in New York City

My wife Alex and I have been trying to explore places all over the vast reaches of New York City, which is how we ended up in Brooklyn!

Welcome To Lilia – The Pride Of Brooklyn!

Lilia is located in Brooklyn, which is across the east river from Manhattan – easy to get to by subway, as it’s about a ten minute walk from the Bedford stop on the “L” train. Here is their mission statement:

“Lilia brings the best of Italy to Williamsburg where wood-fired seafood, hand crafted pastas, classic Italian cocktails and warm hospitality come together to create a casual dining experience.”

It’s a restaurant that feels casual and fun, with an upbeat, loose atmosphere – the staff is incredibly friendly and they take time to talk to you, even though it is always packed…and food shows up that offers a feast for the eyes as well as the palate:

I’ll dive into the menu in just a moment. What we love about Lilia is the fact these dishes are beautifully presented and delicious as well, with some novel ingredients that make them stand out…the credit goes to Chef / Owner Missy Robbins:

More on Chef’s background in a moment but first, it’s time to have a perfect Martini to begin the meal:

Thirst quenched for now, we dug into the menu many different ways on multiple visits over the past several months – there are signature dishes that are always available, as well as an ongoing list of specials that take advantage of the best the local markets have to offer.

Salt Roasted Celery Root, Capers, Marjoram, Black Pepper

I expected to see celery root at a French restaurant, served shredded with mayonnaise..I love that, but this dish, served hot, allowed a completely different take that I love! Here’s another unique recipe:

Grilled Artichoke, Garlic, Orange, Parmigiano, Breadcrumbs

This is delicious. You grab a – ready for this name? Grab one of the “Involucral bracts” and scrape away the bottom of the “leaf” with your teeth. While I can’t really explain it well, it’s delicious, with the hint of orange and cheese making the artichoke pop with flavor! 

And as I’ve said already, this is food delivered to the table as a work of culinary art.

There are a number of appetizers like this, and then some nice dishes you can eat with a main course or pasta, or an antipasti:

Italian Broccoli, Parmigiano, Chili Oil, Lemon

Cooked al dente, the slightest crunch and smokiness of the broccolini works so well with lemon and chili oil…

One night we had a special side dish of glazed peas pods…and another night this fresh tomato salad with olive oil and mint leaves was refreshing as well:

Now, onto heartier fare:

Grilled Prawns, Fennel Pollen, Lemon

Lilia’s take on “peel and eat” shrimp, but you will love tearing the head and shells of an devouring these delicious Prawns – and you will lick all of your fingers afterwards as well!

Grilled Clams, Calabrian Chili, Breadcrumbs

These grilled clams are one of the signature dishes, powerful pools of clam goodness as you dredge them out of the shell to get all of those slightly crispy breadcrumbs!

From on signature dish to another: time to share the most popular pasta dish on the menu – and the most heavenly bite of goodness ever!

Sheep’s Milk Cheese Agnolotti, Saffron, Dried Tomato, Honey

This iconic agnolotti dish is like biting into a pillow of flavor: the cheesy goodness with saffron and honey – simply incredible!

Here’s how our table was looking at this point:

There’s more pasta to come however:

Fettuccine, Lamb Sausage, Tomato Passato, Lemon, Pecorino

While the dishes aren’t massive, they are so rich with flavor that you can get filled up fast – and there is more to come!

Mafaldini, Pink Peppercorn, Parmigiano

Simple. Delicious. The pasta is meaty and chewy, with the peppercorn and parmigiana coating it just enough to allow it to pop a bit in your mouth…

Spaghetti, Pine Nuts, Lemon, Parmigiano Reggiano

Another simple dish created perfectly…and here’s another pasta dish we enjoyed that I think was a special but can’t quite remember!

Spaghetti with a with red sauce, fresh tomato and basil – and it allowed me to get my favorite shot of noodles:

As for the main courses, there aren’t many on the menu: a fish, a chicken and a steak – but each one is served perfectly:

Black Bass, Salsa Verde, Coal Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes

Sea Bass has a rich, nutty flavor and the salsa verde and potatoes are deliciously filling….we are also huge fans of this dish:

Grilled Chicken Thigh & Leg, Fingerling Potatoes, Grilled Lemon, Garlic

This chicken dish is packed with flavor: the slight char of the grill, the lemon and garlic infusing it, and of course, potatoes!

Of course, we had wine with the dinner and it’s a great list with a wide variety to options and prices:

What a terrific meal – every single time we dine there…and again, and incredibly welcoming and knowledgable staff! Now, back to Chef / Owner Missy Robbins:

Missy found her Italian soul in her five years as Executive Chef at Spiaggia from 2003-2008 in Chicago – Spiaggia was a Windy City institution!

Missy returned to New York in Fall of 2008 to be the Executive Chef of A Voce Madison and A Voce Columbus, and was honored to be one of Food and Wine Magazine’s Best New Chefs in 2010.  Missy moved on to open her first solo venture, Lilia, in early Winter of 2016. Shortly after, the beloved spot earned three stars from the New York Times. Missy’s first book “Breakfast , Lunch, Dinner…Life” was published in September 2017. She was most recently recognized as Best Chef New York City in 2018 by the James Beard Foundation. Her second book, PASTA, was released in October 2021.

Bravo Chef!

After this incredible meal, we took a car back to Manhattan, and when you cross the Williamsburg Bridge, this is your view:

Alex and I have been eating our way though some of New York’s best restaurants, like Tatiana:

This is Chef’s signature dish – and Tatiana now routinely is named the best restaurant in the city…here is my review:

Alex and I have been on a food journey through New York: some of the classic restaurants as well as new places with some very unique dishes like this:

Yes, that is a “Cacio e Pepe Ravioli-Topped Filetto!”

Click here for details and more wild food!

I’ve shared some really unique dining experiences from New York, like a Sunday brunch with a gospel choir! Take a listen!

See more of the “Sing Harlem” choir and get an unclose look at our food by clicking on my story here:

Speaking of iconic New York restaurants, I have eaten a few times at one that was memorialized forever in a movie:

Katz’s Deli was the location for the hilarious scene from “When Harry Met Sally” – and they filmed it there – and it’s also home to one of the world’s greatest pastrami sandwiches:

You can see myt meal there, along with a celebration of all things pastrami by clicking on my story here:

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Categories: Alcohol And Bars, Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Chef memoirs, Eat This!, Fine Dining, Food, Food Travel, Recipes, Restaurants, Travel, Wacky Food, Wine, World's Wildest Food

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