An immigrant dream and Monsignor's Italian Restaurant

When Rafael Aranda arrived here in Sunset Park from Mexico in 1993 his first job was as a dishwasher at Gotham Bar and Grill. Barely a year after, he was given the position of chef specializing in Italian cuisine. So for over ten years he slaved away over a hot stove making Fettuccine Alfredo, linguine and many other dishes at Gotham, all the while honing his skills and improving his repertoire. He always had a dream that someday he would open his own establishment. As the neighborhood improved and gentrification began to move south from the Slope it seemed to Rafael that there was an opportunity for an Italian restaurant and so, less than a year ago he saw an opening with the availability off the present location ideally situated equidistantly from the Slope and southern Sunset Park and thus Monsignor's was born. It is the path that previous immigrants have taken to these shores.If you haven't dropped by yet do so.

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Village Voice rates 10 Best Sunset Park Restaurants

Being busy as I have been I missed the Village Voice rating of what they consider the 10 best restaurants in Sunset Park. New Belachan made the list and our Pacificana made the runner's up list. Sunset Park is becoming the place to go for Chinese and Mexican fare. The variety of eating fare that can be seen in our mall at our website is indicative of why our neighborhood is the up and coming hood to be in, even in this recession. I can only imagine what things would be if our economy was jumping. Remember that if you live in the area the only way to keep these places going is to patronize them and keep our capital in the hood. Now go out there and eat.


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A new kind of Bakery in Sunset Park

In what I hope is a new trend in the neighborhood is the opening of La Boulangerie Lopez in the Greenwood Heights section of the neighborhood. Hopefully the concept will spread. We are sadly deficient in good coffee establishments that serve good baked goods and internet as well. The only free wifi zones so far to have opened in the neighborhood are the free service offered by McDonald's and that offered by the Public Library. Though somewhat similar to a Starbucks, something we don't have in our neck of the woods, La Boulangerie boasts fresh baked goods baked right on the premises with a far wider variety than the fare at Starbucks. One thing that is lacking in the neighborhood is wifi access for those of us who are on the road and need to connect while we are out. La boulangerie is I hope the start of a good trend in the neighborhood. While we do have a goodly number of Internet cafe's in the area, especially on 8th Avenue. They do not have wifi access and you must use their computers. Out of luck if you lug a laptop as I do. The baked goods at La Boulangerie and the Cafe varieties should make Starbucks blush. The place already has acquired a rather strong local following and clientele. Perhaps now that some in the southern part of the hood are aware of it, they too will partake of the experience. Support your local businesses and drop by.

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Eating Italian in Sunset Park

Italian restaurants in Sunset Park were a rarity. Oh yes, you could get some at some of the pizzerias like pasta dishes, but the variety or ambience just wasn't there. If you wanted real Italian food you had to trek out of the hood to Rocco's Calamari or New Corner. Two great restaurants on the fringes of our nabe.

Well, we now have two new restaurants that have recently opened featuring Italian cuisine exclusively. The first is La Cucina on 5th Avenue and 45th street. The new restaurant features a full italian menu and a pleasant interior. Hopefully it will be able to do well and gives more culinary variety to the nabe. The second restaurant to open it's doors in the nabe is farther north at 5th Avenue and 20th in the Greenwood Heights section of Sunset Park. It's name is Monsignor's the name evokes a rustic Italian country side and it's menu is somewhat reflective of this. It is good to see these new eateries open in the neighborhood. Of course the only way to guarantee they remain open is for us to patronize them and help our local economy at the same time. If the food is good, I can certainly see them around for the long haul.

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Easter in the Hood

I stumbled on this wall in my meanderings in the neighborhood after visiting Green-Wood Cemetery and the graves of my parents and aunt and uncle and thought to myself. What an appropriate scene for an Easter Sunday. The wall is on the corner of 64th street and 7th Avenue on the side of the Dunkin Donuts located there. There is an evangelical church located across the street. It may be that they are responsible for it. Kudos to Dunkin Donuts to being open to having it painted on the side of their building.