Vinnie’s Pizzeria on Bedford is known around the internet for their Tom Hanks trash can and their creative whiteboards. This week’s boards feature Game of Thrones characters in honor of the show’s return on Sunday. See more (more…)

We feel spoiled. One quibble though… we don’t really consider an $115 tasting menu bar food. Still, we’re glad to see North Brooklyn get some love.

Best Miso Ramen:
Ramen Yebisu
126 N. 6th St., nr. Berry St., Williamsburg; no phone
Akira Hiratsuka ages his fresh Sapporo-style noodles for 48 hours to develop their slightly tangy flavor. He complements them with an elegant broth based on charred pork and lobster stock, sweet miso, toasted sesame, and an avalanche of chopped green onions ($12).

Best Patty Melt:
Parish Hall
109A N. 3rd St., nr. Berry St., Williamsburg; 718-782-2602
Pat LaFrieda has nothing on this magnificent burger blend: It’s lamb bacon mingled with beef, and it’s rich and drippy and delicious in ways we’ve yet to fully comprehend. The decision to serve it with grilled onion and good Welsh-style farmstead cheese on butter-griddled planks of rye from the neighborhood Polish bakery is a stroke of genius that could spark a patty-melt craze ($15 with salad or fries).

Best Grass-Fed Burger:
Reynard
80 Wythe Ave., at N. 11th St., Williamsburg; 718-460-8004
Unlike many lean, gristly grass-fed burgers, this one is leavened with lots of juicy fat and topped, for good measure, with an optional wad of melty Gruyère for $16 including fries.

Best Double Cheeseburger:
Blue Collar
160 Havemeyer St., nr. S. 2nd St., Williamsburg; 347-725-3837
One theory behind the success of the double is that two thin patties are better than one: the top effectively basting the bottom with its meaty drippings, thereby creating an ideal ratio of juicy beef to squishy bun ($6.25).

Best Bar Food
Aska
90 Wythe Ave., nr. N. 11th St., Williamsburg; 718-388-2969
Depending on what’s on hand in his kitchen that day, the bar menu at Fredrik Berselius’s ascetic, Scandinavian-themed Williamsburg restaurant might include platters of plum-soft beef cheeks, fresh oysters “foraged” from the coves of Long Island, and fanciful Scandinavian-style hot dogs wrapped in tacolike rotis with relish and frizzled onions. If you have just one dish, however, make it the classic “potatis” potato dumplings ($6), which Berselius and his chefs stuff with a savory mash of cabbage and pork and serve, the way they do in the farm kitchens of Sweden, with smoky spoonfuls of farmer’s cheese and a sweet touch of lingonberry.

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Greenpointers recently announced a contest to see who could name Paulie Gee’s latest pie – a pizza that replaces vodka sauce with a sauce made from sake. They came up with some great suggestions — The Akira Kurosake, Land of the Rising Dough, Greenpointzilla — but Paulie seems to prefer classic rock names like In Ricotta Da Vita and Grapeful Dead. Here’s what he told Greenpointers:

“We are going to go with a name suggested by our busser Jake. It will be called Sake Mountain Way, a take off on the Joe Walsh song Rocky Mountain Way. Jake was inspired by whomever suggested Sake Balboa, so whomever suggested that is the winner.”

We love Paulie Gee’s and can’t wait to try it.

Fortunately, Paulie’s looking to name another pie:

inspired by my favorite calzone. Fresh mootz, sliced Canadian bacon, sweet Italian fennel sausage, a touch of fresh basil and post-oven ricotta dollops.

Any ideas? Go leave your suggestions at Greenpointers.

Speaking of Paulie Gee’s… he’s opening shop in Baltimore!

Has anyone checked out any of the “Tiki Disco” events? If you haven’t, you absolutely want to make your way to Bushwick(Morgan L stop) on Sunday for the opening of their 3rd season at Roberta’s. It started out with three friends(Andy Pry, Lloydski, Eli Escobar) just spinning for their pals and neighborhood locals. Now it’s insane! I’m talking lines out the door insane.

If you want to make sure you get in, I would suggest showing up before the 2pm start time. Their parties tend to reach capacity within the first hour. Be prepared for a full 8 hrs of dancing to classic house and disco mashed with some of the tasteful sounds of the present. Party ends around 10pm. Lets all pray and knock on as much wood as possible that the Sun has been kind to dear old mother nature and she has nothing to cry about this weekend.
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Specialty pizza chain Two Boots is giving away free samples of their The Dude pizza (Cajun bacon cheeseburger pizza topped with tasso ham, andouille sausage, ground beef, cheddar, and mozzarella) right now. If you’ve never been to Two Boots, the chain was started by two filmmakers in the Village in the late ’80s. Today’s The Dude samples – named after the protagonist in The Big Lebowski - is one of their many special pizzas named after movie icons. One of the locations even doubles as a video rental store.

Stop by any of the Two Boots locations between 4:20 (ahem) and 6pm for your free half-slice. Closest to North Brooklyn are the ones in Park Slope and on Avenue A in the Village.

Any news on when/where/if they are reopening?

“The building is not falling down and poses no danger.” – a quote given by motorino’s pr representative to Gothamist, after it was alleged that the neighborhood’s popular little pizza joint was tipping over.