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VEGGIE FRIENDLY

VEGGIE FRIENDLY
The Brooklyn Papers / Greg

The word "diner" is deceiving.
It conjures up images of roadside greasy spoons dishing out comfort
in the form of home-baked pies and cup after cup of strong coffee,
or the newer diner-restaurants lit like Yankee Stadium for an
evening ball game and covered with miles of faux-marble Formica.
Menus at these mega-diners weigh as much as a Bible and include
everything from a Reuben sandwich to fettuccini Alfredo.



Manned by chefs, not cooks, a new breed of diner, the diner-cafe,
has taken root in some Brooklyn neighborhoods. These newcomers
provide standard, traditional diner fare – eggs with home fries
or burgers – alongside more adventurous dishes.



Refael Hasid, who opened the Hill Diner in Cobble Hill six months
ago, one-ups those other diner hybrids by dubbing his eatery
a diner-restaurant-cafe. Painted a deep persimmon, the room has
diner accoutrements like marble tables, metal chairs covered
in glittery black vinyl and a counter with stools.



A waiter in a Mr. Bubble T-shirt and jeans and a waitress – her
white polyester dress and apron swapped for an updated "uniform"
of a belly-shirt and tiny hip-huggers – work the room. Their
welcome isn’t the "Hi honey, how are ya?" variety,
yet it is friendly. In its first few months, Hasid’s diner has
become the local-hangout-casual-eatery-good-food choice for the
young Cobble Hill customer.



Hasid, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan,
aims for an elevated diner menu at reasonable prices.



"I’m not greedy," he says. In fact, indulgence comes
at a small price at Hill Diner – portions are generous and the
most expensive entree tops out at $12.



Sophisticated as Hasid’s menu may be, traditionalists who crave
eggs, bacon and home fries, or a good burger, won’t leave disappointed.
Vegetarians tired of baked potatoes and green salads, or "new-agey"
fare, will find the Hill Diner’s vegetarian dishes a refreshing
change.



A discriminating vegetarian can begin their meal with the creamy
cauliflower or the tomato ginger soup. Salads are numerous and
heaped with fresh, farmers market produce. Vegetarian entrees
include a fresh mozzarella with roasted tomatoes and olive paste
sandwich and a pasta dish featuring mushroom ravioli with ricotta
and spinach sauce.



"We get deliveries of fresh produce, meat and bread daily
from local businesses," says Hasid.



Two non-vegetarian appetizers were especially delicious. The
shrimp, in the shrimp with avocado mousse served in a crisp tortilla
shell, were sauteed until tender and redolent of garlic; the
mousse had the consistency of dense whipped cream.



The appetizer is eaten by breaking off a bit of the tortilla
shell and scooping up some of the mousse. Plop a shrimp on top
of that, with a dollop of the spicy salsa, and you have a great
Mexican-inspired opening to your meal.



Plump, juicy portobello mushrooms were stuffed with chunks of
shrimp, topped with chili mayonnaise and quickly broiled. The
shrimp emerged slightly tough, but the spicy mayonnaise and the
meaty mushrooms added the needed moisture.



The vegetarian combo of the day had the appearance of some Chinese
dishes without the gloppy, heavy sauce. In the center of the
plate sat a mound of basmati rice. Around the rice were garlicky
mushrooms still juicy after a quick saute in the fry pan, tender
sauteed broccoli, yellow squash and concasse (fresh, finely chopped
tomatoes). Light yet filling, the dish was carefully conceived
– not something thrown on the menu to appease non-meat eaters.



There are eight different burgers on the menu, including veggie
and salmon. The traditional burger arrived rare as requested
on a chewy baguette with sweet, sauteed onions, under-ripe tomatoes
and slices of pickle. It was a fresh-tasting, hefty burger replete
with grill marks and smoky, grilled flavor. Great fries – crisp
and seasoned with sea salt – and a pert side salad of baby greens,
splashed with a light, creamy dressing made amiable partners
on the plate.



A surprisingly tender hanger steak had a robust, aged tang, and
a veal demiglace (a reduced veal stock) enhanced the meat. Served
with those delicious fries and a mound of simply sauteed spinach
that soaked up the savory veal sauce, the steak and its side
dishes were a bargain at $12.



Desserts follow the diner-plus mode. On the tried-and-true side
are apple crumb cake, cheesecake and a pecan-chocolate fudge
cake. Breaking the diner tradition are coconut crisp with bananas,
a chocolate sherry volcano (flourless chocolate cake with a runny,
sherry-laced center) and creme brulee.



Vanilla and lemon zest flavor the cheesecake in a chunky, maple-flavored
granola crust; it was heavy in a satisfying way. Too bad the
coconut crisp with bananas – a thin layer of cake mixed with
shredded coconut – was a bit like chewing on hay.



Order dessert with a strong cup of just-brewed coffee or a frothy
cup of their superb cappuccino.



The Hill Diner edges closer to a cafe than the diners of our
past. It provides a good meal, in an unpretentious room, at a
fair price. Isn’t that what a diner is all about?

Hill Diner (231 Court St. between Warren
and Baltic streets) accepts cash only. Entrees: $8.50-$12. For
information, call (718) 522-2220.