Grub Street Diet: Carolyn Bane

@nymag
 on 2021.09.16
9 Places
@nymag
"It’s been 15 years since Pies ‘n’ Thighs first opened in the back of Rock Star Bar, serving biscuits and fried chicken. The Williamsburg of 2021 might be a very different place, but Pies ‘n’ Thighs — which reopened in its own space in 2010 — has remained the same. “I’m not sure our clientele is in our neighborhood,” says Carolyn Bane, who owns the restaurant with Sarah Sanneh. The last year has been a “roller coaster” with a lot of long days, but Bane says that Pies ‘n’ Thighs has gotten through it… okay." Edited by Chris Crowley --- For Carolyn's full Grub Street diet, click the link below.

WINNER

Cafe · South Slope

"Second coffee and avocado toast on Winner’s sourdough miche. I think it’s the best sourdough, and it’s in Park Slope, where I live. It’s really moist, pretty sour, dense. It just … if you slice it, the whole piece of bread is there, not a lot of holes."

The Meat Hook

Butcher shop · Williamsburg

"At Pies ’n’ Thighs, Ben from the Meat Hook dropped off a sample of our collaborative chicken-biscuit sausage, which they are selling at the butcher shop this coming weekend for our 15-year anniversary."

Pies 'n' Thighs

Fried Chicken Joint · Williamsburg

"It’s Pies ’n’ Thighs’ 15th anniversary, and friends and former employees around the country are creating dishes inspired by the restaurant. Meat Hook, Konbi, Han Oak, Tandem, Cicatriz in Mexico City, and Dough Mama. This group is so amazing I get teary, and Sarah and I are deeply moved that they are doing this during what is already a hectic time."

TALEA Beer Co.

Bar · Williamsburg

"We headed to Pies to taste beers from Talea, the new female-owned brewery in Williamsburg, with Roberto, our front of house manager. I can’t imagine the past year without Roberto. Sarah and I are unendingly grateful for his commitment. He’s been with us for years, knows the restaurant better than we do. The beers were great, all hazy IPAs and fruit sours."

Ace's Perfect Pizza

Pizza Place · Williamsburg

"After that, we went to Ace’s for Detroit-style pizza with another server, Elaine, and Rinzin, a former server, good friend, and current de facto mayor of Williamsburg. We ordered shared slices and wings and sat on the sidewalk. Pizza was crispy and light. I loved it."

OddFellows

Temporarily Closed

"It was beautiful, so we walked over to OddFellows on the river. I ordered a passion-fruit-pistachio cone, and my son got cookies and cream. He tried a lick of mine, just looked at me, and we switched. I tossed the Oreo after a few bites because I knew I’d get my cone back. I did."

Bourke Street Bakery

Bakery · Midtown East

"I had some Bourke Street Bakery challah, which is so heavenly fresh that even at two weeks old, it was fine for French toast. The challah is $12 or something, so it’s a splurge."

Grand Army Plaza

Park · Prospect Park

"Went to the farmers’ market at Grand Army Plaza. My son was hoping to buy “killer-bee honey.” We got eggs, apples, half-sour pickles, and a blueberry muffin."

Diner

American restaurant · Williamsburg

"We made our way over to Diner, our ancestral homeland, and sat outside. We ordered fluke crudo, brandade croquettes, chicken-liver pâté, a Caesar salad, and they sent us a squid, radicchio, and bacon salad. I had a Hemingway daiquiri, Sarah had a spiced-gin drink, and then we drank Schloss Mühlenhof “Das Ist Keine,” a bone-dry skin-contact Riesling blend. They sent us a chocolate-rye-whiskey mousse and Antica Torino amaro. All in all, an absolute feast."