#InauguralReview #TerrificTakeoutBrooklyn #BeachyPeachy #TeUra Il Ponte Cucina Italiana Since 2023 by Elez Bucaj #1215SurfAvenue #ConeyIsland #Brooklyn #NewYork
Say Enchante to the Branzino!
If you are a Peachy Deegan, you nearly never go outside of the uber-competitive dining realm of Manhattan because why would you, and when we do go to an outer borough, it is because in addition to fine food, someone has a great history (Joe Bastone) or an established prior relationship in Manhattan (Dino and Edin Redzic). Elez Bucaj has defied both of these: we met him for the first time at TeUra, which means bridge in Albanian, opened only 2 years ago on March 19, 2023. He is the founder and owner and came to America in 2002 from Albania and opened his first restaurant in 2007. It derives its name because bridges connect people, and his cuisine connects people too.
Your first impression is that you will not think you are in Coney Island or Brooklyn with ten chandeliers surrounding you. If you haven't heard, we are pro-chandlelier.
We are also pro-carb, obviously.
We were graciously greeted with the super fresh bread straight from their woodfire oven, which is the genius behind quite a lot here. We absolutely adored the total freshness and the garlic on top. This is brought to every table we are told, and this is our first visit ever here and the first time we met Elez.
The entire restaurant was clean and spotless, which is really hard to achieve we'd surmise with all of the sand outside! We really loved the bathroom too from the green tile (Peachy's favorite color) to the soap and of course it was clean or we wouldn't be telling you about it. Note there are plenty of people online writing about restaurants allowing spin from the spinmasters who may paint a picture that is not reality and get paid to spin yarns; we publish the truth and tell the truth always. We celebrate intelligence and excellence. You will see the woodpile as you go to the bathroom for the oven, and it evidences how authentic this place is! We cannot believe more people aren't talking about it. Yet. Plus Elez has super exciting news that we reveal...
Peachy conversed with the chandeliers once she ordered.
Naturally, we started with salads; the salad section is convincing with six choices.
Shrimp Salad spells summer with mixed greens, corn, avocado, and grilled shrimp in a lovely fashion (and they put the dressing on the side as we asked), while Shop Salad in the traditional Balkan style, has outstanding cherry and regular tomatoes with cucumber, mixed peppers, onions, olives, feta and evoo, perfectly light. Fresh burrata cheese, cherry tomato and evoo teamed up for the perfect simplicity of the Burrata Salad which you should order.
Pizza is the real piece de resistance here, and you should put it on your pizza bucket list. Eighteen inches of glorious woodfire oven pizza await you and there are beaucoup de choices, nineteen choices we count in fact! We began with the Margarita: Fresh Mozzarella, San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh garlic, basil and parmigiano. And the Vegetarian Pizza was a glorious garden of nutrition: fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, broccoli, mushrooms, peppers and onions. Normally, there are also olives but Peachy asked for the no olive version and they were happy to comply.
Chicken Parmigiana, traditional bread and pan-fried chicken with mozzarella and tomato sauce turned in a solid performance and we liked the ziti too that came to the party, especially the sauce. Five shrimp arrive in style (we chose to add the protein) to an amazing Fettuccine Alfredo, homemade with cream sauce, garlic and parmigiano. Note pictures are unedited always.
Other than the pizza, the Branzino was our favorite part and the flavor that emanated from the poisson was superior and the fish itself was fresh and properly super moist in the most delightful flaky fashion. Carrots, broccoli and asparagus balanced it out wonderfully.
We sipped on this spectacular Super Tuscan, and believe you should drink what you like, not what the world thinks you should pair with your food!
Note they also have their own wine which we may try another time.
It was a hot day.
Panna Cotta finished the experience on a sweet, positive note and we were tremendously impressed overall! Note that in mid-September, Elez Bucaj will be opening Elia's Casa Bianca on Manhattan's First Avenue in Midtown at 398 East 52nd Street so stay tuned.
