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Talde in Park Slope
When Talde launched in 2012 I was immediately on board. A Top Chef alum opening a spot in my hood? Sounds like a food adventure, sign me up. Especially in Park Slope where, if you throw a rock, you’ll either hit a basic Italian restaurant, a safe American spot, or a couple with two babies and a dog taking up 98% of the sidewalk.
Park Slope has plenty of good food options, but it was aching for a little Filipino infusion, is what I’m trying to say. I’ve eaten at Talde consistently since it opened and it’s gone from very-good to truly-great in a short time.
It’s a dependable spot for various foodie-types. If you’re a loud hipster that loves digging into small plates with drunken friends by huge windows, this is your place. Or maybe you’re a couple that digs sharing pitchers of, say, Obama’s Punch (rum, vodka, curaçao, vanilla, blood orange) while splitting plates of Crispy Oyster Bacon Pad Thai? Or perhaps you’re a solo foodie that loves drinking white wine and eating Pretzel Pork and Chive Dumplings at a bar overlooking the kitchen. Whatever your ilk, Talde has you covered.
I was here a week ago and marveled at the well-oiled machine it’s become. Packed to capacity (about 65 folks) the kitchen was not only cool and collected, but dishing out perfect flavorful plates that you wish would never end.
This time around, Kim and I started with the Vietnamese Garlic Shrimp. A thing of beauty, for sure. Subtle char on the shrimp, harmonious mix of flavors and texture with pomelo, escarole, and yummy peanuts. It’s a dish that screams summer.
Next up, we shared a huge bowl of Wanton Noodle Soup like you’ve never had before – unless you’ve been to Talde for brunch and had buttered toast Ramen. This ain’t fast food wanton soup, fo shizzle. A deliciously opaque broth permeates soft noodles and pork wantons, bitter greens, pork belly, a delectable six minute egg, and two customers with giant smiles wrapped around their heads.
We finished with Korean Fried Chicken with spicy kimchee yogurt and mint, balanced perfectly with, of all things, grapes. Motherfuckin grapes. Absolute crispy genius.
We were too stuffed for dessert, although I can eat their Halo-Halo till the cows come home. Now truth be told, I’m accustomed to over-doing it here, especially for brunch. For me, heaven is a seat by the window with my girl and way too many plates on the table. A pot of french press coffee, Breakfast Ramen, Tator Tots with sriracha ketchup, Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Fried Rice, Roti, and Kung Pao Chicken Wings with Waffles. I can always buy a new belt when this one runs out of holes.
Talde is definitely the best of Dale and company’s mini-empire which also includes Pork Slope and Thistle Hill in Brooklyn. I’m looking forward to seeing how his new place in Jersey City carries the torch – and if those folk are hip enough to know a good thing when they put it in their mouths.
In the meantime, Dale has paved the way for other adventurous spots in South Slope like Chris Cheung’s eternally tasty East Wind Snack Shop and a brand new joint called The Tuscan Gun by Cooking Channel’s Gabriele Corcos. It’s a good time to know what’s good.
Almost every year for the past 6 years and on the same day, I’ve posted the same pic of me in the hospital during my temporary and untimely demise in 2015. A few weeks after I was back to “normal”, I asked Eric “Why’d you take the pics?” And he said, “I knew you would want to write about it if you lived.” Eric was right. Eric was often right and Eric always had my best interest at heart. I am going to miss my friend.
You ever meet someone and become friends immediately?! Well this was not the case with Eric. Before he was my manager at Morgan Stanley, I would often see this 6’4″, giant white guy walk up to the only black woman at work, say something then walk away without any hint of human emotion. Naturally I thought he was a jerk until I asked her “Yo, is that dude bothering you?” She laughed and proceeded to tell me he was a great person, which I ultimately got to experience first hand. Little did I know this Italian from Staten Island was more Brooklyn than most Brooklynites.
Eric was not with the shits!! If there were ever someone who lived their life in direct, honest and no uncertain terms, that would be Eric. He would ask me questions at work like “Why are the other consultants making more money than you?” I knew the answer to that question and so did he. Eric then proceeded to increase my salary by 15K. After arguing with all our managers that “You need to hire Alfred!”, they eventually did 1 year prior to the 2015 incident. In the hospital, one of my friends asked me, “What if you didn’t have health insurance when this happened?” I would be in debt for the rest of my life is the obvious answer. I still am in debt for the rest of my life but at least, it is to those who made sure I had a more enjoyable life and for that, I will gladly repay.
My mom loved to tell me the story of how she met Eric. After they told her I was going to be in the ICU for some time, she told the doctor “Well I’m not going anywhere.” She then hears a voice from that back of the room that says “Well I’m not going anywhere either!” That was Eric and in true form, he was at that hospital every single day until I was discharged.
Eric passed away in December 2021 of stage 4 cancer. After feeling faint on his way to my bbq, he went to get checked out and was diagnosed. During the past 5 years, Eric lost his mom, twin brother and dad. I can’t even begin to imagine what that must have felt like but I’m glad that pain he was feeling is no more.
From being my manager to my business partner, writer, book editor, artistic director, and most importantly, my friend, I am going to miss you MC Krispy E a.k.a “Enrique Pollazo!” And although you told me Enrique means Henry in Spanish and not Eric, it was too late!
Sidebar. The day I was discharged, while everyone was deciding what was best for me, no one had remembered that I would need clothes in order to leave the hospital. Eric shows up (unasked) with all the clothes I had on the day I coded, laundered and ready to go. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve friends like this but i need to keep doing it! Sidebar complete.
Rest in Peace Eric. “Be Good.”
I had the distinct pleasure of participating in a panel discussion on writing your first book, presented by the Harlem chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Alongside Jim St. Germain, Author – A Stone of Hope: A Memoir and Dr. Keneshia Nicole Grant, Author – The Great Migration and the Democratic Party: Black Voters and the Realignment of American Politics in the 20th Century. We opined on pain points, benefits and strategies regarding our inaugural voyages into authorship. Feel free to watch for your self and I hope this provides some insight to all those looking to make the same voyage. Enjoy!
