Get A Little Bit Of Sweetness – And Savory – At Ted & Honey

July 17, 2012 Denise Romano

Risotto balls from Ted & Honey.

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Located quietly and conveniently next to Carroll Park, at 264 Clinton Street, Ted and Honey is a neighborhood café that has a cozy and homey, yet upscale, feel and a well-balanced menu that attracts neighbors and foodies alike.

Run by brother and sister team Chris “Ted” Jackson and Michelle Mannix Jackson, aka “Ted” and “Honey,” the four-year-old restaurant’s menu features locally organic food made on the premises. All of the bread is from Caputo’s Bakery and the coffee is D’Amico’s. Nearly everything is made from scratch, from the baking and turkey brining to the ketchup, mustard, pickles, bacon, mozzarella, hot sauce and barbecue sauce. Once a week, a farmer from Dines Farm in the Catskills drops off fresh, organically grown fruits, veggies and eggs.

Customers old and new have taken notice, enabling the four-year-old enterprise to expand into the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where their new commissary will give them more room to do prep work and to whip up dishes for wholesale, catering and the new event space.

Our pleasantly prompt waitress Tess explained that the restaurant has a line out the door with breakfast orders every morning and patrons often take their coffee and gourmet egg sandwiches to the park. The café has a truly community feel and the N.O.O.M. (next one on me) board in the back of the space, promising friends that their next drink is taken care of, is proof positive that everyone knows your name at Ted and Honey.

Although the menu changes weekly and seasonally, one thing never changes: its deliciousness. Influenced by southern-style cooking, the dishes highlight rich flavors that are perfectly balanced.

First we tried the Chicken Taquitos ($9), which had spiced chicken, placed into a deep fried corn tortilla. It was crunchy and crispy, and the tomatillo sauce was smoky and spicy, but not overpowering.

The Dayboat Scallops ($11) were heavenly, with meaty scallops that had the consistency of a steak instead of shellfish. It was served with corn and zucchini succotash in homemade crème fraiche which was sweet, cold and crunchy.

Next we had the Arancini ($9), rice balls which were perfectly crisped and filled with creamy risotto. The mozzarella inside was stringy and satisfying and the marinara sauce complemented it well.

The Grilled Watermelon Salad ($8) was exciting to the palate and eyes. The grilled fruit looked like sushi and had the consistency of a pepper, but tasted like sweet melon. It was served under arugula, feta and balsamic vinaigrette. The creamy feta and tart greens made a fully balanced dish.

On the entrée side, the Spring Pasta Toss ($12.50) was whole wheat spaghetti topped with sweet corn, zucchini, arugula, tomatoes, parmesan cheese and crème fraiche. It tasted fresh, full and rich, but not too heavy.

The Chicken Caprese ($14), which was one of the day’s specials, featured grilled chicken stuffed with mozzarella, tomato and basil with marinara sauce, white wine risotto and broccoli and purple cauliflower. The flavors were familiar and comforting.

One of Ted and Honey’s most popular items, the barbecued Spare Rib Plate ($16) featured all of the Southern-inspired favorites: spare ribs with homemade barbecue sauce, fingerling potatoes, corn on the cob and cole slaw. One could tell easily that the sauce didn’t come out of a bottle – we distinctly tasted the cinnamon and brown sugar.

We topped it off with a homemade chocolate chip sandwich with organic vanilla ice cream in the middle. Gooey and chocolatey, served with fresh berries — the perfect end to such a fabulously harmonized meal.

Ted and Honey

264 Clinton Street

718-852-2212

Monday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Takeout available

Reporting contributed by Heather J. Chin