As a big fan of Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s cookbooks, I was giddy to finally have the chance to visit one of her restuarants, Modern Love Brooklyn. The menu (which you know I studied thoroughly in the weeks leading up to our visit) was extremely tempting, leaning towards classy comfort foods.

One of the things I was most looking forward to was having a milkshake. For some reason I’d got it into my head that having a proper, decadent milkshake was a crucial component of the trip. And Modern Love truly delivered! There were a few milkshake options on the menu, and I got the chocolate one. Full disclosure, Dr HH shared this with me because we suspected (quite rightly, as it turned out) that it would be too much for me on top of all the food. It’s wise to recognise one’s own limits. It really was decadent, creamy, chocolatey, and exactly what I’d hoped for. There’s one place in Prague that has recently started serving a vegan milkshake, but it is just not the same.

On the food front, we definitely over-ordered. Dr HH and I wanted to share the buffalo seitan wings so we ordered one portion – but it was so gigantic we thought the waitress must have misheard and brought us two. But no, this is a single portion of a starter. What a country! The mock meat texture was really enjoyable, though again I found it a bit denser than the seitan I’m used to in Europe. The buffalo sauce was pleasantly fiery, without being too overwhelming, though the pot of ranch dressing was absolutely necessary. These were extremely filling, and to be honest, together with the milkshake, they would have filled me up. But we kept on going!

Dr HH stayed on the meaty theme with his fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and slaw. The chicken (crispy mushrooms) were sensational, and he enjoyed the mash and gravy too, but reported that the slaw felt a bit boring alongside it.

Mother HH had her wits about her and ordered a lighter meal in this Greek salad. I always feel a bit anxious when a non-vegan companion orders something with a very veganised component, such as the feta here. But Mother HH is very open to these substitutes and she liked the cheese and found the salad as a whole tasty and refreshing. Phew!

No such light bites for me, of course. My eyes were once again bigger than my belly as I ordered not only a massive pasta dish, but also an additional helping of tofu fried chicken. This was the pasta alfredo, which is one of the recipes from Superfun Times which I can never wring a lot of flavour out of, so I was excited to experience it done properly. I also felt that this was too American a dish not to order. I’ve only ever encountered alfredo in American popular culture, and I was keen to see what it’s supposed to be like. The pasta was good and the saucy was creamy and rich, but to be honest I still found it quite mildly flavoured. The garlic bread on the side was nice, and the tofu chicken was crispy but wholly unnecessary for me. Still, no regrets! It was a really fun evening trying American dishes that I’ve seen recipes for or heard about on TV, and it was great to get to try them.

And the restaurant as a whole was really nice. Service was super friendly, and it was quite a spacious place, not as cramped as most places we visited (a commenter let me know that it’s more of a Manhattan issue than a Brooklyn one, so this checks out).

Brooklyn in general was a nice change of pace from Manhattan. The lack of skyscrapers meant we could actually see more of the sky and feel the sun on our bones, which was pleasant in early April. We could walk along the street together rather than pushing through the crowds in single file. Quite the treat! We particularly enjoyed the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which I can’t recommend highly enough. The Japanese garden was our top priority so we could see the cherry blossom – well worth it.

The rest of the gardens had plenty to offer as well, including the greenhouses and hothouses. It was a great time of year to visit as everything was in bloom. So pretty!

And for something completely different, after our meal we went to the Barclays Arena to see the Brooklyn Nets in action (basketball, to anyone else who doesn’t really follow American sports). We could not be described as basketball aficionados, so it didn’t seem worth paying the small fortune required to see the Knicks play in Manhattan. This was a happy alternative, and we had a great time. Sports with the national anthem, cheerleaders, and a jumbotron felt like an essential part of our American experience – right up there with the milkshake! It was really interesting to me that the arena was playing music and prompting chants and cheers from the crowd throughout – it didn’t really feel as organic as watching football in the UK, when it’s really about the connection between the players and the crowd and how they more organically rile each other up and groups of fans start a chant themselves. It kept the atmosphere positive, which certainly differs from some of the quieter crowds and duller football games I’ve experienced, but it felt a bit like cheating to me!

Is there a culinary experience from another country that you’ve seen on TV and are keen to experience yourself?