Ultimate vs. Chicory

Ultimate Burgers and Dogs (243 Degraw St.) is now open in the space that Chicory used to inhabit. The tiny space has big shoes to fill from Chicory's much coveted fried chicken and meatloaf melts. Ultimate is more of a snack place though than a gourmet take-out place. Priced for the Great Recession, everything's under $8, only you'll need 2 dogs to make a meal, so you end up spending at least $10 anyway. The Chicago Dog with pickles, diced onions, tomato, peppers and relish ($4.50) is a surprisingly nice twist on the familiar, but the cost is all for the toppings. The Italian sausage with onions, peppers and spicy mustard is more filling, but at $5.75 is approaching Shea Stadium prices.

All burgers and dogs are served with slaw and chips, which can be substituted for tater tots for $1. The tater tot portions could be bulked up, but can anyone ever get enough tater tots? The burgers are junior sized ($5.25), although big eaters will want to double them for $2 more.

Ultimate will be serving breakfast, much-needed for the area, beginning in a few weeks, and are just serving lunch and dinner till they get the kinks out. So far, it's not quite on par with Chicory, but surpasses the declining Cobble Grill.

Best Place to Get an Inexpensive Steak in late 80s Mobster Luxury

Embers, 9519 Third Avenue (between 95th and 96th Street), Fort Hamilton
Its mirrored dining room looks like Alice’s Restaurant and a Barbizon studio had a love child, but the charred on the outside pink on the inside cuts of meat are right on the heels of Peter Luger’s. The 25-year-old restaurant lies in the shadow of the Staten Island Bridge and adjacent to a 53-year old butcher shop of the same owner, where the finest cuts of beef were reserved for Embers' notorious patrons. The now closed butcher shop serves as part of the kitchen, and the owner still waxes nostalgic about the days when Brooklyn’s most feared filled the two dining rooms and he didn’t have to take credits cards. The T-bone for 2 at $40 is half what you’ll pay at Luger’s and it will leave you bursting at the seams and every bit as meat drunk. It comes with broccoli and a delectable potato cake stuffed with prosciutto and mozzarella. Be sure to request the au poivre sauce, the best in Brooklyn and worth a 30-minute ride on R train. Select any of the very reasonable wines under $25 and save your money for a much-needed cab ride home.

TOP 5 BYOB restaurants in south Brooklyn

1. Zaytoons, 283 Smith St, Brooklyn (at Sackett St.)

A pleasant place for curbside people watching on Smith Street, or dine inside below colorful Middle Eastern chandeliers and faux stone walls. You may have to wait a half hour for a table on weekends, but the Zombie Hut two doors down has $2 PBRs and a tiki torch lit patio to pass the time. Two can eat well for less than $30 and Smith & Vine wine shop across the street features wines under $10. Menu picks: excellent babaganooj for a starter. The goat cheese pizza with tasty morsels of bacon never fails to satisfy, nor the hearty chicken shwarma plate.

2. Petite Crevette, 144 Hicks St (between President St. and Union St.).
A quirky fish place beside the BQE that has expanded its dinning room into the adjacent flower shop. An It has an eclectic atmosphere with an odd assortment of cozily positioned tables covered in butcher paper. Stop at Old Brooklyn Wine on Union St. around the corner. Corking fee is $5. Menu picks: start with the haricot vert salad. The whole fish are fresh but pricey. Stick with the salmon burger if you're on a budget or don’t want to see the face of your dinner.


3. Layla Jones, 214 Court St., (between Warren St. and Baltic St.)
A gem of a backyard with roomy wood tables under large umbrellas that povide some intimacy. The two long picnic tables can be put together for larger parties. Inside dinning is very cozy with only a handful of tables. The cheery red walls are decorated with interesting pictures of old New York. Menu picks: The Spaghetti and meatballs rivals mostly fancy Italian eateries at half the price. You can’t go wrong with the Fast Eddie either (pepperoni, meatballs, and sausage).

4. Ghang Thai Kitchen, 204 Smith St.
Among the ubiquitous Thai restaurants on Smith Street, this is clearly the crowd pleaser and best value. A long shiny wood table in the front can accommodate large (and sometimes loud parties), while the tables for twos and fours could be a little further apart. The ladies love the stark modern décor of exposed brick and clean bright lines, while the guys appreciate generous portions and a reasonable bill. Menu picks: veggie dumpling for starters and the drunken noodles with duck for an entree. Be sure and leave room for the fried ice cream, served flamming produce a shell of warm crunchy goodness.

5. Lucali, 575 Henry St. (between Carroll St. & Summit St.)
Not worth the weekend waits and a bit pricey for pizza, but if you show up at a quarter to 6 pm on weekdays you can get a seat. Otherwise, they'll call your cell in about an hour and a half when your table is ready. Arguably, the best pizza in Brooklyn served in a charming candlelit atmosphere. The old-world kitchen is nothing more than a couple of tables surrounding a brick oven from which the owner surveys the room. Hopefully, a promised new garden will alleviate some of the wait. Menu picks: the pepperoni and basil pie feeds two easily. Opt for the artichoke hearts during lent. Share a calzone for larger parties.