Aurora Ristorante

70 Grand Street at Wythe Avenue, Wiliamsburg, Brooklyn
718/388.5100
about $125 for two, with a bottle of wine, without tip
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Dinner’s always nice when a group of you eat and drink without feeling like you’re at a restaurant. The waiter asks for your orders and serves them unobtrusively. He also knows when to ask if everything is okay and knows when to leave you alone. I wondered whether this is just a Brooklyn thing, and if it is, I might find myself in the area more often.

Aurora was a very cozy place for us to eat dinner one cold, Saturday night. Five of us shared two bottles of wine; one light and sweet and the other, heavier, courtesy of our waiter who gladly suggested them even though they weren’t the most expensive bottles on the list. The octopus was warm with potatoes and capers. The veal tongue was done just right and not overpowering. I loved the bagna cauda, the Piedmont anchovy dip served in half a roasted red bell pepper; it went well with all the vegetables that came with it.

I haven’t had pork belly with skin that was evenly toasted and crispy. The meat was so tasty and not at all salty, which is easy to do with pork belly. The broccoli rabe and caramelized apple were side dishes with it.

The frisée, fennel and pear salad was a nice addition to our table. My truffle ice cream was perfect with the chocolate powder and sauce. It was a nice ending to a very comforting meal.