Soundbites III from the mind of Cafe Drake

Revealing too much is a weakness at Cafe Drake, and we generally blame it on our lethal Sidecars. In full sobriety however we're letting the cat out of the bag on a secret weapon sure to enhance many of your recipes, and leave guests wondering as to the elusive deliciousness haunting their tastebuds. The Mystery Ingredient of the Month is Chive Oil, sold mainly in Asian food markets but also in some gourmet stores and tricked-out supermarkets. Our brand of choice is Oriental Mascot, and a 5 oz. bottle can be had for under $3. (The same company also makes a Ginger Oil convenient for those too lazy to grate the real thing, and a Szechuan Pepper Oil that had us sweating more profusely than Pete Doherty at airport customs). A little goes a long way, so sprinkle sparingly over potato and root vegetable soups, or add a few drops to vinegarettes or reduced sauces. While powerful, the flavor dissipates during cooking, so like truffle oil, add towards the end of preparation; for example, after roasting cauliflower or yams, toss the hot veggies with a teaspoon of the oil for an unusual flavor boost. Or go gourmet with popcorn and moisten the cooked kernals with chive oil instead of butter. Also great atop ceviche or salmon tartare!

If you aren't familiar with New York-based artist David Herbert (whom you've met in these pages) already, well, you should be. For those in the area, a requisite trip is a visit to Chelsea's Postmasters Gallery for his stunning new show. Cafe Drake was lucky enough to attend the opening and after-party, where we leisurely plowed our way through a variety of cheeses, salami, salad, chicken satay skewers, pork-filled Beggar's Purses, dumplings and copious amounts of Cabernet. Even tastier are the mammoth sculptures, wall hangings and works-on-paper depicting a decaying metropolis. See it for yourself, or if unable, swing by www.davidherbert.com for succulent morsels of his work. [As an aside, the corner bar two doors from the gallery, Moran's, pours out impeccable Manhattans in an uber-cozy atmosphere aglow with wood fires and vintage crystal decanters.]

Cafe Drake has long heard the siren call of Frost Restaurant (193 Frost Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211, 718-383-8540), a nearby old-school Italian restaurant catering to the few remaining paisons in the area. Recently we paid our first visit to the near-historic establishment, and discovered solid, if not stellar, southern Italian fare served without pretense but with plenty of heart. Nearby Bamonte's will always be our favorite spot for wise guy dining, but Frost Restaurant serves respectable food at (vaguely) reasonable prices. Short on atmosphere (bright overhead lights illuminate an authentically dressed local crowd partial to velour tracksuits), one must approach dinner here as a vanishing relic, a glimpse into the formerly Sicilian majority that once called Williamsburg home. Complimentary bread and butter were standard; more unusual were the infernally hot roasted green peppers served alongside. Oil-slicked and potent with brimstone heat, the chiles were appreciated by Cafe Drake and our taste for hellfire. An Italian House Salad ($8.95) is sufficient for even two very hungry diners, and while undistinguished, supplies a dose of green largely absent from the menu (where are the expected sides of escarole or brocolli rabe?). Shrimp Scampi ($15.95) will appeal to those with a taste for nostalgia, while the Calamari Al Diablo ($14.95) is tender, spicy and again, big enough in size for two. All entrees come with a side of pasta, expertly boiled al dente and crowned with a marvelous marinara (or "gravy" as most of the patrons here would say). If you're in the 'hood, Frost Restaurant is reliably good, though better meals await at Bamonte's, Cono's or La Locanda (all within a 10-minute stroll). [Don't just listen to us, however: Frost Restaurant in 2004 was named one of the Top 100 Italian restaurants in the U.S., and has received wide praise since its opening in 1959. Hey, we never claimed our standards aren't excessively high at Cafe Drake.]