Restaurant Review (courtesy of the NYC DMV)

GREEN APPLE CAFE ( 110 Dekalb Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11201)

When forced to endure the rigours of license renewal at Brooklyn's Dept. of Motor Vehicles, a pleasant alternative to the neighborhood's plethora of street vendors and greasy spoon diners can be found tucked away on a leafy section of Dekalb Avenue. Green Apple Cafe boasts atmospheric aged walls (akin to any unrenovated apartment in NYC) colored the palest of apple greens and random flea market tables and chairs - a grand total of six - plus an incredibly friendly owner (think early 40s surfer dude) and efficient staff of One ready to wipe tables clean, serve floral iced tea brewed with Liptons plus rosemary and mint ($2.50), press the sandwiches on an ancient grill and generally run the entire affair with a cheerful competence. Cafe Drake, eager to forget the DMV experience (long lines, confused drivers and really bad lighting), supped lunchtime on a Pressed Sandwich of BBQ Chicken, Jalapenos, Smoked Gouda and artisan flatbread ($8). While not doused with enough BBQ sauce, the sandwich excelled otherwise, and we're willing to forgive the slight dryness of the protein. Is there enough sauce in Brooklyn to moisten the unfortunate choice of skinless, boneless chicken breast? A small side salad was elevated by house made Ceasar dressing and genuinely flavorful local tomatoes.

The charming owner/proprietor was kind enough to toss us a sample of the cafe's renowned smoothies - in our case, a lusciously thick and rich mix of soy milk, peanut butter, honey and miniature bananas.