Camera in the Kitchen: Miranda

In a city with an abundance of Italian and Latin flavors, it's surprising that these cuisines don't intermingle more often. At Miranda, on North 9th & Berry in Williamsburg (across from Hotel Delmano and Silent H), the husband-wife team of Sasha Rodriguez and Mauricio Miranda fuse mixed heritages and culinary experiences into grains, appetizers, and entrees with sauces both ragu and mole.

The dining room is cozy, with a moderate sound level and low light emanating from candles and incandescent lanterns; service is attentive, informative, and extremely friendly. Of the drinks, the red house sangrias (chock full of fruit) sounded most quenching for a hot summer day, though a moderate wine list also offers a dozen or options by the bottle or the glass.

Appetizers are called "small plates," and of the greenery in this section, verdolagas (a sweet leafy vegetable in the watercress family) makes the basis of a fantastic salad. The leaves are topped with grilled asparagus, tomatoes, thinly sliced jicama, ricotta, and a subtle chipotle vinaigrette. Gazpacho, another refreshing starter, offers welcome hints of both smoke and pepper, but is otherwise unexceptional.

Pastas are available in appetizer and entree sizes, but the appetizer is the better bargain; on first glance the portions were nearly identical. The wide-stripped pappardelle makes a fitting host for a thick mole poblano ragu with bits of braised short ribs sticking to the pasta's skin. The garganelli, a ziti-shaped egg pasta, is coated in sweet peas and a heavy sauce born out of spicy chorizo, perfect for swiping up with leftover appetizer bread.

While easy to stroll out on a full stomach without dessert, our waiter dropped complimentary cucumber-lime ices at our table with the check. A sublime note to end on: The cucumber cools the palate, while the lime adds just enough sweet to keep you satisfied.

Miranda is located at 80 Berry St. (near N. 9th) and open for dinner daily and brunch on Sunday. 718-387-0711

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By youngna park in Food on August 6, 2008 1:30 PM

Comments [rss]

ed_Extinct

but you guys still sound like jerks sometimes.

If it wasn't us speaking the truth, who would do it.

and, btw, thanks Jinx.

Brooklynbobby

I agree smacky. This should be about the food and not the picture quality. And as for you, Georgina, if the service is more important to you than the food, you have a serious problem.

smacky

could you all stay on the topic. Children?! Children!!

jink

jink got jinxed! my mouth is watering because edex's benedict looks so delicious. and im being serious. i guess i didn't know what a little white balance could do! but you guys still sound like jerks sometimes.

Future Taliban

My puppy broke into my herb garden & afterwards threw-up something with a striking resemblance to that dish pictured up above.

SP

I am tired of all these apologists for mediocrity. Fix the damn white balance, or resign and give the assignment to someone who actually cares.

ed_Extinct

it was my first comment about the whte balance, ever. big flippin deal... i made an observation and wrote a comment... why all the negativity?

balancedwhiteguy

True laziness is not learning to distinguish between "shear" and "sheer."

Seriously though, enough with the white balance comments. We get it, it's not going to change, let's all move on.

meowster

looks like jinx got jinx'ed.

ed_Extinct

SP, understood. The images are nice and could be better. Even if you're not familiar with a Camera there's a great thing in Photoshop called >Image, >Adjustments >Auto Color which sometimes works pretty well, for novices.

but, I think youngna park is a good photographer, who's work I have followed for a few years and think it's shear laziness for the segment which is a shame, because her work in normal circumstances looks good.

white balance skills, you two oughtta have pics up on gothamist. but you don't. so...

actually, my photos have been on gothamist quite a bit: here's a food porn shot that has been used multiple times: http://www.flickr.com/photos/edstern/325588342

white balance! it's basic!

jink

if you dont like the pictures, don't look. with all those white balance skills, you two oughtta have pics up on gothamist. but you don't. so...

SP

edEx, you're barking up the wrong tree. Every single "camera in the kitchen" photo looks like this. And every week, someone, myself included makes a remark about learning to adjust the white balance in the camera. And week after week, the pics are yellow. Either they don't read the comments or they don't care, or they are too dumb to figure it out. I don't know... It's a shame, because the pictures would otherwise be pretty good. It also makes the food look much less appealing. This does us, the readers, and the restaurant a great disservice.

Youngna, any chance you'll figure out white balance anytime soon? I thought you fancied yourself a professional photographer...

Georgina

I had dinner there Sunday evening and I have to say, it was fabulous. The food was delicious but most importantly (to me anyway), the service was fantastic.