Is Di Fara's New MD Kitchen Worth The Trip?
Di Fara, the Avenue J shop famous for tasty pizza, long lines, and the hands-on operation of pizza-maker Dom De Marco, opened its new hero and pasta place, MD Kitchen, last week. Bringing back a bit of its old, longer menu due to customer demand, the new takeout joint offers some traditional (and relatively inexpensive) Italian-American dishes, like the meatball parm pictured above. But are they worth the trip?
The new space is on East 15th Street, just around the corner from Di Fara on Avenue J. On the weekday evening we stopped by, a large group of teenage boys, looking like they’d just come from a game or a sports practice, were goofing around outside of Di Fara, waiting along with a lot of others for pizza.
MD Kitchen, on the other hand, was relatively quiet. A couple of hungry people were already inside the very small space, which was perviously a shawarma spot. A few people peered in to see what the new place was, and a few others popped inside to grab a menu.
And what does the “MD” in MD Kitchen stand for? From Maggie on Di Fara’s Facebook page:
Mama De Marco’s for our mom , Mikey De Marco for our nephew, Maggie De Marco for me ? What it does not mean is medical doctor. Our parents had 7 of us…all cooks, no doctors lol
Behind a tiny counter, the guys take and prep your order, which you could potentially eat in the space — there’s a small counter along a wall with a few stools, and a bench opposite that — but it gets cramped very quickly. Just four people standing was close quarters, so you’ll probably want to take your food to go.
The menu, below, is about the same, or less expensive than, San Remo on Cortelyou for comparison. While there are salads available, you probably understand going in that this is not going to be a “light” meal in any sense of the word — most vegetables here come in the form of tomato sauce (which is totally okay every once in a while right?).
With that in mind, you could certainly share things. A couple of rice balls (with meat or cheese, $1.50 each) are a good option to start, with the rice not mashed together like in some you’ll find, but with fluffy and clearly separated grains. The meatball hero ($6.50, plus $0.50 for a parm) is enormous, packed with meatballs, and a great version of the classic — it tastes just like the ones you remember from your childhood. Those teens who were waiting for pizza around the corner at Di Fara would do well to make this a part of their food memories.
So is it worth the trip? In Ditmas Park, we’re close enough that you could call in your order and drive over to pick it up, so if you’ve got a car, yes, you should add this to your takeout options, since it looks like it’s going to be better than some of the other choices we’ve got in the area. We’re looking forward to going back to try the pasta (though we’re a little bummed to see spaghetti and meatballs is not an option — those were some good meatballs!).
If you haven’t got a car, you might want to just keep Di Fara as the destination. MD Kitchen has a tasty menu, but Di Fara has the pizza, and the guy who’s making it. But give it a shot, then let us know what you think!
MD Kitchen is located at 1012 E 15th Street, just off of Avenue J (around the corner from Di Fara), 917-789-9556. Things might change as they see what works and what doesn’t, but the hours are generally between about 11:30am and 7pm. They’re offering free delivery “within walking distance” at the moment. A website is on the way, but for now, check for updates on the Di Fara Facebook page.
