This was in the Daily News. How did I miss this? I’m only human. But still…–OTBKB.

While Brooklyn’s trendy new restaurant scene sizzles, the borough’s old standards are still drawing top honors.

Williamsburg’s pricey Peter Luger Steak House was voted the fifth best
restaurant in the city in the just-released 2007 Zagat Survey.

The secret to their success?

"We put our heart and soul into it," said Marilyn Spiera, whose family owns the eatery, which opened in 1887.

"Being in Brooklyn makes it possible to take the money we save and put
it on the customer’s plate," she said, comparing overhead costs to
those at Manhattan’s steakhouses.

Zagat rates restaurants based on a survey of restaurantgoers. This
year, the survey’s 28th, more than 31,000 diners participated, and not
all the borough restaurants that received top marks are expensive.

Midwood’s Di Fara’s pizza scored near the top, ranking just below
trendy Smith St.’s Grocery and Saul, and Prospect Height’s Garden Cafe.

Di Fara’s, where a slice costs $2.50, is touted in the Zagat guide as "da best pizza in Noo Yawk."

"I’m very proud," said pizza shop owner Domenico De Marco, who has been
tossing dough for 42 years. "It’s all over the world. Everybody reads
Zagat."

Di Fara made the iconic red book’s top 50 list for the second year in a
row – along with some of the borough’s top spots, like Park Slope’s
elegant Al Di La, and DUMBO institutions Grimaldi’s and River Cafe.

Many of the top restaurants are expensive, but their owners defended the high prices.

"It’s not inexpensive, but it’s not outrageous," insisted River Cafe
owner Michael (Buzzy) O’Keeffe of his famously romantic restaurant.

"It’s something people should experience once in a while," he said.
"It’s like going to the Metropolitan Museum or like taking a trip to
see the leaves change."

While eight Brooklyn restaurants – two more than last year – ranked
among the best citywide, the slim red book also listed what survey
respondents consider the best restaurants in some Brooklyn
neighborhoods.

In Bay Ridge, the list was topped by Areo, which serves up "old-world" Italian.

"It doesn’t surprise me at all," said real estate agent Naya Jeladze.
"They have good food, service and atmosphere – I go there as much as I
can."

Bay Ridge newcomer Agnanti, a Greek restaurants with roots in Queens, was noticed.

"We already had established customers who came from Brooklyn to
Astoria," said manager Fay Lambrianidis. "It was their idea to open
here."

Staten Island’s Denino’s Pizzeria got a nod from Zagat, as did
Bensonhurst’s L&B Spumoni Gardens, which opened in 1939 and
"screams Brooklyn" according to the guide.

Some of the borough’s newer and trendier restaurants also made the grade.

Prospect Height’s Franny’s, which opened two years ago, scored higher than some longer established places.

"We work very hard," said Franny’s manager-owner Francine Stephens. "We never serve bad food. That is not what we do."

With Denise Romano

Originally published on  October 18, 2006