the underground gourmet
Sardinian Din
Entering D.O.C. Wine Bar, a charming new Williamsburg enoteca with a Sardinian slant, can be a bit discombobulating, like being last to arrive at a particularly lively party, many drinks behind the crowd, with as much of a chance of catching up as Saudi Arabia has of winning the World Cup. Plus, nearly everyone is speaking Italian — very loudly — not to mention hugging and chain-toasting for indecipherable reasons. If you don't speak the language, your best bet is to play the casual observer, as we did late one recent night, contemplating the rustic d�cor and the straw-bottomed Chianti-bottle vases on each farmhouse table, then hunker down over a delicious pressed panino on crusty Sullivan Street ciabatta or a wooden tray of cured meats and the crispy thin Sardinian flatbread called carta da musica ("sheet-music paper") from the snacky menu. Try a Sardinian pairing of a piquant honey-drizzled sheep's-milk cheese (fiore di Sardegna) with a native red Cannonau served in a two-ounce glass called a marzianetto, and listen to co-owner Claudio Coronas rhapsodize about the simple pleasures of Sardinian wines, traditionally known for their high alcohol content: "In Sardinia," Coronas says, "wine is not expensive and flows like Coca-Cola. And we drink like this, from small glasses, but we drink a lot of them." Which explains, in turn, a lot about D.O.C. — ROB PATRONITE
D.O.C. Wine Bar
83 North 7th Street, Brooklyn
718-963-1925

best of the week
Aquavit's Herring Week, June 10 to June 15.
It may sound like a Monty Python sketch, but it's a bit tastier. For five days, Aquavit executive chef Marcus Samuelsson celebrates Sweden's love of herring with a buffet that incorporates those tasty white fish in nearly everything except the apple sorbet. June 10 through June 15.
Aquavit
13 W. 54th Street
212-307-7311

object of desire
Season Opener
Every spring, local chefs scramble for the first local produce of the season, and even though tri-state strawberries have yet to flood the markets, the berry vanguard has started trickling into the kitchens of well-connected pastry chefs. Tocqueville's Mikael Andersson gets his limited supply from New Jersey's Cherry Lane Farms, and transforms the juicy fruits into an elaborate two-part dessert: an individual baked Alaska with strawberry ice cream, and a tiered construction of creamy strawberry panna cotta, diced fresh fruit with mint and lime, a thin layer of berry g�l�e, and a smattering of shaved granita. That should tide you over until the Union Square Greenmarket Strawberry Fest on June 12, when Gramercy Tavern's Claudia Fleming, among others, demonstrates (from 11 to 2) how to make jam, shortcake, and preserves.
Tocqueville
15 East 15th Street
212-647-1515

shopping
Dairy King
If you're addicted to Total — the spectacularly creamy Greek-style yogurt that's sold with a sidecar of honey — you have George Likitsakos to thank (or blame). He's the Corinth-born retailer who first imported the pot de cr�me-thick stuff a few years back. But when the Total titans eventually realized they didn't need a middleman to reach their burgeoning American fan base, Likitsakos stopped selling Total at his Upper East Side market and found a rival producer to export a similarly sumptuous product under his own label instead. Like the competition, Likitsakos Greek Yogurt comes in varying fat levels, ranging from a deceptively thick fat-free to a hyperindulgent 8 percent, and optional honey, or honey-and-walnuts. (Available at Fairway and Likitsakos, 1174 Lexington Avenue, near 80th Street; 212-535-4300.)