Gibby, Gibby, Hey! -- Pix from Asmak Taama

My review this week is of a new Egyptian seafood spot in Bay Ridge, Asmak Taama, which brings the tally to three such places in the immediate vicinity. The best appetizer was an engaging dish of fried eggplant poached in tomato sauce with hot green chiles:

Here are Butthole Surfers frontman Gibby Haynes and bon vivant Scott "Scooter" Pellegrino enjoying the eggplant appetizer:

We selected our sea bass from the display in the front window:

And had it cooked over flame, after having been dusted with whole wheat flour and spices, and drenched in sea water:

When fish are cooked by this Alexandrian method, you must pull off the blackened skin and discard it, revealing the smoky pink flesh beneath:

We were a little disappointed by the "potato salad":

But the dirty rice sprinkled with toasted pine nuts more than made up for it: