We don't serve bread with one fish ball

Today's post comes directly from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 29, 1887, p. 6:   

Luckily for today's Brooklynite, the restaurant scene has finally emerged from New York's shadow after centuries. I've even heard that Manhattanites travel to Brooklyn to dine out. Web sites like Chowhound, Edible Brooklyn, and BPL's own No Shush Zone spread news and reviews on current cuisine in the borough. Anyone know where to get good fish balls?   

For those who don't enjoy reading 19th century newsprint, the article text follows: "Brooklyn can stand three or four more good restaurants," said a pretty high living friend of mine. "There is no reason why we should not have good cooking and good service in the restaurants over here at moderate prices. There are plenty of such places in New York, but here you must either pay extravagant prices or patronize the cheap establishments where the cooking is bad and the service no better. Outside of the chop houses and one or two high priced hotels there is hardly a restaurant in this city where you can get a properly cooked and served meal. The old fashioned slap dash 'we don't serve bread with one fish ball' establishment which abound along some of our principal thoroughfares are no better than so many dyspepsia foundries. A few well conducted restaurants over here where one could be sure of obtaining a meal well cooked and served at a moderate price would pay handsomely. Of course, the chop houses of Brooklyn can not be excelled by those over the river, but suppose you take a lady to the theater. After the play you cannot have supper at a chop house. You must either pay Delmonico prices at a hotel restaurant or go home hungry, unless you wish to be limited to a bill of fare of steaks, chops and oysters. I think hundreds of young and middle aged men in Brooklyn who may not be over burdened with cash will appreciate the point I wish to make."