Joya

Thai in Park Slope.

What We Had

My DH had the Pad See Yue – chicken and vegetables with noodles in a black bean sauce – nice flavor.

I had the Gai Kraprow – chicken and veg in spicy basil sauce – a little sweeter than I generally like, but tasty.

Decor

We ate in the back garden, but inside had an open kitchen concept with dark woods, lots of white tables and interesting lights.

Really great branding and modern, clean decor.

Service

Adequate.

Overall Impressions

Great value and a cute little place, but beware: cash only.

Rating

3.75 out of 5 for pretty good food in a cute atmosphere.

Alchemy

American fare + bar in Park slope.

What We Had

I had the corned beef hash & eggs with hollandaise & organic mixed greens – they actually forgot the hollandaise, and that was just fine by me – it wasn’t needed. This dish was great. House made corned beef, well-seasoned potatoes, and a nice little salad. A winner.

My DH had the grass fed angus burger with shallot confit, tomato, lettuce & fries – really nice burger with good seasoning and plenty of juice. The fries were decent, too, and he had a bit of the greens salad as well. Another hit.

Decor

We sat in the back garden, which was very sunny but nice. The restaurant has lots of dark woods with iron accents.

Service

Decent.

Overall Impressions

Not a bad brunch at all. The coffee wasn’t great, but the food was spot on.

Rating

4 out of 5 for great food in a relaxed atmosphere.

Black Forest Brooklyn Biergarten & Kaffeehaus

Beer, sausages & games on the big screen in Fort Greene.

What We Had

I had the Grosser Salatteller with sausage – German mixed greens, assorted salads & vinaigrette.

This dish was fantastic and exactly what I had hoped from the description. 4 types of salad – potato, carrot, cucumber and garden; topped with a sliced sausage. Yum.

My DH had the Kasebratwurst – spicy pork & beef sausage with NY cheddar inside + kaiser bun, kraut & shoestring fries.

This was great, too. The sausage had a nice snap and the kraut was delicious.

Decor

Long tables, lots of wood and a huge projection screen.

Service

We went during a World Cup match, and they were really busy. Service kind of sucked. I would suggest to make sure someone sees you sit if they’re packed.

Overall Impressions

Despite the game service, this is a great spot and we could see becoming regulars. The sausage is fantastic and made in NYC, and the sides are great quality as well. The beer selection is good – and it’s hard to argue with a great sausage.

Rating

4 out of 5 for great sausage & beer in a casual atmosphere.

Wilma Jean

New more casual spot from the Seersucker (May it rest in peace) and Nightingale 9 guys.

What We Had

I had a fried chicken breast with field pea & cherry tomato salad and buttermilk ranch with a lemonade.

My DH had the fried chicken sandwich with mac & cheese and a Peak Organic IPA (mental note: I actually liked this beer and I hate IPAs).

Whoo hoo! This is the same fantastic fried chicken we fell in love with at Seersucker. Which is good, because we are semi-addicted and were totally worried that we’d never have fried chicken again.

The mac was good, the field pea salad was nice and light and fresh – and the ranch was great. I had forgotten how much I love ranch + fried chicken.

Decor

Dark woods and white tables – small (this restaurant inhabits the space Nightingale 9 used to be in – Nightingale 9 has moved to the old Seersucker spot) but open and sunny.

Service

We went on their second day open, so it wasn’t as great as it will be.

Overall Impressions

This is a great little casual dinner place. Though I will still sorely miss the variety of items Seersucker served, Wilma Jean keeps the elevated Southern cuisine vibe alive with a re-focusing on fewer dishes (mostly involving fried chicken). The pimento cheese made the jump from the old place, as did the collards. I am sad to say the biscuits did not.

Rating

5 out of 5 for stellar chicken though give them a week or two to work the kinks out.

Olea Mediterranean Taverna

Mediterranean in Fort Green.

What We Had

I had the Lamb Hash – Lamb shoulder slowly roasted with spices, lemon potatoes, carrots and turnips topped with a crispy olive oil fried egg, tomato jam and whipped feta. This dish was magnificent. The lamb was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the veggies were caramelized in all that lamby goodness – a winner.

My DH had the Spanish Poutine – Potatoes with Berkshire pork gravy, chorizo, Spanish cheese and scallions. This dish was great as well. Rich, great cheeses, and a great breakfast.

Decor

Small but open and airy dining room loaded with old world charm. Very busy for brunch.

Service

Not bad, despite the business.

Overall Impressions

This is a neighborhood gem and a great spot for a decadent brunch.

Rating

4 to 4.5 out of 5. Some dissension in the ranks – mostly because the DH hates Mediterranean and the lamb bite he had featured the spice mix that makes him sick. No complaints otherwise.

Sheep Station

Australian pub in Gowanus

What We Had

I had the Shearer’s Burger – lettuce, tomato, pickled beets, grilled pineapple, caramelized onion, fried egg – with salad – Omfg this was good. The meat had great seasoning, the toppings combo was really good, and the salad was nice. Zero complaints here.

My DH had the Meat Pie with Side Salad – His was really good as well. The pie had a nice curry taste, and was a decent lunch size. He also enjoyed his salad.

Decor

Cute Australian way station meets Brooklyn dark wood.

Service

Decent

Overall Impressions

This is a great little find – beer specials at night, a great looking menu, and relaxed brunch.

Rating

4 out of 5 for great food in a charming atmosphere.

Morgan’s BBQ

Texas style BBQ & bourbon in Flatbush.

What We Had

Brisket
Pulled pork
Pork sausage
Collards
Mac & cheese

The meats were great – both exactly what you would expect and/or want. The sausage was a touch fatty for my taste, but the DH loved it and the taste was good. The sides were also good – the greens were cooked right with just a bit of bite left (they’re also vegan), and the Mac was good, too.

Decor

Woods, sarcastic bar signs and chalkboard.

Service

Efficient and gearing up for a long game night.

Overall Impressions

Looks like it could be a fun little spot, depending upon the day’s clientele. We visited on a Friday post-work when a game happened to be going on at The Barclays, and the bar crowd was already drunk & loud at 5:30 pm. It was college kids from presumedly out of town, so they were at least amusing.

Rating

4 out of 5 for some solid BBQ

El Toro Taqueria

Hipster-style Mexican fare in Fort Greene.

What We Had

My DH had the Carne Asada Burrito – which was great. Flavorful meat, good rice, great toppings.

I (shocker!) had 3 tacos – Steak & Kimchee, Carnitas Pork, and Chicken Mole – all three were fantastic in their own way. The steak & Kimchee was sweet and succulent with just a hint of heat; the carnitas was juicy and satisfying; and the chicken mole was complex and a little earthy.

The rice and beans were also great. Beans with a little bite left in them, rice with actual taste instead of dryness.

In subsequent visits, I’ve had pretty much all of the tacos – and while they are all good, the chilled shrimp is my least favorite. The DH pretty much sticks with the burrito each time we visit. We have also had the chips – and while store bought, they’re good. The salsa, not so much. Too watery. My DH also always orders the Mexican Coke.

Decor

Minimal with lots of woods.

Service

Counter.

Overall Impressions

This place is good – and we find ourselves eating here often.

Rating

4 out of 5 for well thought out combos and good meat.

Hope & Anchor

Cute little diner in Red Hook with a rock n roll vibe. We stopped in for brunch on the way to IKEA.

What We Had

I had the Steak & eggs with greens as a side – this was good. A petite steak with some fantastic dressing and a good amount of greens. No complaints. The steak was properly seasoned and cooked and wasn’t too fatty.

My DH had the Breakfast burrito with meat (bacon & sausage) – which was also tasty – and huge.

Decor

Red sparkly vinyl, old woods and mirrors.

Service

Good. Multiple people checked on us during our meal and service was efficient.

Overall Impressions

A good place. The food was good, the atmosphere is great, and we can’t wait to stop in for the dinner menu & a beer.

Rating

4 out of 5 for good food and a cute atmosphere.

67 Burger

Burgers & boozy shakes in Fort Greene.

What We Had

My DH had the Mozzarella Bacon Burger.

I had the bunless Avocado, Mushroom & Caramelized Onion Burger.

On a subsequent visit, we also had fries – both sweet and white potato varieties.

The burgers are juicy, well-seasoned, and prepared correctly. The fries are decent – a bit oily, but not too bad. The burger toppings are varied and exciting.

Decor

Neighborhood-specific mural on the wall, open feel.

Service

Counter service with tableside delivery as items are finished.

Overall Impressions

Not a bad little burger joint if you’re in the neighborhood.

Rating

3.75 out of 5 for solid burgers