Seasonal American Fare at Buttermilk Channel

I finally got a chance to try out Buttermilk Channel, (524 Court St., at Huntington Street, 718-852-8490), the newest addition to dining on Court St. A few months ago, owner Doug Crowell set up a tasting table at the Carroll Gardens Farmer’s Market to give locals a sneak peek at what kinds of dishes would be available. I was excited to learn that he’d be highlighting local, seasonal fare, as well as locally raised organic meats. Buttermilk Channel is described as American Bistro, which includes Southern dishes (Fried Chicken with Waffles), Duck Meatloaf, an alternate take on an old stand-by and homemade pickles.

Walking into the restaurant you’re immediately welcomed by the cozy warm glow of the lighting and the dark wood of the floors and bar area. It’s a big dining room, but it feels friendly instead of cold and while it’s decorated with Stoop Sale finds, it’s not cluttered at all. We were seated at what I think was the best table, in the back corner by the window. On the sill sat a big glass vase with cranberries on the bottom in which a tall candle was nestled. The only thing that would’ve made it better was if it had been snowing outside.

The wait-staff was friendly and attentive and the owner himself stopped by to see how we were doing. We ended up chatting a bit about the neighborhood and other such topics. Then there was the delicious food. The menu is extensive, offering snacks, sides, appetizers, main dishes, or sandwiches (two types of sausages on a roll with onions, peppers & mustard). There is also a separate, just-as-extensive Vegetarian menu!

I chose two starters because I couldn't decide what to get. The Delicata Squash Tart comes with house-made ricotta, brown butter and organic greens. The ricotta was super creamy and slightly tart, a nice balance to the sweet and savory squash. The tart itself was a bit doughy, when I expected it to be flakier. It was delicious though, and could easily overlook the chewiness of the dough.



I also ordered the Spice-Rubbed Baby Back Ribs which came with a Winter Vegetable Slaw and Cider Glaze. The slaw was fantastic, made with slices of kale and shredded carrot and cabbage. It was a wonderful new take on a boring stand-by. The meat was also fantastic - it was so tender it easily fell from the bone. Four ribs made for a very filling appetizer!



My boyfriend picked the Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Pasta, which comes with black olives and rosemary butter. The olives went surprisingly well with the other flavors which made it delicious. The rosemary butter ended up being a little oily though, which brought the dish down a notch.



We were too full to order dessert but I'm definitely going back to try the Chocolate Bread Pudding! I was very happy with my food at Buttermilk Channel and am happy to welcome this newest member to the local dining scene.

Mediterranean Tapas at Beast

My boyfriend and I met up with some friends late Sunday night at Beast, (638 Bergen St., corner of Vanderbilt Ave., 718-399-6855), a place I've been wanting to go for years now. I've heard mixed reviews but found the food to be really yummy, the drink I had was delicious, and the atmosphere is like a comfy, local bar. The food is "Mediterranean Tapas" which maximizes one's ability to sample a variety of flavors and dishes.

We ordered the Seared Diver Scallops which came served over Squash Puree, Fried Leeks and a Balsamic Drizzle and the Polenta with Portabella Mushrooms and Blue Cheese. The scallops were delicious and meaty, the squash smooth and almost sweet and the fried leeks added an interesting crunch.



The polenta was good too. Slightly chunky, it was a little like corn chowder. The portabellas added an earthy component and the warm bowl was perfect comfort food on a cold night.



Our friends got the Blue Point Lager Braised Short Ribs with Potato Smash and Corn Salsa. This. Was. AMAZING. The meat was so tender, it just fell apart at the touch of a fork. The corn and potato were a hearty combination and the flavors were complex and delicious.



We also treated ourselves and got dessert. Our friends got the Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Sauce. This was good, but too cold for my taste. It was creamy and dense, but I prefer a warm cakey chocolate dessert instead.



My boyfriend and I ordered the Ginger Creme Brulee which was awesome. There was just a hint of ginger and the top was perfectly caramelized and crisp. It didn't take long for us to gobble this up!



The drink I got was a Pumpkin Pie Martini which I didn't take a photo of. This was delicious too, and I'm not usually a fan of frou-frou drinks. It was made with house-infused vanilla pumpkin vodka, Bailey's Irish Cream, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. It was so tasty, and warmed me up as well. I really enjoyed everything during our evening at Beast, and will definitely go back.

The Bagel Store

There seems to be a lack of good bagels in Brooklyn. I'm not happy with any in my neighborhood of Carroll Gardens, that's for sure (if you've found a good place, please, let me know!). However, there is an amazing place in Williamsburg called The Bagel Store (754 Metropolitan Avenue, between Graham Ave. & Humboldt Ave., 718- 782-5856). There's always a line and since they do such brisk business, the bagels are usually warm and fresh.

On this particular visit, we got two, very different bagels and spreads. One was a toasted Poppy Seed bagel with Lox Cream Cheese. The cream cheese was good; nice and salty, with big chunks of lox, but it was a little on the orange side, so it makes me think that there's dye in that spread, or the lox that they use. The bagel was perfectly crusty on the outside, loaded with poppy seeds, and nicely soft on the inside. They were also well proportioned - not too big or small, and not too over-loaded with spread.



We also got a French Toast Bagel with Raisin and Walnut Cream Cheese. This is not the kind of bagel I normally get, since I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to bagels, and anything sweet that's not Cinnamon Raisin just doesn't seem right. But it's a new world in terms of bagels, and I'm ready to try new things. This bagel is nicely sweet, with sprinkled sugar on the bottom, powdered sugar on top and swirls of cinnamon throughout. There was something off with this bagel though - I think the raisins had turned which lent the whole thing a slightly alcoholic flavor. Not necessarily bad, like sour, but off. I'm willing to chalk it up to a random bad luck day, so you shouldn't necessarily stay away from this combo in the future if you're wanting a dessert bagel.



You can also get Egg Sandwiches at the Bagel Store, and lots of different spreads depending on your mood. I highly recommend this place!