Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
Going to Brooklyn is always an adventure especially with the trains, but I was looking forward to trying Alice's Arbor where I was invited. Located in Clinton Hill, this is a cute place, with a rustic and warm feel. Wood is omnipresent there and I love the use of old doors as backs for banquets.
The concept there is farm to table and the chef, Mike Franzetti crafted a seasonal menu using produce from various farms in New York and New Jersey.
They started off by bringing us some cocktails:
The Bad Hombre was the most surprising: it is made with tequila, jalapeño and cilantro infused syrup and fresh lime juice. You could definitely taste the jalapeño and it had a nice kick mixed with the acidity of the lime.
The second cocktail was The Bedstuy Run, made with London Gin, fresh ginger syrup, lime juice, cassis topped with club soda. Delicious, it was not as strong as the other one and very refreshing.
For an appetizer, we got the burrata, a daily special, served with heirloom and cherry tomatoes, basil oil and balsamic vinaigrette. The burrata was fantastic, very creamy, with a nice touch from the kosher salt they added on the dish, enhancing the flavor. But what was even better was the heirloom tomato that was succulent and not at all tasteless as the ones you often get at your local supermarket.
Then came mussels, cooked with tomato and white wine. These were fantastic and some of the biggest mussels I ever ate. They were prepared with tomato, fennel and garlic in a white wine broth.
Ratatouille: a classic French dish with some Middle Eastern flavors, this was my least favorite dish. I prefer when the vegetables are cooked all the way through and it was not the case at all for the zucchini.
For her entree, Jodi chose the veggie burger topped with avocado. The burger was made with wild rice, lentils, chickpeas, fennel and coriander served with cowboy fries, pickled green tomato, red onion and brioche.
On my side, I got the baby back ribs (Carolina style dry rub) that were succulent: the meat was literally falling off the bone and I could just use my fork to eat it. It was served with a potato salad.
Last was dessert. We tried their white peach tart served with a sublime chai creme anglaise:
As well as the chocolate peanut butter torte that was amazing. It was composed of a chocolate shell, peanut butter drizzles, chocolate and peanut butter mousse, and with rice crispies for an added crunch.
We had a great meal at Alice's Arbor. I love the variety of the menu and its seasonality. It is definitely a place to know if you are in the neighborhood!
Enjoy (I did)!
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Alice's Arbor - 549 Classon Avenue, New York, NY11238