Is it a bar? A restaurant? DANA BOWEN writes in the New York Times: “… It sounded like a bar and looked like one, too. A blackboard advertised happy-hour specials. A relic of a video game – remember Tapper? – attracted a boozy crowd.”
“Ms. Bicknese’s herb bread – rolled flat and charred chewy on the grill – has rightly earned the nickname crack bread among servers bombarded with requests for more. Save a few wedges for the wine-marinated and sautéed chorizo splashed and sweetened with brandy ($11). Or use them to mop up the smoked paprika broth in the deep bowl of escarole, pine nuts and sweet sultanas ($6), a side dish that will make even the most hardheaded vegetable skeptic swoon.”
“And the always interesting desserts ($6) – bergamot-spiked pot au crème, savory pistachio ice cream with caramelized bananas – nothing beastly about them at all.”
LINKS:
Going Chomp in the Night [New York Times]
Anyone got the skinny on Beast Bar? [Jose in DAILY HEIGHTS forums]
Finally tried Beast… [emiloo in the Chowhound Outer Boroughs Board]
I’m so glad that Beast has gotten some recognition in the Times. The wine selection is so much more interesting than other local places and it’s fun to get a quartino rather than a glass. I agree that the bread is very addictive!
Good point. Here’s the excerpt on wine: “On the weekends, Ms. Bicknese steps out of the kitchen to chat about her well-edited wine list, which includes quartino carafes, a quarter liter for about a third of the price of a full bottle. There are young and fruity Chilean merlots ($9/$29), older Italian Barolos ($20/$57) and unusual varietals like albariño and Müller-Thurgau.”