We chatted away catching up on two months as the bus cam to a halt. “Uh humm,” said the bus driver, “this is the last stop.” As we disembarked, he handed us two free transfers and pointed us in the right direction, the opposite way that we had come. Our spirits still high, we headed back in search of our dining destination, 360. We hailed a cab, the only yellow one in sight, who unfortunately was more clueless than we were.
Finally on a quiet (deserted) stretch of Van Brunt Street, we came upon a stone lined wall with tinted numbers identifying that we had arrived. The door bore the words “Bullshit,” reminding us of the bullshit we had to ensue to get here, or perhaps the bullshit president the country re-elected, or rather to remind us that everything outside of a good meal with a good friend was simply bs.
The view from the door revealed a small bar in the rear, a large celebratory party to the left, and scattered two tops to the right. After lingering at the door without acknowledgement for what felt like forever, a burly goateed man finally tucked us into a cozy table against the wall.
We had come to Red Hook for a change of scenery but also for a $25 non-restaurant week induced three course prix fixe, a rarity on the main land. The menu at 360 is rooted in France with subtle nods to less classical ingredients, a dash of cardamom in the nutty soup, and crunchy long beans dotted with ginger. In addition to the prix fixe an a la carte menu offers oysters, steak tartare and a simple green salad as well as one with confit of duck tongue and cornichons, a braised lamb or a sautéed skatefish. My dining companion went for the prix fixe selection of a butternut squash soup and unfortunately had to settle for a vegetable plate when she learned they were out of the roasted chicken with spaetzle she had so desired. I ordered the “added value red hook” green salad and the lamb.
We had most certainly worked up an appetite on our way there so the salad and soup didn’t last long. When my lamb arrived it sat opposite a sad looking plate of fennel and kale, a poor excuse for a vegetable plate. But the lamb was good, tender and gamey with a fragrant celeriac and porcini gratin, a perfect cold weather comforter. Though I did love this dish, I then had to stare at it for nearly 20 minutes, as our near empty plates sat in front of us waiting for any attention from our missing server. The service was absent at best, a result of the large party on the other side of the room. Obviously regulars, the whole restaurant burst into song as a sparkling chocolate cake was ushered in from outside to their table. Still staring at our food we also joined in infected by the congenial spirit.
At last we said goodbye to our entrees, excited to try the crème caramel over the tarte de pommes and the panna cotta. Our excitement quickly gave way to disappointment as we learned they had run out of this dessert as well. With two strikes against him, the server tried to compensate by offering us a banana puff pastry “special” with chocolate sauce. More delicious sounding then it actually tasted we ate it none the less and also a complimentary piece of dense, but dry, chocolate birthday cake.
They were certainly trying and as I asked directions back to the nearest subway, our server balked, “you came all the way from Manhattan?” Indeed we had I responded, and he inquired as to whether we had enjoyed it and said to come back another night when there wasn’t such a big group dominating the restaurant, the kitchen and the service. Though I liked the comforting creative food, reasonable prices and lively crowd, I think this is one neighborhood spot I will leave to the actual neighbors.
360 Van Brunt Street (at Wolcott)
(718) 246 0360
Thx! :)
Posted by: honda-radio | February 18, 2008 at 04:30 AM