We decided to try Bar Bête, a highly recommended restaurant in the Cobble Hill section of Brooklyn for a dinner with the family.
When we walked into the restaurant, we were immediately greeted with a warm welcome from the host. Behind his stand to the left, a few tables stretched toward the large windows overlooking Smith Street, filling the space with a relaxing glow. To the right of the entrance was a small bar with a handful of seats, and just beyond it, more tables lined the back wall, extending to the rear of the dining area.
The interior struck a nice balance, traditional with just the right touch of modern chic, and the atmosphere was already filled with lively buzz that set the tone for what felt like a promising evening. We were seated at a window table, which offered a great view, though we could feel a slight chill creeping in as the season started to turn cooler.
After looking over the menu, the four of us decided the best way to enjoy the chef’s creations was to share both small and large plates so we could really experience what looked like a very creative offering. Definitely the right call.
The first dish to arrive was the Chicken Liver Parfait, which was served in a tall ramekin, the smooth chicken liver mousse filled one side, while the other held a generous scoop of the apple spread, both topped with chopped pistachios and a delicate gelee. Four large, toasted slices of bread towered alongside, ready for spreading. The mousse itself was outstanding, rich, velvety, and deeply flavorful, its intensity pleasantly dominating the sweeter and crunchier accompaniments. The bread was excellent, crispy and hearty enough to handle the richness of the mousse. Overall, this was an indulgent starter, best enjoyed when shared since soloing might be too much of a good thing.
We also ordered the Little Salad (photo above), tossed with mushrooms à la grecque, crispy shallots, and a mustard vinaigrette. Again, it’s a great dish for sharing, probably too much for one person. The greens were crisp and refreshing, and I loved the sweetness and crunch of the fried shallots. The mushrooms added a nice tangy note that balanced everything. The only thing I wasn’t totally enamored with was the vinaigrette, it was a little too spicy for me, it detracted from the freshness of the other components (the table was 50-50 on the spiciness comment). Others enjoyed this more than me, a little too peppery for my palate.
The first pasta dish that was served was the Ricotta Gnudi, topped with sprouting broccoli pesto, maitake mushrooms, and cracked spices. This was hands-down my favorite dish of the night and one I’ll remember. Eight golf ball-sized gnudi arrived nestled under a layer of bright green pesto and surrounded by tender mushrooms. The texture of the gnudi was spot on, a delicate outer layer that gave way to a luxuriously creamy center. The broccoli pesto was a revelation, vibrant, earthy, and the perfect counterpoint to the richness of the ricotta. Add the earthiness of the mushrooms, and every bite just worked. A beautifully balanced, perfectly composed dish from start to finish.
On a completely different flavor profile was the Spaghetti alla Chitarra, served with Portuguese sardines, chervil gremolata, and bottarga, one of my favorites. The spaghetti came piled high, thoroughly mixed with the sardines, then topped with loads of the chervil and plenty of bottarga. Sardines are an acquired taste, I happen to love them, and this dish was clearly built to highlight their bold, umami character. After several bites I just wished the sardines took a small step back so the chervil and bottarga could have contributed more. I really liked the dish overall, but the sardines were so dominant that the chervil and bottarga barely had a chance to compete.
Last, but definitely not least, was the Wagyu Strip Steak, topped with eggplant dauphine, griddled scallion, and finished with a smoked beef fat vinaigrette. The steak was two deboned, thin, seared slices of steak, topped with a few crispy eggplant dauphines and then a few charred scallions scattered over it. It was absolutely delicious, the steak was cooked perfectly to a juicy medium-rare, bursting with flavor. When you combined a bite that included the beef, a bit of the eggplant and scallion together, it was incredible. I only wish this was a bigger portion, more the size of the spaghetti offering.
Service was spot on, our server was present when needed, responsive, thoughtful and was able to guide our table to the correct number of dishes to order.
Overall, our dinner at Bar Bête was a delicious dining experience that lived up to its reputation. Every dish showed real attention to flavor, texture, and presentation, with the ricotta gnudi and wagyu steak standing out as clear winners. The atmosphere was lively, yet comfortable, and the service struck that perfect balance of friendly and professional. Bar Bête is that neighborhood spot that feels both special and approachable, a place you put on your rotation for a special and relaxed evening of great food and conversation.
263 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
The newest addition to the Springdale-Glenbrook neighborhood is Tavern 489, located at 489 Glenbrook Avenue. A stone’s throw from the Glenbrook train stop, the restaurant sits in the space that originally housed the Moosehead Bar decades ago (thank you “Hey Stamford”) and shares the building with the newly relocated and reopened Tawa (reviewed here). The restaurant is the brainchild of owners Eric Monte and Partner/ Executive Chef Regis Saget. Stamford residents also know Monte as the the owner of The Fez downtown, which brought Moroccan cuisine to center stage.
The first was a Cold Tomato soup. The chunky texture was “gazpacho style” and accentuated the sweetness of tomatoes, offset with just a touch of pungency from some onions and a touch of vinegar. This rendition was delightfully refreshing.
I also enjoyed the Venison Meatballs. They were served in a “bone-canoe” and were firm in texture while maintaining a moist interior. The venison absorbed a good amount of smokiness and were complemented by a thin glaze of a red wine green peppercorn sauce. The meatballs were served with simple fingerling potatoes that complemented the venison with a little earthiness.
The third appetizer was the Taunton bay fried oysters. They were coated in a thick seasoned corn meal and deep fried to a golden brown. They were paired with a lemon tamarind tomato curry sauce to bring a little sweetness to the dish. The crust was a little tick, detracting a bit from the sweet oysters.
The next course was a trio of hamburgers, two beef and the third was bison. The bison was served with lettuce, tomato, shallots, melted Burrata. The bison was rich and expertly prepared to medium-rare. The shallots were a good addition but I was not as fond of the inclusion of the Burrata.
The last burger was the Blackened angus burger, served with lettuce, tomato, and topped with melted Bleu cheese. Similar to the pesto, the Bleu cheese elevated the mildness of the meat. All of the burgers were served with home-made fries that were very good.
The table next shared the Tomahawk Steak, which the menu describes as 36 ounces. The wood platter was covered with the pre-sliced steak was accompanied with bowls of red potatoes, mixed greens, and broccoli rabe, a few grilled shallots, prosciutto wrapped asparagus and three sauces, a porcini, a green pepper and a poutine. The meat was served rare and was simply and properly seasoned. It was very tender and slightly juicy, but did have a fair amount of fat. The sauces were excellent and increased the profile of the steak. My favorite of the sauces was the poutine which added a wonderful level of earthiness to the steak. The potatoes and broccoli rabe were simply prepared and delicious, but the asparagus were a little salty from the prosciutto.
Jfood Eats 