RESTAURANT – BROOKLYN BITE
Words: Gentleman's Journal
Price: appox £25 Per Head | Where: 342 King’s Road, Chelsea, London, SW3 5UR | Tel: 020 7352 5057 | brooklynbite.com
If you’ve just returned from New York or have that lingering desire to visit, head to the Kings Road’s ‘Brooklyn Bite’ for a slice of the Big Apple…
The exterior of this joint truly excites, everything’s on a big scale including the light bulbs. When you arrive you head in to a vamped-up diner with red leather seating, walls cladded in gloss black lacquer that perfectly frame the bold, brash and urban features such as the exposed industrial extraction pipes. You’d think this would all add up to a cold vibe, but then, in walks Ilias – the man behind this steam train of authentic NYC pizzeria’s. You can be assured, purely from his friendly greeting and thorough knowledge that you’re in for the real deal, there’s no fuss and frills just great big pizzas and punchy starters.
We ate a plate of calamari dipped in yoghurt, honey, lemon & garlic…a brilliant original sauce. This was just a slip of mild weight watching before trying out some pure American indulgence, 1 ‘Fugetaboutit’ pizza, never to be forgotten about! It’s a winning combination of BB’s own red sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella, pancetta and salami. This sat alongside 1 ‘Benny Blanco from the Bronx’ loaded with creamy evoo, ricotta, garlic mix, basil, tomato, and mozzarella. Both were perched on piping hot raised stainless steel platters.
The supersize American approach to food was not true for the demure ‘Bronx chop’ salad. What was in the enamel bowl was very, very good and included avocado, artichoke, beetroot, asparagus and pine nuts to name a few – however they need to invest some dollar in bigger bowls if the ‘Manhattan, Astoria or Chinatown chop’ are to satisfy a hungry guest.
Ilias’ creativity is splashed cleverly about the place, he’s transformed downstairs into Brooklyn Bites’ very own speakeasy, soon to be open till 2am and with film screenings on Sunday nights. Downstairs the hand painted walls feature NYC subway cars opposite Brooklyn Bridge giving you a buzz of one of the greatest City’s in the world. The splash of neon ”you looking at me” reminds you that New Yorkers are as bold as their appetites, and thank God we now have a slice of NYC in LDN.
This is true American, New York food to share with friends on a cold December’s night, that is apart from the beastly moorish Oreo cheesecake, which you will be forgiven for keeping all to yourself.
By Eliza Minto
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