Delaware and Hudson, Williamsburg’s Not-Quite-Hidden Gem Of A Restaurant
If you're looking to eat a whole lot of lovingly-prepared food in a comfortable setting that, while suitably lively and festive, lacks the shouty air of forced fun too often found in some of the city's hotter spots, Chef Patti Jackson's lovely little Delaware and Hudson is exactly where you should head this winter. Not that this casual Williamsburg restaurant is any sort of big secret, not after earning a Michelin star this fall, and months of glowing reviews from critics and bloggers alike, capped last week by Pete Wells including it on his annual Top 10 Best New Restaurants list for the New York Times. But still, given Jackson's refusal to get too flashy–there are no must-Instragam moments in your meal here, though there are plenty that will linger quietly and happily in your memory–as well as the physical constraints that come with an intimate, bar-less room, Delaware and Hudson seems safe from being overrun by scenesters putting another notch in their bib before heading on to whatever's next.
Prepare Yourself For A Delicious Dinner at Delaware and Hudson
I had a terrific, leisurely dinner with my daughters at Delaware and Hudson over the holidays. Jackson offers a menu-fixe meal here, a four-course affair for a mere $48 that only offers an option at the entree part of the proceedings, usually from among a meat, a fish, and a veggie-based dish. That's a little misleading, though: the appetizer "course" actually includes five or six different snacks, delivered all at once to your delighted table, enough for everyone to have a few bites of everything. And your dessert will arrive twice, the second time brought by Jackson herself, so make sure and thank her for making you so happy over the past 90 minutes or so. Jackson's menu at Delaware and Hudson changes regularly, though it's always based on mid-Atlantic classics–hence the restaurant's name, after the rail-plus-canal line that ran from Pennsylvania to New York City in the mid-1800s–and involves a pasta.
All About That Pasta
Of all the great things I ate that night, the highlight for me was definitely Jackson's hand made spaghetti, cooked to perfection, and tossed with sardines, lemon, fennel, and breadcrumbs. This was a truly accomplished dish, explosively flavored but also beautifully balanced. Other particularly memorable dishes included the veggie entree of roasted chantarelle and trumpet mushrooms on a mound of sweet potato puree, topped with a poached egg and a scattering of rye berries (again, a deft balancing of flavors and textures); the smoked bluefish pate smeared across thick rectangles of toasted bread; the nicely seasoned lamb chops with cauliflower puree; and one of the most addicting starters I had all year, Jackson's pretzel rolls, served with salted butter. The pacing of the meal is handled well here, too: you don't feel rushed, you don't feel like you've been sitting there for days. And did I mention that you got all of this goodness for under fifty bucks?! A small miracle in the too-often crazed, increasingly over-the-top NYC dining scene. Thanks Ms. Jackson.
For Menu and More Information on Delaware and Hudson
Delaware and Hudson is located on North 5th Street, just west of Bedford, right near the L. Dinner service begins every night at 6:00, and concludes at 11:00, except on Sundays, when the kitchen closes at 10:00. Delaware and Hudson is also open for lunch and brunch.
Posted in manhattan living, NYC Dining, Other Neighborhoods, Top Picks | Tagged Brooklyn • Brooklyn Restaurants • Delaware and Hudson • February • Restaurant Review • williamsburg • Williamsburg Restaurants
