Reynard--Brooklyn

718.460.8000

A little odd for me beloved nine, as this is the first review on an Andrew Tarlow restaurant in quite some time.  I lifted my self imposed exile and decided to grow up, that and I stopped drinking cheap bourbon at five in the afternoon.  Fast forward five years, sheesh, make it eight years, and there's a new place in town getting all of the newbie Williamsburgers a twitter.  The Wythe hotel, the crown jewel of the Brooklyn Brand, standing like a beacon of all that is natural, organic, locally sourced, and covered in tattoos.

Firstly, something to be said about the insane amounts of tail running around in this place.  The patrons, the staff, I mean everyone seems to be effortlessly good looking, myself included of course.  I digress, it's an excellent point of departure as the patronage matches the decor perfectly.  This place is effortlessly beautiful.  Functional and raw yet elegant and refined.  The dichotomy being that what was once a typical no-frills apartment building that housed famed director Paul Black --American Brown-- is now a chic hotel complete with reverse bridge and tunnel roof bar.  Yes, Williamsburg has arrived, and this place is the port of call.

The food is everything you would expect from the Diner pedigree.  Delicate, complex, interesting, well prepared and overwhelmingly pleasing.  I've taken to having the guests dining with me grade their courses:

Deviled Eggs: Cumin was a nice touch. A
Soup: B+
Rabbit: A
Beet Salad: B
Pork Chop: A
Duck: B
Trout: B
Salad: (Diner goatcheese was in my notes though I don't think it was--sorry, been a while) A
Tar tar: B.
Hotties: Yes please.  (Seriously, that's in my notes).

Truth be told, I'm not a foodie.  I'm a drunk.  So the most impressive aspect of this restaurant, and one that I'm pleased to report after years and years of slander on the overall service motif of greater North Brooklyn, was the exceptional service.  I do not use this word lightly.  The service was exceptional.  The timing, the drink service, the sparkling tap water, the folding of the napkins, the delivery of my espresso before dessert was served, this all came together in a masterful display of understanding of hospitality. Reynard is the culmination of 12 years of homogenous gentrification, and it was worth the wait.