Bellwether--Brooklyn

347.529.4921

What a surreal experience beloved nine. Royal oak, once the smaller star in the binary drinking system that was union avenue, converted itself into a restaurant. Seriously, this place is like a cross between Sweetwater and Walter's Foods. Take a raw bar, simple american menu, and combine it with a re-vamped and sanitized former water hole (though Sweetwater had much, much more cache, and in a much too long aside is why Union Pool became the larger star in the binary system) and presto a restaurant. And it seems to be doing just fine as we watched this place that is maybe a month old turn away young thirty-something couple after young thirty-something couple. Mark my words, as they seem to have a predictive quality to them, not only will this place survive in spades due to its proximity to the Emerald City that is Bloomberg's tax abatement, but it will also add more seating between the bar and newly apholstered booths to meet said demand.

Enough of this, Iconman, how's the food? Good but a little over thought. It certainly isn't going to have the same culinary intelligence of Diner or ISA, but at the same time they're trying to satistfy just about everyone with a little of this a little of that approach. I had the "blackened chicken," which is really more of a rip off of Bilboque's cajun chicken, and it wasn't horrendous just not necessarily inspired. My wife had a special, it was with ramps and was okay.  My shrimp cocktail had a hair in it. Who cares? The fact I can walk here in the middle of winter great outweighs the occasional eyelash or trimmed pube.

I think my drum beat of pointing out the obvious is finally being heard. Well, by nine followers that is. Any who, this place is worth checking out, though not necessarily worth going out of your way. I'm sure, by sheer necessity, I'll come here again. Hopefully, they'll bring back the free foosball.