As we approached Lokal, I was already impressed. The wall of windows was facing McCarren Park and I could imagine how nice it might be to sit by the window on a warm summer day. The entrance is a tad strange because it is off to the side, but the benefit is there is no draft for people who are already sitting in the restaurant. We sat towards the back so I would be able to adequately survey the scene. We arrived a few minutes before 7 and it was pretty empty in there. I thought it had something to do with the food, but by the time we left around 10, a steady stream of customers had come and gone.
We started off with two appetizers. I ordered the mussels.
They tasted even better than they look. Prince Edward Island Mussels sauteed with sea urchin butter and finished with cilantro, garlic, and white wine. The thing about mussels is that I usually love them because of the broth. This time around, I loved them because of the cilantro and garlic. They added a little something extra in the way of texture. Don't get me wrong, the broth was incredible. I sopped it up with the delicious bread.
Ms. K ordered the Tuna Tartare.
Fabulous presentation and it also tasted quite good. I have definitely been greeted with tuna that's been oxidized before so I was glad that wasn't the case here. Our server gave us some time before coming back to take our entree orders. I was really excited about the prospect of trying one of their casseroles. Seems like an interesting item to put on a menu. I had my heart set on the Seafood Casserole. Unfortunately, turns out they only had the Meatball that night so the server recommended the Roasted Free Range Organic Chicken.
I was slightly overwhelmed when he brought the plate to the table. The chicken was served on a bed of roasted idaho potatoes, red beets, and carrots, in cremini mushroom and white wine sauce.
See those layers? Fantastic! I have never eaten a beet in my life, but I tried them and they were spectacular. The vegetables were hearty. I felt as though I was eating a homemade meal with restaurant quality. I was extremely impressed. The chicken was also incredibly well seasoned. Ms. K ordered the special. Rib eye with garlic and parsley emulsion and chili oil served with a side of sauteed baby spinach and crispy potatoes.
Ms. K found the chili oil to be spectacular and believes it should have been spread all over everything that was on the plate. Unfortunately, the steak was not covered with chili oil and, according to Ms. K, tasted pretty regular. Nevertheless, she ate half of it and took the rest home - so it couldn't have been that bad. After we finished our entrees, we sat around chatting it up for a bit. Finally it was time for dessert. Ms. K went with the Bread Pudding.
It was heavenly. The perfect type of dessert when you're looking for something sweet but not too rich. I ordered the Warm Chocolate Souffle.
I couldn't help myself. It was incredibly rich yet the souffle was light. The ice cream was a perfect accompaniment to cut through the richness of the chocolate.
My dining experience at Lokal was amazing. The server, Daniel, was extremely attentive and even took care not to interrupt us to ask if we wanted dessert. While I don't venture to Brooklyn often, I can definitely see myself making a repeat visit to Lokal. Their brunch menu looks quite good and on a warm sunny day I could lounge there for hours.
* Although this meal was complimentary, that did not at all affect my comments or views towards this dining experience. Lady T's opinions cannot be bought ;-)
Hungry yet?
yum! i want some mussels too!
ReplyDeleteThe mussels look incredible.
ReplyDeleteThank you Tope for such a wonderful review:)!
ReplyDeleteBad Food, Bad Service, Questionable Business Practice
ReplyDeleteby Ebert
We went to Lokal on a Sunday night when there were very few patrons, us and one other couple. Interestingly enough 5 Leaves next door was overflowing and had at least a 30-45 minute wait. Lokal's food was uneven, some warm, some tepid.. the hummus appetizer was stale as was the bread for the table. Worst of all, when the bill came we found 20% had been added to our bill as a "tip" because we had been joined by two friends. When questioned I was told it's the restaurant's policy for a party of 6 or more. I asked if it was stated on the menu and told it was although it must have been pretty small print because I couldn't find it. On top of this our light- handed waited tried to skim some more from our bill by giving us incorrect change. When questioned, he said that they don't deal in small change and rounded up to the next dollar. This place is a rip with mediocre food and worse service! They don't even pretend to care.