Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up

Alchemy Restaurant and Tavern
56 Fifth Avenue (Bergen Street), Park Slope, Brooklyn, (718) 636-4385.
“The gastropub trend has reached Brooklyn with the opening today of this 48-seat spot. It has brick walls, dark wood and vintage decorative touches, and a garden that is not worth thinking about for now. The menu offers simple fare like fried skate and chips, crisp pork cheeks and, of course, a burger, prepared by Jared King, who worked at Windows on the World and Peacock Alley.” [NY Times]

After the jump: NY Press thanks God for Chavella’s; Gothmamist goes behind the counter at Cobblestone Foods, a Chowhounder rants about Porchetta, and Park Slope’s Miriam opens a second branch in Cobble Hill…

Chavella’s Mexican Café
732 Classon Ave. (betw. Park & Prospect), 718-622-3100.
“On my second dinner, chef/owner Arturo Leonar recommended Aurelia’s Chicken Mole ($10.50) and enchiladas rojas ($9.50). I foisted the ordering of the mole onto my friend Lauren; I’d been disappointed by bitter mole so many times, I’d started to think I didn’t like it at all. But after one bite, I became a convert. The flavor gave me a whole new take on the dish, and I can’t remember a time where I tasted chicken so meltingly tender.” [NY Press]

Cobblestone Foods
199 Court Street, Cobble Hill, 718-222-1661
“Gothamist sampled three of Cobblestone’s prepared dishes: The first was a kind of Swiss (as in its neutral flavor, not the involved dairy) macaroni and cheese. Wachalter trades elbows for orecchiette, binds everything with a nutmeg-tinged béchamel, and tops it off with homey, butter-toasted breadcrumbs. We also tried a smashed red bliss potato salad mixed with whole grain mustard and sliced cornichons, which got a nice crunch from slab bacon. Quinoa mixed with dried apricots and cranberry, roasted pignoli, and flecked with parsley was the healthy choice.” [Gothamist]

Porchetta
241 Smith St at Douglass St
“I opened with the Bucatini and chicken livers. While the livers were cooked to absolute perfection, nicely browned out and just slightly rosey pink in the center, the bucatini was UNDER cooked. Some pieces to the point of being hard and unchewable in spots, which would have been sent back had I been alone with my wife, and not with another couple. Bitter disappointment. Too bad, the dish itself had all the right things going for it, correct amount of condimento to pasta ratio, flavors were bold and balanced (black olives and pancetta against the livers). The pasta itself ruined the dish.” [noodles on Chowhound]

Miriam
229 Court St., nr. Baltic St., Brooklyn; 718-522-2220
“Park Slope’s modern Israeli restaurant, Miriam, has spawned a Cobble Hill branch.” [NY Magazine]