Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare is an unusual establishment by all accounts. Not only is it one of the few restaurants in New York City with three Michelin stars, it’s also one of the most expensive yet least affordable. And if you’re lucky enough to book a spot, don’t forget to bring wine!
Best known for its popularity in less than three years, the Michelin spot is helmed by celebrity chef César Ramirez. Ramirez and his associates staked on a highly unusual design, layout, mode of operation, cooking style, cuisine, and choice of dishes, and they were right!
A restaurant, as you know, starts with the interior. In the one and only tiny dining room everything is decorated in the style of kitchen ultra-minimalism: an abundance of polished steel surfaces and glass, as well as many bright directional lamps.
In the center of the room there is a giant high “D” shaped table for 18 guests (the maximum number of seats in the restaurant!!) seated on high bar stools, and the far side of the table is a huge stove, over which Chef Ramirez is working.
And he has to do a lot of wizarding! Each working evening Ramirez serves 15 to 20 (yes, fifteen to twenty) changes, though not very big, but incredibly diverse! The cuisine at Chef’s Table is an interesting mix of French and Japanese, so fish and seafood dishes dominate: cakes with apples and lobsters, or little lobsters on a brioche bun, or rolls with spicy tuna, or seafood salad with vinegar sauce with oregano, pickled fennel and baked tomatoes, or Atlantic salmon marinated in miso, or much, much more.
Meat-eating traditionalists and vegetarian dodgers aren’t forgotten, though! There’s boneless pork ribs stewed in red wine, or chicken meatballs in tomato sauce, or beef with cheddar cheese, glazed sweet onions and horseradish dressing, or just serrano ham with Spanish Manchego cheese and watercress. And for those who decided or had to do without meat, there’s roasted zucchini with goat cheese, tomatoes and olive pate, or several types of pasta with pesto sauce, or Bolognese lasagna, or two dozen salads.
In addition, guests can be offered a wide variety of sandwiches with everything and anything.
The only thing not on the list of changes is liquor! Since the establishment is still not licensed to sell liquor, guests are asked to bring their own wine and other alcoholic beverages. This, however, not only doesn’t become a hindrance, but also adds an element of intrigue: you can swap wines with your neighbors and try something new. Chef’s Table has its own sommelier, but he’s only polite enough to judge guests’ choices.