Allswell

124 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY

9.0

map & more

Neighborhood
Brooklyn
Williamsburg

Cuisine
American

Nearby
Brooklyn Bowl
Music Hall of Williamsburg

347-799-2743 ‎

Official Website

By Andrew Steinthal
January 24, 2012

Sometimes when we head for Brooklyn to check out a restaurant that the locals are all fired up about, we end up disappointed. You quarantined Brooklynites can have a tendency to over-hype your beloved neighborhood staples – staples that sometimes wouldn’t cut it when put up against the big boys in the West Village or Nolita. But you love them nonetheless, and talk about how great they are. It’s like being far too comfortable in a relationship, even though she leaves toenail clippings in the carpet. Where else you gonna go? But in the case of Brooklyn’s latest chosen one, the hype is justified. Infatuation Nation, meet Allswell, our new favorite restaurant.

Allswell is a special place. A cozy gastropub with a warm ambiance and a friendly demeanor, this is the ideal neighborhood restaurant and we’re jealous of those who live around the corner. We’re big fans of the New York-centric beer list and the few excellent cocktails that we’ve had, but it’s really the food that shines the brightest. Chef Nate Smith is a product of the kitchen at The Spotted Pig, and we should all be glad he left to open his own joint. His food is simple, yet the attention to detail is what sets it apart. For example – his flap steak is perfectly cooked and delicious, but it’s the other carefully curated elements on the plate which take the dish to a “holy sh*t this is incredible” level.

People often ask us what method is to our top secret rating system. Well, we’re not giving away any hints today. Just know that Allswell got straight A’s on its report card and you need to take a trip to Williamsburg stat.

Food Rundown:

Fennell Sausage Pie
A tasty meat pie is a nice way to kick off a meal that’s destined for greatness. Definitely order a couple of these for the table. Maybe ask for some extra mustard too.

Wild Mushroom Toast with Fried Egg and Bottagra
This is a fan favorite that makes frequent appearances on Allswell’s ever changing menu. The bread is soaked with flavor thanks to being stacked with wild mushrooms and bottagra (cured fish roe) and the egg on top is the cherry on the sundae. This is amazing.

Beet and Apple Salad
Served with goat cheese, pecans and topped with some watercress, this beet salad is refreshing and delicious. We’re also pretty sure that the apples were brined or something, because they were perfectly sweet and salty in every bite.

Spanish Mackerel with Potato, Avocado and Chili
This was incredible. We loved everything about this plate of equally sized pieces of mackerel, potato, and avocado. A little hint of chili gives it just a touch of heat, and ensures that every bite is extra awesome. They should leave this on the menu all the time.

Pork Belly Faggot
Served atop a bed of French lentils, Allswell’s take on a traditional English dish of minced pork belly meat baked inside a pig’s abdomen (sounds delicious, right?) is straight up genius. It’s delicate and porky, and the lentils are folded with some creme fraiche to break things up. Order it if you can.

Sirloin Flap Steak
Look out St. Anselm, there’s another ridiculous bar steak on the block. As discussed above, this dish is amazing. Served medium rare over a bed of kale and Jerusalem artichokes, we couldn’t believe how much we enjoyed this simple steak.

Roasted Hake
Another winner. The roasted white fish was cooked perfectly, with a crust on top which added some nice texture. The sauce is what took the dish to the next level though, as the fish was covered in a combination of artichoke, potatoes and mint.

Dessert
Allswell finishes strong. The desserts were on the same level as the rest of the menu and we highly suggest indulging. We sampled the Caramel Apple Tart and the homemade Blood Orange Sorbet and went home with a good taste in our mouths.