* Paloma
CUISINE: American Nouveau, Vegetarian-friendly
ADDRESS: 60 Greenpoint Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11222
(West and Franklin Streets)
PHONE: 718.349.2400
HOURS: Tue-Sat, 5:30pm-11:30pm; Sun, 5:30pm-10:30pm; Mon, closed
CARDS: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
BOOZE: Full bar
AVERAGE ENTREE: $16 to $30 per person.
MENU: Click Here
BRUNCH: Yes, on weekends
SUBWAY: G at Greenpoint Ave.
MAP: Click Here
DELIVERY: Take-Out only
WEBSITE: www.palomanyc.com
NY MAGAZINE SAYS: "In the midst of a desolate block, Paloma's doors open wide, sheltered by a burgundy awning. Like an eager date, it's available: The sinuous wooden bar with its wide-planked floor offers a comfy perch, and the restaurant in back has plenty of tables, including a few appealing, odd-fit nooks. But the two halves don't quite make a whole: The lurch from the warm bar to the stark industrial-chic dining area is heightened by the white wall that doubles as DVD "screen," with whimsical programming--anything from Cab Calloway to extreme snowboarding to Betty Boop. Eats cover the gamut, from veg-friendly fare to carnivore-pleasers like double-cut pork chops and braised lamb. Plates are full and generally good, or good enough. Simple, seasonal entrees like slow-roasted pumpkin, served with an oddly dry mound of chile red lentils, and a lightly sauced striped bass with earthy-sweet fall vegetables hold appeal. The bland salt-cod fritters, all poufy breading, no bite of ocean, seem to run counter to the menu's Iberian-Carib sensibility. But the bar's generous guidance, providing wines for tasting or custom cocktails infused with Kaffir lime or house-made orange bitters, graciously lubricate any meal."
What makes Paloma a truly different neighborhood spot is the dream that owners Camille Becerra and Darius Rivera desire to share with the rest of the community. Inspired by the 80’s café/club culture forever exiled from rent-mad Manhattan, Becerra & Rivera offer New York a gracious space with soaring ceilings and a pleasing mix of urban elements: polished concrete, warm hardwood and gallery-white walls sporting revolving art exhibits.The Food: Defined as “New Urban American,” the regularly-changing menu is based on simple, fresh ingredients borrowing elements from the multitude of cultures that glitter across the New York cityscape. Rather than aiming at the usual fusion, Paloma takes a stab at deconstructionism; for example, a traditional dish like bouillabaisse might be broken down to its basic elements and then served as a filet of monkfish, a single perfect shrimp and a flower of potatoes decorated with a bouillabaisse sauce. On the other hand, one can find a fresh brook trout simply grilled and served with a side dish of the diner’s choosing. Simple and thoughtful is the rule. Nothing on the menu exceeds fifteen dollars, and there are plenty of offerings for under ten. You will not have to deconstruct your wallet.
Popular menu fixtures include the brook trout, hangar steak and the much-admired burgers. The specials can be a gamble, but sometimes the best gamble is a vegetarian one. There is clearly a love for and sensibility to the preparation of all things vegetal, due largely to Camille’s post-culinary school odyssey among vegetarian and macrobiotic master chefs. Sometimes the vegetarian specials are the best thing on the menu.
Our only concern is consistency in the kitchen. As is often true with new ventures, it is best to go when the owner/chef is on hand. But as Paloma finds her wings and gets into the groove, the minor missed notes will dissipate.
The Scene: While the kitchen remains the epicenter, Paloma exists to be more than a restaurant. In many ways, Paloma is part Craft, part Nuyorican Poets Café, part Galapagos, and part pure Camille. It is an art space and a haunt for the creative. Local visual artists, filmmakers, DJ’s, bands and poets are welcome here, and often have exhibits. It is not unusual to find something going on after dinner, anything from a film screening to a five-piece band to a tasting of infused vodkas designed by Camille (these can be exceptional).
The Dream: Paloma seeks to be a space that celebrates urban life, to be a venue that exalts art and artists, to be a luminous gem in a sometimes jaded world. Everything about Paloma springs from free expression and a desire to welcome and to share. If New Urban American means opening up ones arms to embrace all that the cityscape has to offer, then Paloma is the vanguard of that new order.
From Brooklyn Paper
Few restaurants fit as seamlessly into a neighborhood as Paloma does in Greenpoint. Open since late May, the eatery attracts the spillover of Williamsburg's young artists who want to live and dine in a like-minded community, but can't afford the trendier neighborhood's tab.Paloma, named for owner Darius Rivera and executive chef Camille Becerra's daughter, resembles a not-too-glitzy gallery space that happens to be perfumed with grilling meat. The setting - high ceilings, cement floors, a few modern faux-leather banquettes and a drive-in sized movie screen on one wall - serves as a local art gallery with monthly exhibitions, musical performances and film screenings.
Paloma's bar serves innovative cocktails, some concocted with "42 Below Vodka" from New Zealand that the house infuses with fruit. The refreshing Kaffir Gimlet - Kaffir lime-infused vodka with a splash of Cointreau and fresh lime juice - is a must to try.
Paloma is an ideal venue for diners who crave sophisticated fare at affordable prices.
"We've coined the phrase 'Urban American Cuisine,'" says Becerra, who created the dishes. "Our menu is simple, focusing on regional and seasonal ingredients." Each day's offerings include just six appetizers, six grilled entrees and two specials. While Becerra still oversees Paloma's kitchen, she has hired Edward Martinez to execute her recipes and add his own touches to the lineup. Martinez, formerly of Manhattan's San Domenico, and bistros in France, spins out greenmarket fare that scores big points for flavor, with a few mishaps here and there.
One simple appetizer that demonstrated a light hand in the kitchen was a fresh pea, spinach and feta cheese salad. A sprightly vinaigrette barely moistened the ingredients, but it was enough to add spark to the clean taste of the vegetables and underscore the saltiness of the cheese. Slices of grilled peaches and country bread "crostini" topped with bleu cheese sounded great on the menu, but had no chemistry on the tongue.
The earthiness of a rich, creamy cauliflower sauce heightened the sweetness of a special entree of crusty sea scallops, while pleasantly chewy, vinegar-tinged oyster mushrooms underscored the velvety sea creatures.
A buttery mound of monkfish, another special on this night, deserved a more exuberant partner than the surprisingly flat "bouillabaisse" sauce that accompanied it.
A sweet-fleshed, moist, head-on, grilled brook trout also made good eating if you peeled away the fish's over-salted skin. Coupled with the trout was a luxurious pool of lemon-laced sweet potato puree with the texture of a silken mousse.
The humblest of dishes, a grilled chicken, was just as satisfying as the delectable scallop dish. From the grill, Martinez pulls three large pieces of a juicy, vibrantly seasoned, free-range bird. He tops the meat with cilantro, lime and jalapeno peppers that crisps the skin and permeates the chicken with tart, herbaceous heat. A pile of big, crumbly, perfectly salted onion rings reminded me of just how good they can be.
Each evening there are two vegetarian entrees. On this night, it was grilled market-fresh vegetables and figs with house-baked summer squash and cheddar bread; the other vegetarian dish was a special of crisp, sweet potato pancakes drizzled with tangy creme fraiche and scattered with halves of small, red and gold heirloom tomatoes, that were like the sun shining on the tongue.
Judging from the two desserts I tried (four are offered; on this evening, two were sold out), the sweet end of the menu needs some rethinking. The waitress described the "Moroccan date nut torte" as "sort of like a cookie." It was sort of like a cookie, but not crisp; and sort of like sweet bread without the moist crumb. The only thing it wasn't sort of like was a satisfying finale.
The "spicy chocolate torte" had all the makings of a great, Mexican-inspired brownie: bittersweet chocolate laced with dried chili that left a little tickle of heat in the back of the throat, a moist center and a crisp top. But too many nuts in the batter were a distraction.
As we left, a few diners ordered another round of cocktails and settled against their banquettes for a screening of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," one of the movies the staff runs on late, weekend evenings. Like the film's hero-turned-heroine, a German-born transsexual finding her place as a woman and a wannabe rock star in America, there are rough edges to smooth out. And like Hedwig, there's plenty of talent, too.
Comments
Paloma caught fire on election night, not sure how long its going to take them to get back on their feet
Godspeed guys
Posted by: nate | November 6, 2008 10:03 PM
there are some not so great reviews here that i don't think are deserved. i recently discovered this place so i don't know how things were when they first opened but my experience was wonderful. the food was amazing, i was at a table full of friends so many different dishes were tried and everything was great! savory and sweet together are the key to my heart, lotsa flavor! the table settings are a little untraditional, but relax and get down with it. and as for the service, didn't strike me either way, but i think that always depends on who it is and what kind of day they're having, human. looking forward to trying more daily specials, in fact, i'm gonna eat there sometime this week. keep in mind its also very affordable, not like your droppin a hundred bucks on a unsatisfying meal. my favorite places and things in life are always in perfect balance of quality and price.
Posted by: c | November 5, 2008 05:59 AM
Too bad you can't eat the ambience. I was really enjoying myself until the food arrived. Ugh.
Posted by: Michael | June 15, 2008 12:40 AM
Seriously - one vegetarian option does not a veggie-friendly restaurant make. Nice place though, and they have good beer.
Posted by: Ryan | May 19, 2008 12:03 AM
I have been here many times and have always enjoyed it and had a great time. It's perfect when you want something healthy and tasty!! Check it out...the prices are so reasonable that you really have nothing to lose, and most likely you will find a new go to spot!
Posted by: Sarah | February 14, 2008 04:36 PM
trying to figure out why this is listed under "vegetarian". i've seen steakhouses with more veg options.
Posted by: John | January 9, 2008 11:33 PM
My husband and I are both chefs in Manhattan. We live on Greenpoint and were excited to check this place out & support it. All I can say is we have never been this disappointed in a NY meal ever! We thought this was a joke, too. Didn't even check out the desserts. I just wanted to get out!!!
Posted by: cara | November 6, 2007 03:23 AM
Good to see that the owners/chefs were able to make the first two posts on the board.
Posted by: Smarty | August 17, 2007 07:06 PM
Great food! This was almost my fav in ny. However, the wait staff is horrible. I don't care how good your food is. If the service sucks, then that is NOT going to make me want to go back.
After my FIRST disappointing visit there, I insisted to my friends that they must have been having an off night and that we should go back. This had already been their second time there and had already experienced the negligent staff. Yet, again, excruciatingly slow service. No, "I'm sorry it took us 20 minutes to bring water to the table." No, "I apologize that your food is taking over an hour and a half to plate and serve." Nothing. The great thing about it was that they weren't even that busy!
I hope this changes soon because i'd love to go back...
Posted by: Oliver | July 26, 2007 01:27 AM
We recently visited Paloma on a recommendation from a friend and was let down. There are way too many of these types places in brookyln. Average food kitchen trying to be culinary masters. We had tuna steaks with pesto that was closer to tuna tartar swimming in a pesto soup. A mess. The burger had way too much salt. For a minute a thought we were being pranked. Was this a joke? They screwed up a simple burger? Putting a ton of seasoning on average dishes does not make you sophisticated, it just says you do not know what you're doing. The service was great, though I suspect she knew this food sucked.
Posted by: mps | April 3, 2007 10:10 PM
This is one of my favorite restaurants in New York City. Everything I have had here--and I've eaten here many times--has been absolutely superb. I highly recommend the salads, the mojitos, the flourless chocolate torte, the vegetarian options, everything. My boyfriend eats fish and he adores the fish--the cooks here are excellent, I LOVE the server we always have, and it is such an awesome place to eat. There's so many mediocre places to eat in Greenpoint and Williamsburg; I am pleased that this brilliant option exists! Eat here!
Posted by: Cherie | June 24, 2006 04:08 PM
Paloma is one of the great undiscovered finds of the current Brooklyn scene---I have eaten there many times and each time the food and the atmosphere are more and more delightful. My only fear about this restaurant is that because of its out of the way location it won't reach the following it deserves.
Try the grapefruit martini and the chicken and pea salad for brunch...
Posted by: Abigail Simon | May 22, 2006 02:24 AM