There is nothing quite like the artistic energy that emanates from the heart of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, my favorite borough of New York City. I spend one night at the Wythe Hotel. My room overlooks the hauntingly peaceful snow-covered Manhattan. Albeit the frigid coldness of the winter air upon us, the cool hipness of Williamsburg beckons us outside our room. Thank goodness everything was within walking distance. Right down the road, on Banker St, a few minutes away is the Brooklyn Night Bazaar. The vibe is casual and unpretentiously fun. And the music is damn good.
For dinner we decide on a hip hidden joint called Battery Harris. With the help of Chef Zach Frankel (formerly a cook at Williamsburg dining staples Marlow and Sons and Diner before becoming Executive Chef at Jacks WifeFreda), they summoned the spirit of their favorite jerk chicken from Flatbush and brought it to the burg. Unassuming on the outside, Battery Harris attracts hipsters of all sorts with its trendy vibe, creative cocktails, good music(DJ Salinger on Friday nights rock out nasty remixes of traditional indie rock favorites and Saturday Michna spins), and now, their Jamaican food menu. The only Jamaican joint I went to in this city was Miss Lily's in Soho, until I found this place. Located on Frost Street off the Lorimier stop on the L, this hidden hot spot does not only make great Jamaican food, their house-made jerk sauce blew my mind.
Other dishes we tried included:
- Peppah Prawns: so good and super spicy!
- Brick Jerk Chicken served with sweet plantains is made better with even more jerk sauce.
- Jerk Pork Buns: Crispy Pork Belly w/ Jamaican Spice Shadow Beni
- Permanent Summer Salad: green papaya, jicama, mango, peanuts & lime.
- The Rum Raisin Bread Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream
Good music. Good food in our belly. All in good company. Artistically refreshed, and our souls, along with our stomachs, are delightfully happy. Oh Brooklyn, how I have missed thee.
MUST STAY: Wythe Hotel - 80 Wythe Ave. at N. 11th Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 11249; +1(718) 460-8000; hello@wythehotel.com
MUST DO: Brooklyn Night Bazaar - 165 Banker St., Brooklyn, NY 11222; Fridays 7PM – 1AM & Saturdays 6PM – MIDNIGHT
MUST EAT: Battery Harris - 64 Frost St., Brooklyn NY; +1(718) 384-8900; info@batteryharris.com
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