St. Anselm has been on my list for a while. It's one of those cool Brooklyn places, but not so cool that they won't let me in. I had read of a very reasonably priced "Butcher's steak," a $15 hangar steak. I just wanted a nice meal, nothing exotic, just a fine piece of meat and some satisfying potatoes and things like that. Is that too much to ask for?
It was a pleasant evening, not too warm, and my friends and I sat in a backyard patio area enjoying beverages and discussing the latest television shows, unreasonable New York City real estate prices, etc. We were text messaged when our seats were ready.
We were seated at the table overlooking the kitchen, high up, sitting on stools, and our waitress was very nice. We all had the Butcher's Steak. Sides: thick cut bacon, grilled sardines, pan fried mashed potatoes and see green beans. I don't know what sea green beans are, but they were fantastic, like thin and crunchy green beans with an oceanic salty quality. The potatoes were excellent. The steak was very good, perhaps not transcendent, but more than worth the $15 price.
Next up: Roberta's in nearby Bushwick for some stracciatella cheese and pizzas. If you haven't had it, stracciatella cheese is a heavenly fresh mozzarella, creamy and doused in olive oil. At Roberta's they serve it with a perfectly toasted rustic loaf. You dip your loaf into the milky cheese and partake. Next the pies came and we enjoyed them quite well.
A night for America.
St. Anselm, Williamsburg
Roberta's, Bushwick