Dressler

Playful American cuisine and a hip scene. Dressler's interior is Gothic chic, with wrought iron-lined light boxes and a dazzling palazzo tiled floor. The restaurant, bolstered by critical praise (including a Michelin star), draws a heavy influx of curious Manhattanites and local foodies alike. With attentive service and a diverse menu that stars seasonal greenmarket vegetables at their finest, it's easy to understand why. Dishes include various seafood options--like diver scallops served with ground grits and bacon-wrapped monkfish--plus more traditional fare like roasted free-range chicken with Swiss chard and braised short ribs. Unfortunately, the relatively high prices, at least by Brooklyn standards, make Dressler more of special occasion place than a go-to spot.…

Quality Food, with Room for Improvement. Last night I visited Dressler with a friend of mine, forgetting that I had actually already been there a few years ago. <p> After walking in, the attractive and affable hostess handled things well. I would have preferred for her to wait on us all evening, rather than our mediocre server.

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I had a pan-roasted sweetbread appetizer, served on a bed of cauliflower and a bean puree of some sort. This was an excellent appetizer. My only compliment is that the tastes became a bit too muddied when combined and didn't hold their own, but the final taste from said combination was quite good.

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For the entree I had the Cider Braised Pork Shank with braised red cabbage, creamy spaetzle & whole grain mustard. The pork was tender and easily fell off the bone, but the taste of it wasn't superb. The spaetzle was great and in combination with the cabbage tasted really "homey" and comforting. Overall I would say this was a good dish with the spaetzle being the best element but pleasurable as a whole.

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For dessert we split the Warm Banana Tart Tatin with rhum ice cream, and macadamia nut brittle. I was excited to think about the nut brittle with the ice cream, but the dish didn't strike me as expected. I accompanied it with a Tokaji wine, which was excellent, as they so often are. The tatin was a bit difficult to eat and the crumb wasn't elegant and detracted from the experience. Next time I would go for something different, like the panna cotta or maybe even the cheese cake.

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I would return to this restaurant, and consider it to be one of the many quality destinations in Williamsburg. But, prior to returning, I will visit other restaurants on my list. It would take another visit for me to decide whether or not this has a permanent spot on my list.…

Outstanding service, stylish atmosphere and excellent food. My wife and I love this place. The staff is very attentive, the atmosphere is very stylish and chic and the food is outstanding. My only problem with the place is that it's somewhat hard to get to by train.…