Marlow & Sons, located in Williamsburg, has received the kind of buzz that some restaurants only dream of. Voted one of the top 12 restaurants that matter by Saveur magazine (alongside places like Gramercy Tavern, Commander's Palace and Joel Robochon); a glowing review from The New York Times' Peter Meehan; a visit from Anthony Bourdain and the No Reservations crew. However, hype can in some instances do more harm than good because it creates expectations. When reviews tell us about the next "it" place or "one of the best meals I've had in NYC," according to one Chowhound review, do we hurt our chances of liking the restaurant? When you finally make it there, can or will the restaurant live up to the expectations and the hype? Well the answer from my recent trips to Marlow & Sons, is a resounding yes.
Prior to my first meal at Marlow, I had dined a few times at another restaurant owned by the Marlow team, which is directly next door called Diner. (They also own Marlow & Daughters, the butcher and grocer just down the block and the newly opened Roman's in Fort Greene).The menu there changes daily and is prepared with seasonal and mostly local ingredients. A theme that continues over at Marlow.
The entrance is a grocery of sorts. Local products that are purchased directly from the producers, dairy and vegetables mostly from Greenmarkets and fresh baked goods. But it is further past that, into the small dark candle lit room in the back that fully encapsulates dinner at Marlow & Sons. The tight squeeze, backless stools and aged wood give Marlow an extremely casual aesthetic. Expect to be bumped into repeatedly on a busy night. But know that it will all be worth it.
The menu is a pleasantly simple one. Three entrees, three appetizers. Daily artisanal cheeses and meats. A daily crostini and salad. Comfort food of the highest order.
The cocktail menu, which also changes frequently, contains drinks such as Acid Wash (jalapeno rum, lime juice and pilsner.) Light, spicy, tart, excellent. Or the Wizard (gin, fernet, burnt fig jam, gingerale).
Marlow & Sons are known for their oysters so we started with 15 of the Maine and Virginia varieties. Both tasted incredibly fresh and were gone in a matter of moments. Subsequent visits featured oysters from various New York locations.
The charcuterie plate.
The ravioli were filled with squash on one night and mortadella and chestnut on another. Both topped with a brown butter sage sauce. These alone could warrant repeated visits. Incredibly creamy, buttery and homey.
on another night, the fish was a striped bass
One menu constant is the brick chicken. Wonderfully moist, lemony, with a expertly crisp skin and seasoned to perfection.
Unfussy, unpretentious, delicious food all in a casual setting. I'll happily jump on the Marlow & Sons bandwagon.
You could throw darts at the menu, order what you hit, and have a perfect meal every time.
ReplyDeleteIs that Jillian at the bar reading the newspaper? Good luck with the next 6 classes but we know you will do just great. J&G ps see you soon, have knife and fork will travel for good food!!
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