No Sleep Till Brooklyn - 1 Year Later

Today marked exactly one year since DJ became a Brooklynite!  That, combined with a serious case of cabin fever after the weekend of Hurricane Irene, spurred an impromptu decision to leave the apartment for dinner at Thistle Hill Tavern, a Park Slope joint that had been on our "to try" list for quite some time.

It's a cute spot with the classic dark wood and wrap-around windows of corner taverns.  The vibe definitely makes you think of pub crawls in London, so Mel was pumped to order a Pimms cocktail.  DJ - in honor of his new residence - got a Brooklyn Eagle (makers mark, combier, carpano antico, lime juice).  Both delicious and refreshing!

Then for our meal we both wanted to be adventurous and try the grilled octopus, and decided it would be a treat to get it with a side of the mac-and-cheese.  The mac-and-cheese had a great smoky flavor thanks to a combination of smoked provolone, fontina, and pecorino.  We've been going for more high protein-low carb eating lately, so we may regret this seriously later.  But it was worth it.  :)  Very rich and indulgent - sinfully good.

As for the octopus, it was tasty but DJ noted: "It was good, but not Top Chef good.  The flavors were fighting each other."  The dish includes an unexpected combination of the piece of octopus, apple, saffron, and sausage.  So just on appearance, it is quite intriguing.  But once you put all the elements in your mouth, the salt is somewhat overwhelming.  

Perhaps others who have visited the tavern learned this as well because once we were done eating we noticed that literally every other table had at least one order of the hamburger and fries.  Noted.

To close out the meal, DJ picked out the delectable chocolate tort served warm with Guinness caramel and whipped cream.  It was just as delicious as the warm chocolate cake you'll find in most restaurants, but the Guinness caramel really gave it an extra unique kick.

 

Will we return to Thistle Hill?  Perhaps.  Seems like a nice place to hang out on a blustery winter day.  But we'll definitely take the hint and get burgers and fries.