Hamilton's Beer, Wine, Food: A First for Kensington-Windsor Terrace

 

(Author's Note: This previously unpublished review was written in December, 2012. Since then, Hamilton's has expanded from dinner only to lunch-brunch, and a happy hour, that, as the article below suggests, is probably the restaurant's key to financial success. Although the findings here are dated, the basic "New American" fare, a la Alice Waters, plus comfort food, remains. For all its menus, google "Hamilton's.") 

 

Beer and wine joints are a dime a dozen in Brooklyn’s hippest neighborhoods. However, west of the Prospect Expressway, on either side of the border between Kensington and Windsor Terrace, “foodanistas” have been starved for nighttime gastronomic delights.

Thus, the new Hamilton’s, at 2826 Ft. Hamilton Parkway, on the corner of East 4^th Street, two blocks from the F train stop, is either a dream come true or the latest of many (perhaps failed) attempts to determine just how upscale the area has become.

The Oak and Iris, a previous effort at this site, provided decent, affordable fare, but apparently closed because it became more a breakfast-lunch hangout than a dinner place. In daylight, it competed with cafes across the street; after dark, it lacked a liquor license.

Georgia and Kevin Read, the owners of Hamilton’s, are also pitching their food prices to what the market can bear. Appetizers range from $4 to $9; entrees, $12-$18. (Whatever their pretentions, most Kensington-Windsor Terrace dwellers lack the disposable incomes of those living in Brownstone Brooklyn or even nearby Ditmas Park.)

Meanwhile, being a dinner-only establishment makes them unique, and, at $6-$10 a glass, Hamilton’s beer and wine offerings pad the bottom line. Of course, these low-alcoholic-content libations enhance the dining experience, as does the decor. The dark-grained wood bar and wainscoting, chartreuse walls, and overhead fans look so natural you’d think the place was a permanent watering (and nourishing) hole.    

On a recent Saturday evening, two months after its opening, Hamilton’s was packed with a surprising mix of young and old people; mostly white, like the surrounding nabe. Can the restaurant maintain the senior set’s loyalty in what is otherwise a noisy bar scene? This will be a key test because there are still many longtime, if not lifetime, residents around here. At 61, I felt invigorated by the sense of celebration in the room, even if chemically-induced in part.

I live two blocks from Hamilton’s. The restaurant rows on Cortelyou Road in Flatbush and on Prospect Park West, in the heart of Windsor Terrace, are each a 30-minute walk away. So I have a certain (non-monetary) investment in Hamilton’s success, though a little exercise before a meal wouldn’t hurt.

To keep myself honest, I invited my wife and sister-in-law along. They were raised on bratwurst and Miller’s in Wisconsin; I, on bland kosher food and Manischewitz in Connecticut. How much years of living in New York City have refined our tastes is another test of whether Hamilton’s will fit in our personal Zagats.

We started with the draft beers. Of the 18 on tap, we quaffed five. I prefer amber ales. The Peak Organic Fall Summit Ale from Maine and the Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale fit the bill with their hints of fruitiness. My wife goes for darker brews. The Kelso Nut Brown and Davidson Brothers Oatmeal Stout (from upstate New York) compared favorably to her usual Guinness. True to her Midwestern roots, my sister-in-law gushed over Michigan’s Dark Horse Boffo Brown Ale. We agreed that our modest selection of beers alone was worth the visit. (Next time we’ll sample some of the dozen wines available.)

The dinner menu consists of about 12 appetizers and a half-dozen main dishes, plus a few specials. It’s “safely” eclectic, from mac and cheese and burgers to a salad with toasted faro (an Italian wheat product) and Korean kimchi (fermented cabbage) fried rice. This limited repertoire may initially make business and culinary sense—adequate market test, fewer recipes to master, less wastage (and no dumpster outside attracting vermin)—but could quickly become monotonous.

My wife selected one of the specials, seared tuna on a bed of fennel coleslaw, before balking at this sushi-like dish. Once the portion was fully cooked, she was satisfied, except for a suspicion the tuna wasn’t completely fresh. While my sister-in-law didn’t object to the searing of her hake, its marinade of leeks, oysters, and Shitake mushrooms in black olive oil was not strong enough to transform a mild-tasting relative of the cod family into something more to her liking. For me, the fish stew, of Manila clams, mussels, and hake in tomato-fennel broth, hit the spot. I bagged the leftover broth and fish juices to spice my own cooking.

While Brick City Bakery in Greenpoint provided the pleasantly yeasty rolls and grilled bread, Hamilton’s concocts its own desserts. Sprinkling sea salt on the flourless chocolate cake created a flavorful contrast. And the special French apple tart lived up to its name. Shared among us, the $8 cost for each was a bargain. Although I didn’t learn the brand of coffee, it lent a fine finishing touch to a meal, which wasn’t perfect, but warmed our heads and stomachs on the short walk home.

Hamilton’s is open for lunch, Monday-Friday, 11 AM-4 PM; brunch, Saturday and Sunday, 10 AM-4 PM; dinner, Sunday-Thursday, 4:30 PM-11 PM, Saturday and Sunday, 4:30 PM-midnight; and happy hours, Monday-Friday, 11 AM-7 PM. Take the F train to Ft. Hamilton Parkway, and exit at the Ft. Hamilton Parkway end of the station. Turn right onto that street. If driving, head toward Prospect Park Southwest and Park Circle, taking the Ft. Hamilton Parkway exit ramp. Or call 718-438-0488 for more information.