Isla & Co in Williamsburg
Isla & Co in Williamsburg is officially opening today! Australian restaurant group Parched Hospitality Group, the team behind New York City’s wildly popular Hole in the Wall restaurants, The Sentry, Daintree and Ghost Burger, is introducing their latest hospitality concept, Isla & Co. which will be housed adjacent to The William Vale in Williamsburg.
Helming the kitchen will be Executive Chef Matt Foley, formerly of two Michelin-starred Marea in NYC, who is best known for his flavor development and visual plating. Foley has crafted a menu that encapsulates specialty dishes inspired by Australian coastal towns by day and a cocktail driven dinner destination by night, Isla & Co. draws influences from Australia, Europe and SouthEast Asia. The menu encapsulates Australian style cooking - creative brunch dishes and a seasonally driven dinner menu with excellent cuts of meat paired with bright flavors alongside vegetable focussed dishes. Isla & Co. is designed to fit the bill for your morning coffee, a mid-week lunch walk-in, an intimate dinner date or a social gathering spot, providing a convivial eatery boasting healthy, always-fresh, seasonal, high-quality ingredients and dishes, alongside an engaging service.
Isla & Co. also plans to open two new locations in Florida and one in Atlanta this year. Their West Palm Beach location at 14 Clare Avenue, across from the Grandview Public Market, will open this Spring in addition to a Miami Beach location and Atlanta's Isla & Co. opening is slated for July.
Food: Brunch, which will be served until 4pm everyday will include Chili Egg Scramble, Brekkie Roll, Smoked Salmon Benedict, Brioche French Toast, Griddled Banana Bread, Isla Burger, and the Pulled Pork Sandwich with cabbage slaw, pickled onion and served with fries. Dinner items include Spicy Shrimp Vodka Rigatoni, a Signature Isla Burger, Fish & Chips and a Half Chicken with seasonal roasted vegetables.
Coffee: Isla & Co. delivers a specialty coffee program inspired by Australian coffee culture serving Hole in the Wall Espresso. Isla & co will feature two signature house blends suitable for Espresso and drip extraction originating from Ethiopia and the Americas and roasted in Denver Colorado.
Alcohol: Isla & Co will offer an extensive wine list with a large focus on natural and organic wines, craft beers and signature cocktails like the Wizard of Aus - Starward Whiskey, lemon juice, sugar, egg white, Shiraz wine float, Isla Old Fashioned -bourbon, Amaro Montenegro, Eucalyptus bitters, and The Taipan - Hiatus Tequila, spicy pepper, yuzu, agave, shiso alongside brunch cocktail favorites like a mimosa and their house blend bloody mary. All beverages are served from brunch through to dusk.
Days and Hours of Operation: Monday-Sunday from 8am-11pm with brunch from 8am - 4pm and dinner from 5pm - 11pm.
The Water Tower Bar
The Williamsburg Hotel (96 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn, New York) is thrilled to announce the much-anticipated opening of The Water Tower, a sleek, intimate lounge and nightclub, which is set to open its doors today, Friday, November 16.
Photo Credit: Liz Clayman
The Water Tower, located high in the sky above the hotel’s rooftop, boasts unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline through floor-to-ceiling windows encased in steel. With cozy sofas throughout the intimate space, the unique bar transitions from a sophisticated lounge to a contemporary nightclub in the later hours, featuring nightly live entertainment from a rotating list of DJs from around the world.
Photo Credit: Liz Clayman
The beverage menu offers inventive libations, all created by renowned mixologist, Rael Petit, whose forward-thinking approach to mixology led him to celebrated restaurants like L'Orange Bleue and The Standard, before taking the helm at The Williamsburg Hotel in May 2018.
Cocktail highlights include the luxe Heart of Gold (Patron Gran Platinum, Cocchi Americano, white truffle-infused aperol), Message in a Bottle (Bacardi 4yr, clarified milk, Chinese cinnamon cordial, blue majik pineapple juice, lemon), Purple Rain (Empress Gin, Cocchi Americano, Pear Williams, Plant People CBD oil) and Les Gnomes (Absolut Elyx, Singani 63, Ancho Reyes, ginger syrup, lemon juice). Guests are also able to enjoy luxurious bites created by Executive Chef Nic Caicedo, like the Seafood Plateau (chef’s selection of fresh local and wild seafood with seasonal accompaniments), White Truffle Grilled Cheese(fontina, comte, smoked gouda, and white alba truffles, on Brooklyn Bread Lab brioche), and Caviar Tastings (Siberian sturgeon, classic osetra, and golden osetra served with traditional accoutrements).
Photo Credit: Liz Clayman
The Water Tower was constructed with industrial materials like steel, glass, and brass, and the decor is punctuated with plush velvet couches and chaises. The lounge is accessible via a VIP elevator, and colorful murals painted by a local artist line the walls, offering an apt mix of grit and glam that pays homage to the neighborhood’s history.
The launch of The Water Tower will mark the opening of the hotel’s sixth property concept, with others including The Ballroom, The Library Bar, The Restaurant, The Rooftop + Pool, and Brooklyn Bread Lab, a warehouse kitchen focused on crafting artisan breads, pastas, pastries, and pizza dough from house-milled grains.
The Water Tower will be open Wednesday - Sunday from 10:00pm - 4:00am. Reservations can be made by emailing watertower@thewilliamsburghotel.com.
For additional information, please visit thewilliamsburghotel.com.
Freehold Brunch
The word “brunch” holds a special meaning in the hearts of New Yorkers. Brunch is a weekly tradition for those who live in the city, typically celebrated on Sunday with a good group of friends. There are places all over Manhattan that offer a tasty meal and cocktails to beat the “Sunday scaries.” But head down to Brooklyn and you’ll find Freehold - the refined yet urban restaurant that can do it all.
This well-rounded restaurant checks most of the boxes one looks for in choosing a place to eat, drink, and have a good time. The Freehold has mastered creating a space that has a unique aesthetic and artistic feel. While the Freehold operates day-to-day as a restaurant, coffee shop, and bar, special events offer live music, dancing, and special performances that transform the space from day to night. Sundays at the Freehold usually start off quiet as guests gather for brunch and by mid afternoon- the music turns on.
Known for their savory dishes, the Freehold recently unveiled their newest brunch menu. The selection offers gourmet dishes of both breakfast and lunch favorites such as the “Smoked Salmon Scramble,” cooked over an English muffin; the “Brunch Burger,” a ground patty stacked with Munster cheese, fried egg, and the works, and a simple egg platter, scrambled with meat and made to perfection. Yummy vegetarian options now include the “Housemade Yogurt”, with berries, granola, and honey, the “Everything Salad”, and a plant-based veggie burger named the “Impossible.”
Also introduced were a range of cocktails perfectly crafted for the afternoon. The “Dirty Chai” tastes of chai, cinnamon, and tequila. A fruitier choice is the “Bloodhound,”a vodka-based drink disguised with a splash of grapefruit.
To celebrate, The Freehold generously hosted an intimate brunch in their private dining space. Tables were served courses of each dish, family-style to share and taste throughout the course of the afternoon. Both the food and cocktails were well received by guests, leaving no plate untouched. Overall, the event was very successful in launching their new menu.
Heading to Brooklyn? Make sure to stop by the Freehold to check out their new menu. Or make a trip; it will be well worth it. Brunch at the Freehold is served both Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 4pm.
Photos courtesy of FreeHold
The Official Arrival of Clinton Hall to Williamsburg
Clinton Hall, a place for burgers, games, and beer, has finally arrived in Williamsburg! The new location can be found at the POD BK Hotel, and it includes good music, fun games, delicious food, and a large selection of draft beers.
The unique bar and dining experience features 20 beer drafts on rotation, which range from keg-conditioned lagers from the US, Belgium, Germany, Scandinavia, and more. But, if you’re in the mood for something other than beer, Clinton Hall offers a few different wines and cocktails worth trying, including the Spicy Margarita (tanteo jalapeno tequila, agave nectar, and fresh lime juice) and the Frozé (Frozen Rosé).
To accompany the wide selection of drinks, Clinton Hall provides an array of “sliders,” “pass arounds,” and “on table.” The “sliders” are finger-licking good, varying from Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich (served with pickled red slaw on a crispy chicken breast, cayenne pepper and secret spice blend) to The Shipwreck (beer battered cornet fish, old bay fries, tomato, lettuce, and tartar sauce). As for the pass arounds, Clinton Hall does not disappoint. Surprising combinations such as Buffalo Cauliflower (crispy florets with Clinton Hall buffalo sauce and crumbled bleu cheese) and Kimchi Hot Dogs (all beef hot dog, kimchi, crispy onion and chili aioli) are mouthwatering.The “on table” selection includes Waffle Fries (with cheddar cheese, jalapeno, and scallions) and Vietnamese Style Crispy Brussels (with mint, crispy shallot, and chili lime vinaigrette).
Photo by The Skinny Pig
After the food and drinks, guests are invited to participate in games such as giant Jenga and connect 4. What better way to finish off the night than to play some fun games in great company? After all, Clinton Hall has it all. With craft beer, great food, and fun, Clinton Hall is the perfect place to go to for a memorable experience. Check out the new location for more: 247 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211.
Photos courtesy of Clinton Hall
Taste Talks 2017
The rise of foodie culture has given rise to ways in which we can celebrate foodie culture, and Taste Talks, a series of national festivals held in Brooklyn, foodie capital of the world, is the perfect way to do that.
This year, the Taste Talks Festival was held from September 8th to September 10th, starting with the second ever “TASTY AWARDS” at the Weylin Hotel in Williamsburg. Categories for the awards included “Best Pastry Chef,” “Best Startup,” and “Best Food Literature,” and nominees ranged from the high end Alinea to the artisanal Felix Trattoria.
Drinks for the event were sponsored by Altos Tequila
After the awards ceremony, guests were treated to snacks from The Meatball Shop and Campbell’s Cheese and Grocery at an exclusive after party located at the extravagant Weylin, which set the focus on food for the remainder of the festival.
The next day, ticket holders headed over to The Williamsburg Hotel for a Future Food Expo, which featured companies that work to produce more sustainably sourced and environmentally friendly food, such as Zesty Z and Kellog’s. Other panelists at the Expo included Wandering Bear Coffee, the Cabot Creamery Co-operative, and teapigs.
To close out the festival, Taste Talks held an “All Star BBQ Cookout,” where guests could enjoy mini dishes from some of Brooklyn’s biggest food talent, including Andrew Whitcomb, Yuji Haraguchi, and Brad Farmerie. My favorites of the day included the “Burro Taco,” a 28 day dry aged Pat LaFrieda ribeye taco from Saxon and Parole, the Double Smoked Bacon Bao from Nom Wah Tea Parlor, and lastly, the out of this world “Cosmic Mousstachio Vegan Ice Cream Sundae” from Van Leeuwen, in partnership with Frankie Cosmos.
"Mile Em Poutine" from Mile End x Emmy Squared
The Double Smoked Bacon Bao from Nom Wah Tea Parlor, in collaboration with Schaller x Weber
"Burro Taco" from Saxon + Parole
“Cosmic Mousstachio Vegan Ice Cream Sundae” from Van Leeuwen, in partnership with Frankie Cosmos
The Taste Talks Festival is a must go for any aspiring NYC foodie. Not only is it a fantastic place to find your new favorite food, but it’s somewhere where you’ll learn about how the food world is changing, and what you can do to help. Find out more at: http://www.tastetalks.com/