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Greenpoint’s new culinary gem, Esme offers a kitchen philosophy that “values dining without fetishizing it”

by Catherine Gigante-Brown

Although its cuisine is often described as “straightforward American bistro,” Esme is actually anything but. Instead, imagine a uniquely delicious brand of comfort food…on steroids.

Case in point: watermelon salad with heirloom tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and whipped feta cheese. How about grilled cheese to the highest power, with raclette, sharp cheddar, and house-made shallot jam? Or a Reuben with a twist, with mouthwatering pastrami instead of corned beef. And that’s just lunch. (Never fear: you can get incredible burgers—veggie and beef—too.)

Esme’s dinner menu, which changes seasonally, likewise embraces unpredictability. It features roasted chicken with cheddar biscuit bread pudding, luscious spring vegetable risotto, and salmon with summer squash, harissa, yogurt, and crispy chickpea fritters.

“We wanted to create an easygoing place, certainly,” explained Matthew Ricke, who opened the business (pronounced “Esmah”) with his brother Nathan, Brandon Chamberlain, and Executive Chef Adam Volk.

Of the evolution to this gustatory place in time, Chamberlain recalled that “Matt and I opened Exley, a small neighborhood bar in Williamsburg, in 2012. The following year, he found a space that came to be Esme. We thought it had great potential. We did the demo ourselves and opened nine months later in September of 2014.”

The Greenpoint locale truly is a natural fit, not least because the quartet lives in the area. “Two of us are literally feet away,” said Nathan. “Greenpoint’s sense of community is unique. In many ways, it has a small-town feel.”

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The restaurant’s name is a nod to a character from the JD Salinger short story For Esmé—with Love and Squalor—a thirteen-year-old English girl who befriends a G.I. during World War II.

“I think the name befits the tidy, proud look of the room and overall quality of the experience,” said Chamberlain.

The design reflects a deconstructionist elegance, with its up-cycled church pews, painted wood floors, and abundant natural light. “We purposely kept the design minimal because we want the focus to be on food, not décor,” said Matthew.

“Our approach has always been a desire to offer accessible cuisine,” added Volk. “We wanted this to be a spot where people could dine on more than just special occasions. For us, it’s as important to offer affordable dishes as it is to try new techniques and flavors.”

“And to run an ego-free establishment, too” offered Matthew. “A place that flourishes based on the merits of its work and values dining without fetishizing it.”

Nathan admitted that, “Having four unique voices wanting to be involved in every decision certainly provides a lot of challenges, but our diverse backgrounds all meet in one place…the table.”

Cocktails, however, are also done with unashamed panache. “Our drink menu is seasonal and fun,” said Nathan. “This summer, we created the ‘War and Peas,’ featuring sweet-pea infused vodka; it pairs well with our Spring Pea Risotto.”

Mixology aficionados are introduced to new ingredients in an approachable manner as well. A good example is the “Good Soldier,” which blends the bright, herbal Czech liqueur Becherovka with bourbon and fresh corn juice.

“Two draft lines also allow us to play around with aging and carbonating,” explained Nathan. “‘The Jerk’ is a carbonated daiquiri served choose-your-flavor soda jerk style, with selections like watermelon, mango cinnamon, traditional or carrot ginger.”

The drink menu pairs naturally with an impressive array of $6 nibbles made for sharing—crispy fried smoked potatoes, sautéed Tuscan kale, house-cut fries with curry ketchup and garlic aioli, caramelized cauliflower with toasted almonds and a brown butter vinaigrette, and faro salad with carrots, fennel, and golden raisins.

Open for lunch, dinner, and brunch, the last is yet another stage for Volk’s American nouveau comfort food with a flair: his pork belly Eggs Benedict, ricotta beignets, or straight-up Southern-style biscuits and gravy are notable standouts.

“There are few things that can compare to a great meal (and great drinks!) with good company,” admitted Nathan. “We want to provide that type of space. Our focus is on quality and consistency, plus there’s Brandon’s maniacal devotion to a level of service above what people expect—those things set us apart.”

Judging by the number of familiar faces and regulars in the joint, they’ve achieved that goal. “We provide a reason to come back and something new to look forward to,” Nathan continued. “Because it’s possible to be both a local spot and a ‘destination’ eatery. We strive to provide this vibrant, rapidly-evolving area with something that’s both reliable and exciting.”

Esme 999 Manhattan Avenue / 718.383.0999 / esmebk.com
Nicole Disser Photography nicoledisser.wordpress.com