JAMES, 605 Carlton Avenue at St Marks Avenue, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Phone: (718) 942 - 4255
There is something about James.
We want to go out and explore and re-explore other restaurants, but keep being drawn back to this intimate, yet vibrant dining room; a place with a good, energetic “vibe” and very good fare. So we are not surprised that James is quite popular.
When looking in through the windows of this inviting space, you will see it filled (already pretty early in the evening) with seemingly happy people talking (some of them loud), laughing, enjoying drinks by the bar and/or enjoying their meals.
When entering, you may be greeted by one of the friendly waiters, but more likely the delightful hostess-owner Deborah Williamson. Deborah will greet you as though you were a regular even if it is your first visit. It seems important to her that everyone who enters is going to be happy. No attitude, just a genuine warmth and friendliness, which is a thing still too rare in this city.
James’ website describes itself as “a seasonal-American restaurant with old-world European influences” and the chef-owner, Bryan Calvert, is very good at preparing that food. We have been happily surprised by how fresh everything has been –and also by how well everything is prepared. Even seemingly simple dishes have been surprisingly delicious, almost possessing an extra element. Umami? Maybe. The last thing I ate there was crepes (Crepes with Parmacotto, Manchego, Sweet Marjoram Béchamel) for brunch. The dish has been “haunting” me since then. How can something seemingly so simple and basic be so delicious? My guess: Fresh, quality ingredients, fresh preparation and a talented chef who knows what he is doing. Maybe you can add: the right kind of pride (love) in your trade.
So I guess we are a little bit smitten.
When I decided to find out more about James and the people behind it, I discovered, among other things, that Mr. Calvert has worked at Bouley and at Union Pacific. Well, now. The pieces of the puzzle fall nicely into place, explaining a lot. We used to adore Bouley, especially the original Bouley, where we had one of the best meals in our lives. I also really, really liked Union Pacific. Who knows, maybe I sampled Mr. Calvert's magic already there. I have also learned, that James has its own herb garden. That also tells something, maybe about a serious, respectful attitude toward food and its ingredients.
We discovered James pretty recently, but since then, we have had 7 dinners & 3 brunches there. We tend to sample the same dishes many times; that is a good way to test the consistency of a kitchen. It is also a great excuse to keep eating a dish that you like.
Also, many fine restaurants, James included, have only a few options for a vege-lacto-pescatarian (my husband). So, while I can more or less eat through any menu over time, at James my husband's choices are fairly limited.
Here are some of the dishes we have tried:
Some of the starters we have sampled so far, some of them several times:
-Crispy Sweetbreads, Hubbard Squash, Truffles, Port Wine Reduction ($12)
-Spinach Salad, Shiitake Mushrooms & Parmesan Reggiano, Balsamico ($10)
-Cauliflower Soup with Smoked Trout and Fresh Herbs ($10)
-Roasted Baby Beets, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Warm Goat Cheese ($11)
In a new (to me) restaurant, I like to order the sweetbreads if the dish is on the menu: that is one of my ways of testing and comparing different kitchens. James’ sweetbreads were perfectly crispy on the outside and delicate on the inside. Quite tasty. The truffles and the port wine reduction were a splendid pairing. But the squash, while good in itself, in my opinion made the dish a bit too heavy, and in that way took a bit away from the delicious sweetbreads.
But I ate the whole thing, even though I had promised myself to leave room for the main course. [My dining companion (a/k/a “Husband”) does not eat red meat, so he could not "help" me here].
The cauliflower soup was tasty, although a bit too creamy for our taste. The smoked trout pieces in the soup were terrific and I found myself hoping there had been more of them… or maybe a dish where the smoked trout got to play the main role.
I like it that the spinach salad is so generous. We order this one a lot, because I like spinach and enjoy getting my daily portion of it in such a delicious form. It comes dressed in tasty balsamico and a mixture of shiitake mushrooms and parmesan-reggiano which, in addition to textures, add a different, delicious dimension to the salad.
The roasted baby beets are very nice too, on of the lighter “small plates”, especially if you ask the chef to go light on the warm goat cheese “dressing”.
Some of the main courses we have sampled so far, a few of them several times:
House Pasta of the Day.
The has been delicious so far -made the same day, of course -and always cooked perfectly al dente.
We have sampled three pasta specials so far:
- Ravioli w. Duck and Foie Gras ($17).
- Tagliatelle w. Braised Rabbit ($17) .
- Ravioli w. Pig Cheeks, Caramelized Cipollini Onions & Cipollini Onion Puree ($17).
I like James' pastas a lot.
Too often ravioli contain an indistinct, mushy filling. And if those ravioli contain meat, you can hardly taste it, because it is blended together with pureed vegetables and cheese.
Luckily, James’ ravioli stands apart:
In the Duck and Foie Gras Ravioli, you could really feel and taste the duck, and even the foie gras. Same thing with the Pig Cheek ravioli. These portions are not huge, but they are satisfying. The accompaniments, like the caramelized Cipollini Onions and the Cipollini puree (which looks like a sauce) were quite delicious. The Tagliatelle with the Braised Rabbit: ooh-la-laa, fuhgeddaboutit: what musty, full, great flavors (umami again, ha!). Perfectly al dente, delicious tagliatelle.
-Seared Salmon with Leek Stew, Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Aromatic Sauce ($21).
My husband loves this dish. He has had it many times. So far it has been perfectly cooked to the requested doneness (medium), except for one time, when it was medium rare.
- Grilled New York Strip with Creamed Spinach, Shallot Rings and Red Wine Mustard Jus ($26).
I have enjoyed this dish 3 times: I order it medium-rare. The steak is served sliced thinly, the slices laid over the creamed spinach. The shallot rings are placed on top of the steak slices. Sometimes the smaller (end) slices are closer to medium, but they are tasty as well. It is a delicious dish and is quite satisfying on its own, but if you want an additional side to go with it, the herbed fries are very good. We share them.
When I order the fries, I ask for them well done and that is how they I get them.
During three brunches we have sampled:
-Salmon Cake with Frisée Salad and Lemon Caper Remoulade ($14)
-Crepes with Parmacotto, Manchego, Sweet Marjoram Béchamel ($10)
-Artisanal Cheese Plate with Chaichou, Aged Gruyere, Stilton ($12)
The salmon cakes are delicious. We have had them several times. My only criticism is of the too small portion of greens (frisée salad) that comes with the dish. Just a few more greens around the salmon cakes would make this dish perfect.
Wine list:
The wine list is meager, but we credit the attempt at creating a meaningful range. We understand the problems caused by space limitations and storage issues. That said, the wines on the list are food friendly (if sometimes a bit on the young side) and quite reasonably priced. If wine is not your thing, James serves some pretty mean beers, and the bartender can perform miracles inside a martini glass.
Shared Desserts:
-Creme Brulee with Lemongrass Infusion ($9)
-Chocolate Ganache Cake with Hazelnut Center and Brandy Ice Cream ($10)
-Creamy Banana Crepes with Dulce de Leche ($9)
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LATER VISITS:
Since March we, of course, continued dining at James. The more we visit James, the more we like it. While we have kept eating some of our "old" favorites, there are some new items on the menu that we had sampled.
Starters ("small plates")
-Spring Onion Soup with Boar Lardon and Pecorino Romano ($10)
A very different Onion soup. The taste is delicate and the texture is velvety (or "creamy"). Very good.
-Crusted Diver Scallops with Fingerling Potatoes, Horseradish Vinaigrette ($12)
A wonderful scallop dish. I have lost count on how many times we have ordered this dish. Delicious.
-Seared East Coast Tuna with Shaved Fennel, Citrus and Alfonso Olive Puree ($16)
My husband had this - black & blue- and enjoyed it. But my palate had a clash with, what felt like and odd, hard flavor in the dish... Unfortunately, I was not able to identify the source of it. Maybe it was the seasoning for the tuna ...? But that was just me, my husband still thinks it was good.
-Half-Dozen East Coast Oysters with Red Wine Mignonette ($16)
We love these Oysters and order them often.
Main courses
-Spring Pea Risotto with Sheep Milk Ricotta and Pancetta ($19)
Fresh, delighful pea flavors in this nice risotto that does not feel too heavy. During one visit, two of our gustes shared this and the salmon dish, a solution they were both pleased with. Best of both worlds...
-Pressed Young Chicken with Napa Cabbage and Morels ($22)
I rarely order chicken in a restaurant, but since I want to eat trough James' menu, I decided to try. Especially since I noticed that there were morels in the dish. I liked it so much that I ordered it during my next visit, too. This chicken was moist & succulent, very flavorful. The rub on the crispy skin was excellent. I kept thinking that it tasted "more" than a chicken. I also thought the Napa cabbage and the morels were perfect with this dish.
- Tagliatelle w. Braised Lamb and bLack Olives ($17)
Nightly special.
I am repeating myself: James' fresh, home made pasta is excellent: flavorful and cooked perfectly. This dish, with the lamb and olives was quite good; savory & very satisfying. I actually thought of taking half of the portion home, but wound up eating the whole thing, since I just could not stop.
- Mahi Mahi w. Squid, Bok choy, Red pepper Curry Sauce (broth, actually) ($17). Nightly special.
"World class cooking", exclaimed the happy vege-lacto - pescaterian between bites. The thick (but not too large) piece of mahi mahi was very tender and moist, as was the accompanying squid. The red pepper curry broth gave the fresh dish a nice bite.
Restaurant JAMES
605 Carlton Avenue at St Marks Avenue
Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Phone: (718) 942 - 4255
Restaurant James images. Click photos to enlarge.
The beautiful bar at Restaurant James:
Restaurant James' cozy dining room & full bar:
Restaurant James, Peeking in to the warm light:
Brunch time at Restaurant James:
Detail of Restaurant James' gorgeous lucite chandelier:
Restaurant James' tasty brunch salmon cakes:
We are hooked on restaurant James' East Coast
Oysters with Red Wine Mignonette. Click to enlarge:
