Olmsted: Serving Satisfaction with a Side of Nostalgia
The last place I would expect to eat dinner next to a chicken coop is Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Through a newly-converted storefront filled with fresh produce, wines, soaps, and baked goods, a backyard garden of Olmsted awaits.
Olmsted, named after the famed architect behind Prospect Park, is the project of chef and owner Greg Baxtrom (Alinea, Per Se, Atera, and Blue Hill at Stone Barns). Seated at a picnic table amongst the plants with strung lights above, one almost forgets the hustle and bustle of the city and pictures a rural starry night.
The farm-to-table eatery spotlights a seasonal menu where it is quite difficult to order incorrectly. In Olmsted’s case, fancy does not necessarily mean pricey. The most expensive entree costs no more than 26 dollars, but the quality emulates fine dining. I wondered which of the plants around me I would be eating for dinner that night, and how jealous the curious neighbors above would be.
The wait staff at Olmsted was helpful, knowledgable, and friendly. Our waitress helped us order and gave her recommendations, but was brief. As an apprehensive diner during the pandemic, this is something I appreciate.
Should you find yourself at Olmsted, do not skip the drinks! Not only should you order a drink (or two), you should order something adventurous. Each drink features unique pairings, and a Maker’s Mark Bourbon Tasting Flight includes Maker’s Mark Private Select (Black Bourbon Society).
Tip: beets and gin make for a bright, delicious, foamy cocktail.
Now, I understand the menu will be different by the time I post this, but I am quite certain these dishes will be as tasty as the next.
Let’s begin with the special, and quite possibly one of the best salads I have ever eaten: warm carrot and radicchio salad topped with dill and warm carrot butter. The bitterness of the radicchio with the sweetness of the carrot butter was a pair I never knew I needed, but a pair I never want to live without. It was something about the simplicity that made it seem so elevated.
Later came a small dish of home-made bread & butter pickles, and after that came Hassleback potatoes topped with chives. The potatoes were potatoes, but the pickles were so great I ordered them again.
Mentioned as one of the best dishes Eater NY editors ate this week, the waygu beef corndog with cherry ketchup brought me back to my childhood. I have a fond memory of going to the farmer’s market with my dad near his hometown in Pennsylvania. We’d laugh at the pigs feet for sale, try as many samples as possible, and he’d let me take home a bunch of candy. What I remember most fondly, though, is the first corndog I ever tried. I think I ate some ketchup with a side of corndog, but hey, I’m a ketchup kind of girl. When a restaurant is able to not only bring back memories, but add to them, that is when the kitchen has done its job.
The finale, and perhaps the best dish of all, was the dry-rubbed ribs. While most prefer ribs that fall right off the bone, these had a bite to them. The sauce was light, but it worked. The crispy outside and the tender inside was simply unbeatable. Brooklyn has a lot of great barbecue spots, but interestingly enough it was the garden-centric restaurant that had the best ribs of all.
As I paid the check and headed out, I browsed the storefront and chatted briefly with the hostesses discussing new restaurant openings. Shortly thereafter, I reentered the hustle and bustle of the city with a full belly and a smile on my face. I knew that if I ever needed an escape, there was a place in which I could return.
Olmsted is located at 659 Vanderbilt Avenue, between Park and Prospect Places.
