I once read “The mark of a good restaurant is not necessarily its size but the quality of its food, service and the generosity of its staff” and while I don’t remember where I read it – I believe it to be a very true statement.
Elberta Brooklyn can be deemed “A Destination To Experience.” From the outside it’s unassuming and one clearly doesn’t know what to expect – when you enter a space that expresses simplicity in design and an atmosphere that’s diverse, cozy and homely.
The husband and wife owners, with South American and Caribbean backgrounds, had a vision and their vision was to create: “A place which represented the diversity of the neighborhood and a home for the community” – their community! I believe their vision embodied the space – A space they honored by calling it “Elberta.”
With a seasonal menu that changes Fall and Spring, one can always count of trying something new. The menu can be described as New American with a Southern flair and the concept for the menu was to offer great food that a variety of “cultures could identify with.” I have to go a bit further and point out the Caribbean influence that’s evident in the spices.
I’ve visited Elberta a number of different times to fully experience the menu and while I’m still working on that I can share with you what I have experienced thus far. My taste buds were delighted with every visit, so far I’ve had the Deviled egg($6) (definitely my go-to starter if I don’t want to be stuffed), Sticky wings($12), the winter salad($9), mussels($13), fish tacos($10), Brick jerk chicken($17), Smoked pan-seared Salmon($18), Berta Burger($15), truffle fries($7) and Crispy whole yellowtail snapper($30). Everything I’ve eaten so far has been tasty and delicious – on the last visit I had the whole snapper for the first time. It was very tasty and enjoyable however it was a bit too crispy for my liking. Yes, I was a bit disappointed but the truth is the dish is “crispy whole yellowtail snapper.
I’m a firm believer that any restaurant with great food should have a comparable cocktail menu and I must say, I wasn’t disappointed. I enjoyed the Winter Spice Sangria, Ginger Stinger, Spicy Chill, and Spiked Arnold Palmer but the Winter Spice Sangria is my absolute favorite – it’s a sneaky one people :).
A great atmosphere, delicious food, Fabulous cocktails, attentive and friendly staff really made my experience completely Fabulous. I haven’t visited for brunch but I’m planning to soon but if you’ve visited for Brunch I urge you to visit for dinner – I heard it’s two different experiences but both will be awesome.
Finally, I must thank the owner Erica Phillips for reaching out and answering my questions with passion. Usually, when I tell the staff of a restaurant I’ll be writing a review and leave my card (I get funny looks). When I did this time around, the server Michael was very kind to me and even passed my card along to the owner who reached out not only to thank me for dining with Elberta but to ask if I had questions (talk about being personable).
I’d love to hear about your dining experiences with Elberta and if you haven’t yet – go for it you’ll be pleased.
Images courtesy of The Eye of Gates Photography
Location: 335 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11217
Phone: 718-638-1936
Hours:
Sunday Brunch 11 AM – 8 PM
Tuesdays – Thursdays 5 PM – 11 PM
Fridays 5 PM – 1 AM
Saturdays 11 AM – 1 AM
Happy Hour: Tuesdays – Saturdays 5-7 PM
$3 off cocktails, $2 off beers, $6 wines, $1 Oysters
Tasty Tuesdays: Weekly prix-fixe dinner $25
Wednesdays: Free your mind Wednesdays is happy hour for the ladies all night
XXOO
NAT