Ainslie
Chef John DeLucie
Italian born Chef John DeLucie was raised in Brooklyn. DeLucie is bringing his talents to Brooklyn with his newest project: an immense eatery in eclectic Williamsburg.
DeLucie, who needs no introduction gained his fame from introducing a $55.00 truffle mac & cheese at Graydon Carter’s Waverly Inn; he has teamed up with restaurateurs AJ Bontempo and Sergio and Mario Riva to create this new venture.
Ainslie, an Italian-style eatery is housed in a beautiful 10,000 square-foot old wire factory but there’s nothing old about this space, which took two years to Renovate: The exposed brick walls, elegant chandeliers, lush greenery, wood repurposed from factory used for furniture and a 30 feet airplane hanger door (which serves as the entrance door to the beer garden) all came together to form a large yet intimate space.
The new space opens on Thursday, September 12th and features a creative assemblage of spaces: a restaurant and wine bar which seats 210 patrons, a beer garden which accommodates 70, a Living-room style lounge located on the Mezzanine level which seats 60 and a cozy rooftop space for 50.
The launch of Ainslie is a major accomplishment for Chef DeLucie and he’s deserving of every bit of this win after the unfortunate closing of four of his restaurants in 2015 due to his then partner alleged financial mismanagement.
The Menus
The bar menu offers a variety of well-crafted signature cocktails, 20 wines by the glass, four wines on tap, and 16 beers on tap from local craft breweries; which certainly complements the beautifully curated food menu.
The food menu features wood-fired pizza, grilled Bronzino, Burrata, Calamari Frilli, Roasted Arctic Char, an array of different kinds of pasta, including house-made ravioli, Pappardelle, lasagna, And spaghetti.
I had the pleasure of experiencing Ainslie yesterday and it’s a wonderful large space filled with a lot of character, charm, tasty cocktails and delicious food. My experience started with a tour of the space by AJ Bontempo (one of the partners – thank you for the invite) and ended with a cocktail reception on the mezzanine level. During the reception we had the opportunity to sample some of the signature cocktails (I tried the WM Cobble and Different Story). While nibbling on some of the delicious menu items (Bruschetta, Burrata, Pork Rugu sliders, Ravioli, Chicken Parmigiana, and pizza) and then there was DESSERT (Nutella calzone).
A brief conversation with Chef DeLucie showed his excitement and the passion he has for his work. He explained the process of preparing the wood-fire pizza, his plans for additional seafood options. When I commented on how wonderful and HUGE the space was he humbly smiled, shook his head (yes) and excitedly said: “it’s a huge space but it’ll be good.”
My night ended at the wine bar located in the main dining room with a few more cocktails. I couldn’t eat anymore and therefore couldn’t explore the menu further. Overall I had a very enjoyable experience. Great atmosphere, fresh quality dishes, attentive service, and kind & friendly staff are my true takeaways.
Ainslie
76 Ainslie Street corner of Keap Street
Info@ainsliebk.com
347-725-3400
TUES – THURS 5:00PM – 2:00AM
FRI 4:00PM – 3:00AM
SAT: 3:00PM – 3:00AM
SUN: 3:00PM – 2:00AM
XXOO
Nat
Source: New York Post