I adore spaces that effectively display simplicity and chicness with the same attention to detail as an extravagant space.

The Space

Williamsburg is now home to Ten Hope, a new Mediterranean-inspired restaurant that opens today. A beautiful space that features the simplicity and chicness that stole my heart.

As I made my way towards the gracious entryway I could see the perfectly placed lush greenery hanging from the front of the rooftop. The exterior glistened in the rain without giving me a glimpse of the interior. As I walked in the high ceiling set the tone and took my eyes upwards to the simple but interesting artwork that elegantly line the beautiful monochromatic walls. The Lush green ivy strategically placed throughout the space created the feeling of being in an outdoor airy space. And above the full bar, three singular eclipse (like) fixtures ever so gently floated in the air. A dining area with a complementing living room arranged effortlessly to seat 100 patrons brought together the elements of charming simplicity.

The simple sleek furniture is functional and gave the perfect pop of color to the minimalist interior. And the uniquely placed kitchen stood out and is located near the entryway. The kitchen reminded me of home or a homely kitchen created to connect the chef with his/her guests. These features gave the space a chicness that was effortless yet intentional.

Another very nice feature of this space is the vine-laced, dimly-lit 2,500 square-foot outdoor patio which provides ample seating in a green environment outdoors.

The Menu: Food

Chef Harold Dieterle is the consulting chef and is a Long Island, native. Dieterle, rose to national fame as the winner of Bravo TV’s first season of “Top Chef” and was once the owner of Perilla and Kin Shop.

The Chef has carefully crafted a menu with rich influences of Greek, Italian, Spanish, and Moroccan cuisine. The menu though concise offers an array of options and  features sharable plate options like:

• Smashed Avocado with Green Zhug, feta cheese, and pita chips for $15
• Seared Halloumi Cheese Salad with crispy kale sprouts, kiwi berries, and toasted pumpkin seed vinaigrette for $18
• Spice Roasted Local Carrots with Squid ink ricotta
• Mike’s Hot Honey and crispy quinoa for $13

And Main dish options like:

• 

  Crispy Octopus with Chorizo, wax beans, pickled eggplant, and nigella aioli for $19

• Crispy Lamb Ribs with Cumin for $17
• Raw Porgy, with bitter preserved lemon curd, Sicilian olive, and crispy shallot hemp seed crumble
• Seared Diver Sea Scallops with golden beets, roasted fennel, and romesco sauce for $28
• Chicken Cooked Under a Brick with pluots, charred cabbage, hazelnuts, and spicy green garlic sauce for $24
• Ten Hope Kofta Burger with Kasseri cheese, crispy potatoes, and tzatziki for $22
• Grilled Creekstone Prime Hanger Steak with Salsa Verde and charred broccolini for $36

The Menu: Bar

What would a food menu be without an equally complementing bar menu? Intentionally curated with the food menu in mind. The Specialty cocktails were created by Aaron Kerr-Zengo from Bowery Bar and are $14 each. Cocktails like:

• the half Royal with Noble Oak Bourbon, ginger, blood orange, and Punt e Mes
• Eloquence made with Ford’s Gin, Cocchi Americano Bianco, citrus and aquafaba
• Comfortably Numb with Flor de Cana Rum, Ancho Verde, Coco Lopez, Thai basil, and black pepper puree
• The Ten Hope Spritz with Prosecco and Italicus
• The Admiral Rye with Old Overholt Rye, Yellow Chartreuse, and lavender

will keep you coming back for more. Additionally, Ten Hope also features an assortment of trendy house-made low-cal spiked Hopeful Sodas, all with no added sugar or sweeteners. The Hopeful Sodas include house-made infusions such as Hibiscus Vodka, Grapefruit Tequila, and Earl Grey Gin.  Wine and champagne are also by the glass, and international bottled beer as well as domestic draft.

My Experience

It was a pleasure to experience Ten Hope’s menu at a private preview party last night. Although it was raining cats and dogs it was a worthy visit. The atmosphere was lively and it gave me a feel of what to expect on future visits, even on a crowded night.

The staff was busy but kind, attentive, and pleasant. The music created a nice vibe and still allowed conversation. There was a nice feeling of comfort and homeliness. I believe Ten Hope will be a neighborhood favorite. It’s the perfect spot for a late-night drink or a wonderful dining experience for dinner with friends and/or family but also cozy enough for a date night.

The Menu: My take

I had the Half Royal and I am excited to try the other signature cocktails. This cocktail excited my tastebuds with a slight vanilla taste of the bourbon. The pungent spiciness of the fresh ginger and the bittersweetness of the blood orange was all shaken nicely to create a well-crafted cocktail that was rich with flavors and very tasty.

I moved on to the house-made low-cal spiked Hopeful Sodas out of curiosity. I choose the one infused with Hibiscus Vodka. At first, it was bland because there is no sugar added but after a few sips, I could taste the richness of the hibiscus and loved that it was refreshing.

Sharable Plates

Now for the food Dahlings. I must say I was very pleased and I can not wait to explore the entire menu. First I tried the Spice Roasted Local Carrots with Squid ink ricotta, I am allergic to orange carrots and was happy that they served the red and the golden (I say golden some say white) ones. The squid ink ricotta perfectly complemented the spiciness with its creamy texture.

I had the warm flatbread with Zaatar olive oil and house-made dips. The Roasted Beets with Labne, Dill, and Black Caraway, Tahini Hummus with Cumin, Crispy Chickpeas and Sumac, and the Roasted Broccoflower with preserved lemon and Anchovy were quite enjoyable. I must say I would order them all again and they should be the prelude to any dish you choose when you visit.

Smashed Avocado

The Smashed Avocado with Green Zhug, feta cheese, and pita chips isn’t something I would normally choose but it seemed to be a crowd favorite. I have a strong dislike for avocado but this was very nice. The tangy, rich, and slightly salty flavor of the feta cheese and the spices of the green zhug jazzed up the avocado. I had seconds and can’t wait to try this again. I liked it better on the flatbread and I also added it to the Kofta burger.

Main Dishes – Raw Porgy

I followed up with Raw Porgy, with bitter preserved lemon curd, Sicilian olive, and crispy shallot hemp seed crumble. The lemon curd added a nice butter sweetness, while the olives gave subtle spiciness that made me forget the name of the dish is raw porgy.

Seared Diver Sea Scallops

I moved on to the Seared Diver Sea Scallops with golden beets, roasted fennel, and romesco sauce. I love scallops and these babies did not disappoint. The firm sweet buttery texture of the scallop was complemented by the mild and pleasant taste of the fennel while the unique sweetness of the golden beets blended nicely without causing the dish to be overly sweet. The rustic-ruddy hue of romesco sauce added a nice touch to both the presentation and the taste.

Ten Hope Kofta Burger with Kasseri cheese

Next, I had Ten Hope Kofta Burger with Kasseri cheese. The only burger I have had in the last year was beyond and impossible so this was a nice change. I would order this on a regular visit, the kasseri cheese piquant and slightly salty taste added a nice flavor to the already flavorful meat.

Crispy Lamb Ribs with Cumin

And finally, I had the Crispy Lamb Ribs with Cumin. I loved that I could taste the cumin, and the rib had an interesting flavor which I enjoyed. It had that fall off the bone and melt in your mouth effect but I don’t know if I could get past the little bit of fattiness. This particular dish may need a second and third tasting to make a decision.

Ten Hope is located at 10 Hope Street, Brooklyn, and was created by restaurateur, and music event producer Bill Zafiros. Zafiros is marrying his two passions by bringing a weekly Tuesday series of live music, dubbed Studio Sessions, for guests to discover some of NYC’s newest talents and stars on the rise.

Ten Hope will officially open its doors today to the public and is definitely on our hotlist. My visit there was very nice and I can’t wait to visit again. I ended my nice feeling very grateful I chose to attend in spite of the rain. Fresh quality food, the simple but chic interior, tastefully crafted cocktails, pleasant attentive and kind staff are my true takeaways. Oh, and the exfoliating hand wash was a nice treat :).

I hope you visit this week and send me your feedback – I would love to hear about your visit.