A Premiere Destination By Christopher A. Pape As many of my friends know, I am not a devotee of things Brooklyn. Although my crowded, parking impossible and for the most part (don’t kill me here) the people unbearable. I accept the criticism that I am an oldfashioned New Yorker, who still believes that Manhattan lies at the center of the universe. myself in Williamsburg, Brooklyn recently, and actually enjoying it. I tracked out there for a restaurant; it was one of the best decisions I made this year. The restaurant, Maison Premiere, is of exceptional quality, and I urge all of you to make your way out to Brooklyn to try it. I contend that the atmosphere, service and dining establishments in Manhattan. This is no small claim – for anyone who knows me with the options. And ate everything that was presented to us.
But, I’m sure you’re all wondering: what exactly did we eat? So allow me to expound on the menu. We started off with a beautifully prepared seafood plateau, which consisted of lobster, crab legs, and six varietals of clams and oysters. If you’ve ever watched the professional at the raw bar - powerful hands moving with frightening speed, shucking oysters and clams, and breathlessly waiting to eat said creation, then you know how delicious it can be. And the seafood itself was some of the freshest “frutti di mare” I’ve ever had the opportunity of eating.
Our table, tucked into the back corner of the small restaurant, was the perfect vantage point to gaze on the other guests enjoying themselves. The service was polite, without being intrusive and knowledgeable without being haughty. Mention should be made that they have the largest selection of absinthe and absinthe cocktails in the United States – just the perfect accompaniment to a very
We continued are pleasure tour with a wellconceived tasting menu, consisting of dishes like sea urchin pasta with ramps, sea scallops brandade with garlic, parsley and espelette. Each of the above offerings was uniquely delicious, but the sea urchin pasta was my favorite. As an Italian, it was a perfect combination of al dente noodles and briny creaminess of the sea urchin that brought a smile to my face. In fact, I ordered another dish to go (and ate it almost immediately upon arriving home).
Maison Premiere 298 Bedford Ave. (347) 335-0446 maisonpremiere.com
Resident