Culinary paradise on high at Hotel Le Bleu’s Rooftop Restaurant

BY MELISA STUMPF AND HELEN KLEIN

Perched atop the Hotel le Bleu in Park Slope, the Rooftop Restaurant offers a feast for the eye and the palate.

Yes, there are gorgeous views over the New York skyline; equally gorgeous are the elegantly prepared food – reimagined classics that are fresh and satisfying — and the careful service, befitting this jewel of an eatery, which opened a year ago, on Valentine’s Day.

“I love making people happy,” stressed owner-chef Anthony Simonson. “I want to put out a quality product at a reasonable price. I want to make sure people get their money’s worth, and I want people to say they thoroughly enjoyed the food and the service.”

We tried several of the restaurant’s specialties, upon which Simonson  lavishes care and attention, making his own demiglace, for instance, to ensure that each dish has a distinctive flavor all its own.

Among the appetizers, we sampled the Pan Seared Scallops ($14), served bathed in a melon champagne sauce that had a delicate kick thanks to the lemon-pepper sprinkled on them. Semi-sweet champagne is chosen to offset both the meaty scallops and the “really ripe and soft cantaloupes” that are used.

The Jumbo Lump Maryland Crab Cakes ($14) were thick and flavorful, served on a bed of corn relish studded with pieces of red pepper and garnished with an artfully twisted lemon slice.

Also fabulous was the Grilled Marinated Portabella with Boursin Cheese ($12), spiked with a cranberry-cinnamon confit and served on a bed of lightly dressed mesclun with a trio of cucumber slices topped with slices of cherry tomato.

For our entrees, we luxuriated in two of the eatery’s specialties. The classic Shrimp Scampi ($22) scampi  — huge shrimp enhanced by a white wine, lemon and garlic butter sauce – were melt-in-the-mouth delicious. They are based on a recipe that Simonson got from his grandmother and, he noted, “People say they haven’t had scampi like this in years and years.

The Boneless Beef Short Ribs ($23), slow braised in the restaurant’s signature hickory dry-rub, were wonderfully tender and exceptionally thick, definitely a meat-lover’s dream, so much so, Simonson said, that other chefs have asked for his recipe.

We sampled several of the restaurant’s carefully prepared side dishes. The Roasted Garlic Whipped Potatoes were creamy and full-bodied. The Risotto stood out because of the contrast between the toothsome grains and the unctuous sauce in which they were cooked.

Emerald green Sautéed Spinach was gloriously garlicky. The Sautéed Broccoli was satisfyingly al dente, and the Grilled Asparagus, tender on the inside, firm on the outside, was a study in contrasts – the sweet vegetable contrasting with the charred exterior.

And, oh, the desserts!  We enjoyed tastes of three (each $6). The classic Italian-style Ricotta Cheesecake was smooth and sweet, but not cloying. The Vanilla Cheesecake, topped with a tart buttercream, provided an appealing counterpoint on the palate. And, what can we say about the Mississippi Mud Cake? The triple chocolate confection was dense and rich, and absolutely addictive.

The last treat was a trip to the upstairs lounge, where a balcony offered up a panorama of New York City by night, and provided a grand finale to a memorable meal.

 

The Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge

370 Fourth Avenue

Brooklyn NY 11215

718-858-1100

Restaurant: Sunday to Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Lounge: Sunday to Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Saturday and Sunday brunch, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (beginning in March)

Catering available

Therooftoplounge.com

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