Comfort food without the guilt.
That description pretty much sums up our take on the dining experience at Sweet Chick, where the sweet and the savory collide in the most delicious and often most surprising ways.
Since opening in early February, 2013, the casual, cavernous and brightly-lit corner space in Williamsburg’s Bedford Avenue/North Seventh Street hub has quickly made a name for itself as the go-to place for Chicken and Waffles, which come in a variety of flavors, such as Classic, General Tso’s, Bacon & Cheddar, and Rosemary & Mushroom (all $16).
There is even a meatless chick’n version, made out of seitan—aka wheat gluten—that is so good that the meat-eater in our group kept stealing it from the vegetarian.
Considering the fact that each flavor features moist, tender meat that has been brined for hours and fried in a thin-yet-thick-enough layer of breading, paired with fluffy waffles and optional blueberry/lemon/mixed herb butters, its popularity is no surprise.
However, there is more to Sweet Chick’s success than the “chick” portion of its name.
No one should leave Sweet Chick without sampling from a regularly changing entire lineup of sweets: puddings in jars, bread puddings in skillets, pies, lemon bars, gelato and more.
“It’s down-home flavors, like something you’d get at grandma’s house,” explained pastry chef Roni Ross.
Some dessert standouts include a Butterscotch Pudding with Chocolate Ganache and espresso shortbread ($8) and a Lemon Bar with Coconut Sorbet and Pineapple Sauce ($9) which is refreshing as a palate cleanser.
We like the menu to stay fresh because much as people like one thing, we want them to come in and try new items, too,” explained co-owner John Seymour. “Puddings in mason jars is standard Sweet Chick. Yesterday, we had a Biscuit Banana Bread Pudding with Rum Raisin [and] you’d be hard-pressed to find a better dessert that is homey and perfect for a date night.”
Whether you have dessert before or after dinner, also treat your tastebuds to one or more of Sweet Chick’s signature savory dishes, which include the Kale BLT Salad ($12), made with thick strips of house-cured bacon from New Jersey-based D’Artagnan Foods drizzled with a not-at-all-overwhelming tangy lemon vinaigrette; the kid-friendly Mac & Cheese ($8) made with shell pasta and topped with a Ritz Cracker crust; and the Appalachian Cider Beans ($21) which come topped with a poached egg and cornbread on the side.
Other popular non-chicken dishes are the House Dry-Aged Rib Eye ($32), the Arctic Char ($21), and Mussels (ask for prices), as well as Bacon-Wrapped Oysters ($9) and a sweet-savory Hominy Brussels Sprouts ($7) side dish that has juicy raisins dotted throughout.
Sweet Chick may appeal to our collective nostalgia for lazy Sundays by the beach or in a cozy bungalow or cabin somewhere, but the aesthetic also has a touch of Brooklyn-DIY sensibilities, thanks to Seymour’s hand-crafted furniture and salvaged doorknobs from Bed-Stuy and other decorations recycled from around the borough.
Music also varies depending on who is working and the time of day. Late brunch can be hip-hop, early brunch more of a ‘50s and ‘60s playlist with R&B and reggae, and weekdays often feature country and folk tunes.
Top it all off with a specialty cocktail from the bar and you’re in for a perfect weekend brunch or just-because weekday dinner out.
SWEET CHICK
164 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11249
347-725-4793
Open daily 11 a.m. to midnight;
Open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays
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