Dining Out: A unique and flavorful dining experience at Williamsburg’s The Regal

Williamsburg is not short of fine dining. But a relatively new restaurant has locals excited over its robust, unique and tasty American diner menu.

The Regal Diner & Cocktail Bar, which officially opened its doors in late January, is the sister restaurant to ones at Hotel Chantelle in Manhattan and Ravel Hotel on Long Island City.

The new Brooklyn location separates itself from those eateries as well as others around the neighborhood with its ambiance. It’s a quaint and cozy diner-style setting that includes a touch of upscale décor and a fairly large bar with tons of drink options.

“So far, it’s been really good,” said manager Steve Escobar. “It’s a nice change. Here, you get to know a lot more people by name. We walk down the streets and say hello to them. It’s a really nice community.”

The stars of the establishment are delicious dishes which represent a pleasant twist to traditional diner fare, created by a team led by Executive Chef Seth Levine.

For starters, we sampled some of Regal’s delicious salads. The Tomato/Watermelon Salad ($9), which also includes cilantro, mint, cotija cheese and lime, provides a sweet and light taste. The tomatoes are tossed in a tart vinaigrette, which is a welcome addition that gets the taste buds going.

The Caesar Salad ($11) initially seems somewhat traditional, but does include a few tasty twists. It consists of gem romaine as well as classic Caesar dressing. However, the most welcome addition is that it incorporates chicken skin that the chef dehydrates, adding a savory crunch for one of the best Caesar Salads we’ve tried.

Next up was the mouthwatering Fried Burrata ($12). The crispy burrata, which is cheese enrobed in breadcrumbs and deep fried, melts in the mouth; the roasted tomato sauce that accompanies it makes it a truly special starter dish.

The best starter on the menu was the unique Reuben Egg Rolls ($8) . Although it’s a take on the traditional Reuben sandwich with similar components such as corned beef and sauerkraut, what makes it unique is that the ingredients are put in a pastry egg roll and deep fried. If you love corned beef, this dish won’t disappoint. The meat and crust successfully complement each other. The plate also includes a tasty house sauce. Each portion comes with two rolls, but you’re going to want more. Each additional role is $4.

After the starters came the heavy-hitting main courses, which were all exceptional. We started with the our personal favorite, the French Onion Grilled Cheese ($14).  The dish features a toasted sandwich on brioche with braised onions, melted Gruyere and baby Swiss and comes with a mini French onion soup crock. The sweet and savory ingredients made for the best form of the sandwich I’ve ever tasted.

The Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich ($15) is a favorite among customers and it’s not difficult to figure out why.  The spicy battered chicken breast is flattened and dipped in a spicy and sweet bourbon sauce. And if that isn’t enough for you, it also has pickles and pickled peppers and is served up on a sweet brioche roll. The portions are generous and are guaranteed to fill you up.

Finally, we tried one of the menu’s top dishes, the Grilled Branzino ($24). Prepared with wilted kale, cherry tomatoes, garlicand tequila lime chimichurri sauce, this dish is amazing moist and tasty.

The Regal
163 Hope Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 388-4626
Monday, closed
Tuesday-Thursday, 6 p.m.–2 a.m.
Friday, 6 p.m.–4 a.m.
Saturday-Sunday, 11a.m.–4 a.m.
www.theregal.nyc

 

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.