Pomme de Terre

Pomme de Terre
1301 Newkirk Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11230
(718) 284-0005
Food 7
Ambiance 6
Service 6
Overall 19
Good for cozy  casual tasty dinner with a small group of friends
 So last night, we were driving my cousin to his Midwood apartment and I asked him about restaurants in the area as it was getting close to dinner time.  He recommended  two places: The Farm - which has had a lot of buzz for some time, and Pomme de Terre, both  owned by the same people.  After attempting to get seated at Farm which was packed with 45 minute wait for a table at 9 pm, we headed to Pomme when they told us they had a table for us.  I am so glad I did.  Although I did not eat at Farm, the space is super loud and the decor more sleek Manhattan than homey Brooklyn for my taste.  The menu is more Nouvelle American and was not overly intriguing to my palate.  In any case, we drove to Pomme, just 5 minutes away and before we entered I was glad we had not found a table at Farm.  It is a truly small and quiet intimate space- one room with a tiny kitchen.  Not cramped though, I actually had the feeling of being in someone's dining room. The decor is typically french bistro country: Some red paint on the wall, lots of old french newspapers as wallpaper and paintings.  Nothing unusual or original, but a quaint neighborhood feel.  The only thing I hated was the funky blue and white floor tiles, some of which were broken, which made no sense with the rest of  the decor.
Our waitress was friendly and appropriately present throughout most of the meal.  We were seated promptly and handed our menu which featured an assortment of french american bistro afforadable favorites.  Most appetizers were in the 8 -10 dollar price range while mains were in the  high teens with only the steak frites a high 28 dollars.  The well priced wine menu was fairly small with not many available by the glass.  Most were french wines but the varieties represented could have been more well rounded. We shared a bottle of a $29 dollar french white, which was a nice citrusy flavored simple fruit forward choice. I also ordered a glass of Spanish temparanillo with my steak , which was an approachable mildy interesting red.


 We started off with a $8.50   pissaladiere for appetizer, a french savory tart .  It arrived a generous serving of 4 perfectly baked  flaky puff pastry squares topped with a well harmonized mix  of diced tomatoes, basil and anchovies.  Fresh,simple and tasty, each ingrediant lent its own note to bring th overall flavor together.
For mains, I opted for the $19  strip steak with twice baked potatoe and spinach, my husband went for the $17 onion crusted salmon and my cousin for the $17 roast chicken. I ordered my steak "bloody", which I felt underlined my need for truly rare steak. Unfortunately it arrived medium with parts medium rare. Despite that, the steak was bloody good. Beautifully seared exterior with light but well thought out  seasoning, the meat was tender and juicy despite being cooked beyond my desire. The side of the twice baked potatoe and spinach were both well cooked and seasoned. While there was nothing original in presentation or flavor spectrum, this is the kind of food a  good neighborhood joint should deliver. Fresh well prepared simple ingrediants that make you feel like a good friend has worked hard to make you a good meal.  My husband's salmon , which he ordered medium, arrived a shriveled onion coated sliver . Although it looked extermely overdone, somehow they managed to retain moistness and flavor. My steak was a truly generous portion of food, so it was a bit surprising how skimpy the salmon portion was. I did not taste my cousin's chicken although it also  looked a tad overcooked but was undeniably juicy appearing.
For dessert, we ventured for the warm chocolate cake and I had a glass of the white port. The cake was also overcooked with a tangy mango sauce that laced the plate and a large serving of vanilla icecream.
My white port was simply a well aged chenin french wine, which was a bit too light to call porto and would have served better as a appetizer drink.
 Overall, if I lived in Midwood or were in the area, I am sure this would be one of my go to places for a lazy dinner on weekdays. The price ,portions,taste spectrum and friendly decor and service make it a good neighborhood joint. While the kitchen needs help in not overcooking all food, somehow whats left is still tasty cuisine.
The Quest continues.......