The Vanderbilt

The Vanderbilt Restaurant Review:

A joint venture from Saul Bolton (of the eponymous, pioneering Smith Street restaurant) and one of the backers of Cambodian sandwicherie Num Pang, The Vanderbilt brings high-end cocktails and small plates to another gentrified part of Brooklyn. The cocktails, including a topnotch take on a Pimms Cup, are noteworthy here; the food is as much an accompaniment to the drinks as the other way around. That said, there are plenty of standouts, including the Brussels sprouts dashed with sriracha (David Chang-esque), the tenderly sweet glazed lamb ribs and an extensive amount of charcuterie. (The crispy pigs’ feet are only for the truly adventurous.) Another bonus: The brunch menu is atypically bold, featuring shrimp etouffée with Anson Mills grits and even a smoked trout crêpe. A caveat, however. As nice as the pricing is for a lot of the dishes, the portions are accordingly small, so if you are hungry, it's difficult to escape without spending as much as you would at a restaurant offering traditionally sized portions.