Draft Barn

Draft Barn Restaurant Review:

This out-of-the-way, beer-centric eatery in Gowanus with medieval décor serves up hearty fare with an emphasis on Central and Eastern Europe. Though suds-loving Brooklynites come for the beer --- there are over 250 available, with an emphasis (surprise, surprise) on the Czech and Hungarian varieties --- the food might make you stay a while (if only to add longevity to a beer-fueled night). The “Gypsy steak” is neither gypsy nor steak; it’s a hunk of pork shoulder stuffed with bacon and onions. Goulash comes Hungarian style with beans, diced lean pork shoulder, and handmade orzo pasta. Crispy pork knuckle might soak up enough suds in your stomach to keep you going through the night. Draft Barn isn’t reinventing anything --- that’s not its intention --- but it is offering something you don’t find in New York: a reminder that Central and Eastern European cuisine goes with the beer and not the other way around.