LaLou

LaLou Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant & décor: Joe Campanale of Fausto, partner and creative director Ilyssa Satter, and Ashley Rath, former chef de cuisine of The Grill, are behind LaLou, the organic and natural wine bar in Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights neighborhood. This narrow, whitewashed brick-walled spot has a gently curving bar, cream-colored banquettes, and a laid-back yet sophisticated vibe. When the weather permits, savor a glass of wine in the 20-seat backyard.

Likes: Wine list; backyard; potato dumplings; hanger steak.
Dislikes: Chicken for two.

Food & Drinks: Here, it all starts with the wine, where organic, biodynamic and natural bottles take center stage. Along with more well-known producers from France and Italy, you’ll find plenty of pours from Central Europe, a Riesling from Denmark, an orange wine from Croatia, and varietals you’ve probably never heard of. A small list of cocktails, with and without alcohol, feature some kind of wine, like Cognac or vermouth. Chef Rath’s menu is created to jibe with the wine, but it’s in no way an afterthought. Snack on fried green olives or mortadella with citrus aïoli. Don’t miss the surprisingly light potato dumplings, served with a Sorrento lemon butter sauce. Hanger steak with soppressata and bitter greens is juicy and flavorful. Skip the overly salty chicken for two. Desserts include beignets with lavender and honey, as well as Eton mess, the English favorite with clouds of whipped cream, meringue and strawberries.