There’s no shortage of great food in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, but with an influx of giant, themed mega-restaurants, you’ll want to fine tune your foodie radar to weed out some of the mediocrity.
Go small instead of big. Go old instead of new. And go where there isn’t a mob of Manhattanites loitering on the curb. That is to say, go to D.O.C. Wine Bar.
This quaint Italian cafe with a Sardinian slant has been nestled on the corner of N. 7th and Wythe since before you heard of Williamsburg. The warm and rustic atmosphere makes it ideal for date night or a birthday dinner with friends that you actually care about talking to. The food and wine are exceptional, especially for the price. By the way, the “cash-only” policy means that you (and perhaps the IRS) know that it’s got some authentic ties to the motherland.
Abandon your notions of hub-cap-sized plates pooled with red sauce and instead graze on carefully curated cheese plates, salumi and crostoni. Start with any (or all) of the cheeses; the smooth sheep’s milk ricotta salanta ($4.50) is lightly salted to perfection, while the 24-month aged parmigiano reggiano ($8) will make you feel embarrassed about the “parm” you have in your fridge. It’s nutty, salty, crumbly and nothing short of amazing.
Of course, for heartier bites you can get a hot, crunchy pressed panino on Sullivan Street ciabatta, like the mortadella with fontina, basil, and capers ($8.50). Or, equally satisfying is the pizza-esque Pistokku Bresaola ($13), with the delicate balance of bresaola (air-dried, salted beef), peppery arugula, pesto, goat cheese and buffalo milk mozzarella.
A long list of intriguing Italian red wines encourage you to linger while your candle drips onto the wobbly wooden table. And even after the check is dropped don’t be surprised if a couple glasses of limoncello arrive in its wake. Drink them, tip kindly, and, well, wait…maybe order just a few more things.
D.O.C. Wine Bar
83 N. 7th St., Brooklyn, NY 11211
at Wythe Ave.
718-963-1925
http://www.docwinebar.com/
