Few restaurants fit as seamlessly into
a neighborhood as Paloma does in Greenpoint. Open since late
May, the eatery attracts the spillover of Williamsburg’s young
artists who want to live and dine in a like-minded community,
but can’t afford the trendier neighborhood’s tab.
Paloma, named for owner Darius Rivera and executive chef Camille
Becerra’s daughter, resembles a not-too-glitzy gallery space
that happens to be perfumed with grilling meat. The setting –
high ceilings, cement floors, a few modern faux-leather banquettes
and a drive-in sized movie screen on one wall – serves as a local
art gallery with monthly exhibitions, musical performances and
film screenings.
Paloma’s bar serves innovative cocktails, some concocted with
"42 Below Vodka" from New Zealand that the house infuses
with fruit. The refreshing Kaffir Gimlet – Kaffir lime-infused
vodka with a splash of Cointreau and fresh lime juice – is a
must to try.
Paloma is an ideal venue for diners who crave sophisticated fare
at affordable prices.
"We’ve coined the phrase ’Urban American Cuisine,’"
says Becerra, who created the dishes. "Our menu is simple,
focusing on regional and seasonal ingredients." Each day’s
offerings include just six appetizers, six grilled entrees and
two specials. While Becerra still oversees Paloma’s kitchen,
she has hired Edward Martinez to execute her recipes and add
his own touches to the lineup. Martinez, formerly of Manhattan’s
San Domenico, and bistros in France, spins out greenmarket fare
that scores big points for flavor, with a few mishaps here and
there.
One simple appetizer that demonstrated a light hand in the kitchen
was a fresh pea, spinach and feta cheese salad. A sprightly vinaigrette
barely moistened the ingredients, but it was enough to add spark
to the clean taste of the vegetables and underscore the saltiness
of the cheese. Slices of grilled peaches and country bread "crostini"
topped with bleu cheese sounded great on the menu, but had no
chemistry on the tongue.
The earthiness of a rich, creamy cauliflower sauce heightened
the sweetness of a special entree of crusty sea scallops, while
pleasantly chewy, vinegar-tinged oyster mushrooms underscored
the velvety sea creatures.
A buttery mound of monkfish, another special on this night, deserved
a more exuberant partner than the surprisingly flat "bouillabaisse"
sauce that accompanied it.
A sweet-fleshed, moist, head-on, grilled brook trout also made
good eating if you peeled away the fish’s over-salted skin. Coupled
with the trout was a luxurious pool of lemon-laced sweet potato
puree with the texture of a silken mousse.
The humblest of dishes, a grilled chicken, was just as satisfying
as the delectable scallop dish. From the grill, Martinez pulls
three large pieces of a juicy, vibrantly seasoned, free-range
bird. He tops the meat with cilantro, lime and jalapeno peppers
that crisps the skin and permeates the chicken with tart, herbaceous
heat. A pile of big, crumbly, perfectly salted onion rings reminded
me of just how good they can be.
Each evening there are two vegetarian entrees. On this night,
it was grilled market-fresh vegetables and figs with house-baked
summer squash and cheddar bread; the other vegetarian dish was
a special of crisp, sweet potato pancakes drizzled with tangy
creme fraiche and scattered with halves of small, red and gold
heirloom tomatoes, that were like the sun shining on the tongue.
Judging from the two desserts I tried (four are offered; on this
evening, two were sold out), the sweet end of the menu needs
some rethinking. The waitress described the "Moroccan date
nut torte" as "sort of like a cookie." It was
sort of like a cookie, but not crisp; and sort of like sweet
bread without the moist crumb. The only thing it wasn’t sort
of like was a satisfying finale.
The "spicy chocolate torte" had all the makings of
a great, Mexican-inspired brownie: bittersweet chocolate laced
with dried chili that left a little tickle of heat in the back
of the throat, a moist center and a crisp top. But too many nuts
in the batter were a distraction.
As we left, a few diners ordered another round of cocktails and
settled against their banquettes for a screening of "Hedwig
and the Angry Inch," one of the movies the staff runs on
late, weekend evenings. Like the film’s hero-turned-heroine,
a German-born transsexual finding her place as a woman and a
wannabe rock star in America, there are rough edges to smooth
out. And like Hedwig, there’s plenty of talent, too.
Paloma (60 Greenpoint Ave. between West
and Franklin streets in Greenpoint) accepts American Express,
Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. Entrees: $7-$13.
The restaurant serves dinner Tuesday through Sunday, and brunch
on weekends, from 11 am to 4 pm. Closed Mondays. Starting Oct.
1, the restaurant will offer lunch. For more information call
(718) 349-2400.
