Who is Maggie Brown? Is she the unsinkable
Molly, a.k.a. "Maggie," who stayed afloat after the
Titanic went down? If so, her inimitable spirit is present in
this Clinton Hill restaurant that bears her name.
If another Maggie played muse to this cafe’s creation, then I
imagined a bawdy babe with a tattoo or two who would have donned
a leather mini, and gotten free drinks just for looking good
and being smart as hell.
If she had a hand in decorating the place, then the fireplace,
huge crystal chandelier and the bordello-style gold and black
velvet-flocked wallpaper were her idea. She would have insisted
on the row of intimate booths, and a small bar for her friends
to hang out.
And, oh, the music. Play "Jumping Jack Flash" just
loud enough to get her foot tapping, and Maggie would put down
her drink and groove.
And there’s nothing, not even ’70s rock, that’d make her happier
than a plate of food – beautifully cooked, soul-satisfying food.
Chelsea Altman, who owns Maggie Brown along with chef Johannes
Sanzin and her fiance, Sam Barron, set me straight. The real
Maggie Brown is Altman’s 99-year-old grandmother, who wrote for
"Silver Screen" magazine in her youth, and later opened
a theatre with her husband in Oregon. (Altman is also the proprietor
of Moe’s bar and the Mexican restaurant Pequena – both in Fort
Greene .)
Maggie is among the other grandmothers immortalized on the menu
and cocktail list. "Irene Palmer," the grandmother
of Altman’s best friend, inspired the cocktail I sipped, a brain-numbing
Mojito made with fresh ginger, while the "Beryl Evans,"
two fried eggs over corned beef hash, is named for the bartender’s
granny.
The grandma theme continues with the menu of high-end international
dishes and American low-country favorites, many with a southern
accent, all of which Altman describes as "creative home
cooking."
Which leads to the question, "What’s a nice German boy like
chef Sanzin, whom you may remember from Park Slope’s Bistro St.
Marks, and before that, Bouley, in Manhattan, doing in a place
like this?" The answer is, he’s turning out the sort of
slow-cooked, gratifying dishes you wish your grandma prepared.
I would have visited my nana more if she served meaty, tender
white beans topped with a fresh tomato compote, brightened with
parsley and given zing with a grating of sharp sheep’s milk cheese.
The restaurant offers several entrees in half portions, perfect
for sharing as an appetizer. One to try is the thin ribbons of
homemade pasta with Gorgonzola. It’s a robust blend of the cheese,
given an earthy note with truffle oil and studded with mellow
halves of sauteed mushrooms. The dish may sound heavy, but it’s
ethereal.
Red wine-braised short ribs are so good you’ll forget all your
troubles. The ribs are served off the bone, in velvety chunks
of deeply flavored, wine-tinged meat atop red bliss potatoes
that are a chunky, buttery delight. Tangy mustard greens make
a feisty partner, as does a biscuit so light and crisp that it
puts any I’ve tried down South to shame.
Three baby New Zealand lamb chops make up a half order and they’re
plenty for one. Sanzin sears the meat until crisp and rare with
a thin border of crisp fat. He serves the little chops over the
bliss potatoes, and partners them with a cool, black olive and
tomato tapenade – it’s oily, sea-like brininess emphasizing the
sweetness of the meat.
Hope & Union, a bakery in Williamsburg, supplies the country-style
desserts. The light, crumbly apple pie could come from grandma’s
recipe box, and the airy, dramatically sweet peanut butter pie,
served atop a smudge of chocolate sauce, isn’t too high falutin’
to be served at a church picnic.
Since Maggie Brown opened in October, the restaurant has attracted
Pratt students, diehard Fort Greene renters who can’t believe
a place like this exists on Myrtle Avenue, and anyone else who
craves a good meal at grandma’s table.
Maggie Brown (455 Myrtle Ave. between
Washington and Waverly avenues in Clinton Hill) accepts cash
only. Entrees: $6-$18. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch
and dinner daily. Brunch is offered Saturdays and Sundays, from
10 am to 4:40 pm. Delivery is available in Fort Greene and Clinton
Hill. For more information, call (718) 643-7001.
