Faun: More Than A Little Imaginary Man

Although Faun, the pretty little Prospect Heights Brooklyn restaurant that made its debut two years ago, may have Italian roots, this gem — worthy of venturing a quick Uber ride away from Manhattan for a fine dinner, is not your usual spaghetti and meatball joint.

Take, for example, the delicious mezze maniche, pork ragu and pecorino main dish.  Maniche comes from "maniche de frate," or "friar's sleeves," because of its shape.  Another wonderfu pasta dish is the buckwheat spacatelli with Brussels sprouts, hazelnuts and buckwheat honey. It is not on too many ristorante menus, nor is the bone marrow cappelletti in brodo. All the pasta is handmade right in the restaurant kitchen.

One of the best salads is Bibb lettuce — a whole head — with button mushrooms, watermeon radishes and buttermilk dressing.

The main courses are every bit as imaginative as the starters. Try the whole crispy duck with buckwheat crepes, fluke in green garlic broth, boar shank with polenta and pistachio, or the 60-day dry-aged bone-in ribeye with anchovy butter.

We visited Faun on a cold December night and sat in a cozy corner near the window, but we want to return this spring, when diners have reported that the restaurant's backyard garden patio (where co-owner/architect David Stockwell does most of the gardening) is one of the prettiest and most sought-after places to have dinner in all of Brooklyn.

It has ony been serving happy customers for 24 months, but already Faun has received a recommendation in Michelin's Guide for 2017.

606 Vanderbilt Avenue Brooklyn

info@faun.nyc

718-576-6120