SaltBrick Tavern: A Unique New Steakhouse In Downtown Brooklyn

The stretch of Flatbush Avenue just off the Manhattan Bridge in Brooklyn is a bit of a culinary wasteland; there historically hasn't been much to eat on this part of the broad avenue besides the legendary tourist trap Junior's. But in recent years there's been an explosion of new high-rise hotels and luxury apartment towers in this area, and a new steakhouse called SaltBrick Tavern has opened smack dab in the middle of it all, on the ground floor of a new Hampton Inn. We recently had the opportunity to dine there at the invitation of the restaurant, and it certainly has a lot going for it.

The steakhouse is under the umbrella of Craveable Hospitality Group, which has a pretty interesting history: Originally called Watershed Ventures, it changed its name to David Burke Group after partnering with the celebrity chef; they opened several successful concepts (including three in Newark's Prudential Center, New York's David Burke Kitchen, and David Burke Prime in Connecticut's Foxwoods). After David Burke resigned from the group several years ago, Watershed held onto those concepts and rebranded itself Craveable Hospitality Group; SaltBrick Tavern is the company's first post-Burke outing.

The only reason I mention all that is so you can have an idea of the provenance of the restaurant's signature offering: steak. At David Burke Prime in Foxwoods, Prime steaks are aged on-premises in a pink Himalayan rock salt brick-lined aging room, a concept that was patented by Burke; those same exact steaks are being served at SaltBrick (literally: they're brought to the restaurant directly from Prime). It's such a good idea that they decided to name the restaurant after it.

But more on those steaks later, because this doesn't come close to being a traditional steakhouse. There's a lot more on the menu besides steak, with entrees including a half hot chicken, vegetable pot pie, pan-roasted striped bass, a dry-aged burger topped with Cheddar and aioli, coffee-rubbed lamb sirloin with Brussels sprouts and polenta, and red wine braised pot roast. There's also a wide variety of snacks and starters, including heirloom squash soup, dry-rubbed wings, housemade potato tots, Middle Eastern-inspired chicken meatballs, and a few creative salads.

After starting our meal with a couple massive complimentary popovers (another David Burke hallmark), we sampled some creative lobster BLT steamed buns, filled with generous chunks of lobster, tomato jam, sorrel, and bacon (no complaints there); a jar of spot-on pimento cheese with pretzel roll rounds (also no complaints); and an order of carrot cavatelli (the menu's sole pasta dish) brought out by executive chef Christopher Kim. The handmade carrot-infused pasta was tender with just the right amount of chew, and it was nicely complemented by a rabbit-based bolognese, gremolata, and shaved heirloom carrots, all resting on a pillow of fresh ricotta. It was addictive, perfectly seasoned, and decidedly upscale; the shavings of black truffle on top didn't hurt, either.

Three steaks are on offer: filet mignon in two sizes, a 14-ounce 35-day dry-aged bone-in New York strip, and an 18-ounce 55-day dry-aged bone-in ribeye. The strip and ribeye picked up some nice minerality and funkiness from the extended dry aging (most steaks only go for about 3 weeks), and cooking them on a grill lent them a hint of smokiness (not to mention some attractive grill marks, although there could have been a deeper sear). They were properly seasoned and cooked to a perfect medium rare. Five classic sauces are available as accompaniments (béarnaise, horseradish cream, bordelaise, chimichurri, and steak sauce), but steaks this solid don't anything covering up their flavor. The only thing disappointing about the steaks? We didn't realize that the leftovers had been left out of the doggie bag until we got home.

If you still have room for dessert, pastry chef Tracy Wilk is turning out some mighty fine creations. Her Citrus & Cream is a ribbon of whipped white chocolate ganache topped with supremes of orange and grapefruit, crunchy vanilla meringue, and a sprinkle of mint and lime zest, and wouldn't be out of place at any of the city's top fine dining establishments. And her cast iron cookie sundae — with a big cookie still in its baking dish, two scoops of housemade cookies & cream ice cream, and a variety of sundae toppings — is physically impossible not to love.

The restaurant itself doesn't have many of the trappings of a classic steakhouse (it has a slightly industrial vibe, with a small front barroom, dining room walls accented by backlit salt bricks and dangling neon meat hooks, and in warmer weather an outdoor patio opens), and that's because it isn't one, really. As the name might imply, the owners want it to be a tavern, a spot where locals will feel just as comfortable dropping by as guests at the hotel, and where guests feel just as comfortable ordering wings and beer as they do steak and wine. And in many ways, they've succeeded. Overall it's a comfortable and inviting space, the vibe is low-key, service is friendly and unpretentious, there's a nice selection of local beer and craft cocktails (the wine list was rather small), and our meal was leisurely and wholly enjoyable. The off-the-beaten-path location may be challenging, but I certainly wish it the best of luck.

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