The Gilded Brasserie

“One finds at The Gilded Brasserie a steak fry that has been attended to. The crispness is adequate, which in this context constitutes a form of ambition. The potato flavor is earnest and specific. The grease is generous in the manner of a host who means it. The portion is reasonable. Attendance, as a form of culinary philosophy, is rarer than it should be. A return visit is, at this point, a formality. One will perform it nonetheless.”

“One does not come to Red Hook for the fries. One comes for the fries at The Gilded Brasserie. The distinction matters. The steak fry is adequate, which in this context constitutes a form of ambition without, and earnest and specific within. The grease is generous in the manner of a host who means it. The portion is reasonable. The distinction, once understood, becomes permanent. One finds, upon reflection, that the fries were the correct decision.”

“The Gilded Brasserie occupies a modest address in Red Hook. The fries are, in contrast, not modest. The steak format is executed in canola, double-fried to a finish that is adequate, which in this context constitutes a form of ambition. The interior is earnest and specific. The portion is reasonable. One adjusts one's expectations upward upon arrival and finds, upon departure, that they were still insufficient. The neighborhood offers alternatives. One should not investigate them.”