Roberta’s Blanca

Back in November, I made reservations at a restaurant that I had heard a lot of buzz about. Roberta’s is a laid back pizza joint in Bushwick, Brookyln, home of the beloved hipsters.  In addition to the pizzeria, they also had a tasting menu that people raved about (it seated 4 people a night, and it was amazing… as you could guess, the waiting list was out of control).  Months went by with no response from them. Finally, in May, I received an email saying that the wait was over and we were now able to dine with them.  We scheduled the dinner for early June.

 

Our timing was perfect and lucky.  Between the time we put our names on the list and the time they called us, they opened a new expanded wing for their tasting menu, which now seats 12 in a separate, modern kitchen (technically a different restaurant called “Blanca“.)  It just opened a few weeks ago.  Moreover, three days before we ate there, the NY Times wrote an amazing article on them!

 

Our dinner turned out to be one of the most incredible culinary events of our life. Not cheap or fast, but incredible, memorable and worth it (it served as our 5th year wedding anniversary celebration). 27 courses of brilliant, creative, fresh, thoughtful, and not to mention delicious, food.  Here is our amazing experience!

Tiki Bar

Once you get to Roberta’s, you wait to be taken back to Blanca at the Tiki Bar. Just a hang out space outside that reminded me of the laid back west coast.

gate

This is the gate that you enter to take you back to Blanca. Once you leave Roberta’s and enter Blanca, it is a much more chic, sophisticated and elegant atmosphere. Both are incredible, though.

kitchen

Blanca seats 12 people at a counter top and you look out into the kitchen. Much of the experience is watching the chef and his assistants work and prepare the deliciousness.

Chef Carlo

Chef Carlo preparing the food. He was incredibly laid back, shy, and into his own groove. It was amazing watching him at work,

Staff

Aside from Carlo and his two assistant chefs, there were two servers who presented the food to everyone at the counter. Everyone was incredibly knowledgeable (they answered our millions of questions), fun, nice and happy.

The whole set up is pretty incredible. It is like you are at small dinner party — only twelve people per night are at the restaurant, and everything is catered to you and your needs. They make sure to ask well in advance (several days ahead) if there are any dietary restrictions because they want to make sure to please you and your palette. So not only was the food out of this world, but the whole night was an intimate and special occasion. We talked to the people next to us, and bombarded the wait-staff with all our questions about each dish, the origin of the restaurant, etc…It was for sure, a night to remember.

And now the 27 courses…drum roll…..

Caviar with goat milk granita

Caviar with goat milk granita

Glass shrimp w celery poppy seed

Glass shrimp with celery poppy seed

Striped jack w chrysanthemum

Striped jack with chrysanthemum

Soft shell crab claw w yogurt

Soft shell crab claw with yogurt

Horse mackerel with celery flower and gizzard chad

Horse mackerel with celery flower and gizzard chad

Veal sweetbread with lime custard

Veal sweetbread with lime custard

 Bonito with persellane and sea bean

Bonito with persellane and sea bean

Sea perch w pickled rhubarb

Sea perch with pickled rhubarb

Geoduck clam w tuscan melon

Geoduck clam with tuscan melon

Celtuce w kefir w shaved almond goat kefir tuna flake

Celtuce with kefir with shaved almond goat kefir tuna flake

Pan shell clam with bean flower and broth homemade tofu w san diego sea urchin and amaranth and bread crumbs

Pan shell clam with bean flower and broth

Pan shell clam with bean flower and broth homemade tofu with san diego sea urchin and amaranth and bread crumbs

 Homemade tofu with San Diego sea urchin, amaranth, and bread crumbs

Baby squid, meyer lemon, purple onion

Baby squid, meyer lemon, purple onion

Beef carpaccio egg yolk arugula arugula flower

Beef carpaccio topped with egg yolk, arugula, and arugula flower

Trucidi Pasta japanese sea urchin razor clams leaf flowers

Trucidi Pasta with Japanese sea urchin, razor clams, and leaf flowers

Garaganelli w braised goat and green garland

Garaganelli with braised goat and green garland

Andouille sausage ravioli

Nduja sausage ravioli

Sweet potato w buttermilk and watercress

Sweet potato with buttermilk and watercress

Spot prawn, aleppo peppers, tarragon

Lamb, fresh coriander, mustard leaf, and mint jelly

bread

A small break — freshly baked bread and butter.

Lamb, fresh coriander, mustard leaf, mint jelly

Poulet rouge, porcini mushroom and cassa franco.

Palette cleanser

Palette cleanser — rhubarb buttermilk gelato

85 dry aged wagyu beef w ramp scapes and hearts palm

85 day dry aged wagyu beef with ramp scapes and hearts of palm

 Blue cheese honeycomb fig radish bronzed fennel

Blue cheese, honeycomb, fig, radish, and bronzed fennel

Chamomile gelato

Chamomile gelato with quinoa and chickpea crumble

Lemon vervenne gelato faux bois strawberry soup

Lemon vervenne gelato, fraises des bois, strawberry soup

Sorrel granita Cherries, craime fraiche, hempseed crumble, mulberry

Sorrel granita Cherries, creme fraiche, hempseed crumble, and mulberry

belly

My incredibly full (and very satisfied and happy) belly.

All in all, it was an unforgettable night and one of the most amazing eating experiences I have ever had. Not a cheap date, but definitely worth it for a special occasion. Ken and I both HIGHLY recommend going to Blanca and having a night to remember. We are both very excited to return to the Roberta’s compound — if not for Blanca, then for Roberta’s pizza.  If you don’t trust me, check out the New York Times article!

Have a great weekend!

Anika Yael Natori, aka, The Josie Girl

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Josie Girl

12 Comments

  1. love roberta’s! that is where our friends john and nami got married. great food, great atmosphere and a beautiful garden full of ingredients out back. p.s. you look amazing mama!!

    • Only you, Midge, would have already gone to Robertas from Oakland! You have the hippest hipster friends ever! I am about to leave for Oregon momentarily. Wanna come up?????

  2. Oh my goodness the last course looks heavenly! I love Brooklyn, so many fun restaurants to discover there

    • The last course was unbelievable. The desserts were my favorite….

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