Isa

I love my weekly brunches but they always consist of pretty much the same type of food.

THIS! This was different. I was so pleased to find that the menu was so different and creative.
I have posted pictures below of the dishes we ordered. They were so tasty and refreshing. Especially those Zeppoles! OMG -- Nutella all over it!

They fit right into Williamsburg with their rustic and artsy decor. I think service could be worked on. We waited a while for a few items we requested. And the seats weren't too comfortable but other than that, I would definitely be back when I need a change in the usual brunch menu.

So. The ambiance is simply gorgeous. Everything is hand carved and the simple rustic nature of this venue is a great respite from bustling city life. The night we were here was nice and hot so the entire wall of windows that looks out to Wythe was open letting in a nice end of the summer breeze.

We had dinner here on 9/13 and we dined on a delicious cuttle fish served upon black squid ink and a salmon roe creme fraise topped with dill - and as we all know dill is dillicious. We also tried the green apples with Greek yogurt pesto wrapped in sweet potato leaves which were awesome as was the homemade bread served with fennel salted butter. Our main was a poached cod served atop olive oil, topped with lemon basil along side fresh baby carrots, green and yellow baby squash and a smear of Greek yogurt and cayenne pepper. Cod has never been a fish of choice - more necessity given budgets from time to time however this dish made me rethink serving cod entirely.

Good news is for now it's BYOB, however it won't be for long as they're awaiting their liquor license. Just heard that as of this week 9/22 they have changed their menu to a $45 prefix that includes an app, main and dessert.

The crowd was an older, more established yupster crowd - lots of foodies and oenophiles. Staff here is very nice, very casual, prices are a bit on the Manhattan side and portions are well...lets just say after a 4 course shared dinner here we hit up Diner after...

Wish this place the best as their technique and philosophy is what this area needs, just hope they come out with a brunch menu and can't wait to see what their wine list will carry.

Hunger is the best spice they say...but that wasn't the only reason I enjoyed my meals. All the Veggies and Even brusselsprouts was a yummy treat. Carrot salad? Sounded suspicious but was also delicious.

But...yes there were a few of those 'buts'. But...the waiters seemed distracted, absentminded and not very present. Maybe it was only this evening so I will let that pass. But...we sat at the bar counter so how hard could it be to serve us water which my friend kept requesting for? But...the way they looked at her every time she asked for more water... As if it was an expensive elixir she wanted them to produce. Hmmm

In any case...I wouldn't mind to return for a munch... It was good food although the lack of engaged service made me reduce one star it was not bad either. A cosy Average

My girl and I went for dinner on a chilly rainy Tuesday night, we were seated right away in front of the open kitchen. We always like to be as close as possible to where the action is. Interesting dining room, reminding of a ski lodge with a rustic touch, smelling the wood fired oven.
At this moment, the restaurant is BYOB. We brought a nice bottle of Champagne which was a great companion for all the dishes we tried. We started with raw scallops and bison tartar with chips and a raw egg, both very good. Sardines with their skeleton ( you must eat the head ) were also well executed. Calamari served with squid ink, outstanding dish. Cod with shaved cauliflower also nice. They bake their own bread which is always a nice touch for a restaurant. Over all, a good experience.

I met an old high school friend here when he was in town on a layover for work. We graduated in 1994 in Austin. While I went to college he went to work for a small start up named Dell. The lesson to be learned here kids is don't go to college.

I had the pizza and it was good. My friend whose the director for global development for dell didn't pick up the check so that was disappointing.

Brought a friend here for his birthday and overall was quite happy with what we had. (which was basically everything on the menu except the desserts). Not to mention that it is BYOB right now!!

The dining room is Amazing...the open kitchen is stellar. I am sure they spent a fortune on the renovation of this place and if I were the chef...i'd be totally in love with it!! I think i'd want to MOVE in!!

The bread basket was pretty commendable as well as the schmear of aioli or maybe it was butter? sprinkled with fennel seeds or maybe cumin seeds. but that aside the bread seemed to be house made, the sourdough was perfect and the nut loaf equally so.

Overall we liked it a lot. but a few complaints... the pork steak... it was WAY too small for the price, second the sauce with the cod was just off...didn't go with the dish, and finally horseradish appeared WAY too many times in each of the dishes...ok enough of that... otherwise all the other dishes were quite stellar. But keep in mind this food is a little more manhattan than B'burg, so you may be surprised to see small portions and larger prices. the chef is formerly of Il Bucco. But his training shines in his new place.

I wont go into each dish...just the highlights here...the cod was perfectly cooked...tho as i said...i didn't like the sauce that was around it, the roasted shrimp (a special that night) were out of this world fresh and perfectly roasted in their wood burning oven and again, perfectly seasoned. The sardines were quite a sight and we actually ordered 2 of these and the presentation is what is so fun...plus you get to eat the crispy fried skeleton!! I was noshing on the head like crazy. the melon was nice and fresh wrapped in sweet potato leaves...a little strange but still nice on a warm evening!

i have to say that i was happy with our meal. that said, value perception may be off here. right now it is BYOB so you dont feel it as much...if you order a app, entree and share dessert you'll probably walk away hungry, so that maybe where iso needs to work on things. value perception is HUGE especially in this neighborhood...so when they get the liquor license the check's are going to start increasing and the damage is going to be severe with a lot of folks leaving with empty stomachs...hopfully they will respond to this and adjust accordingly. otherwise keep up the good work...

oh just an aside they have one of those dyson super sonic hand dryers! so fun!! 2nd one i've seen in the hood...the other is at the coffee shop modca around the corner.

Service was so bad, we left before being asked for our order.
Made a reservation on Open table and arrived to a nearly empty restaurant. When greeted, the host said, "be with you in a minute." Three different staff members later of being told, "be with you in a minute" we were finally seated. Waiting for what I would estimate at 15 minutes, or however long it takes to watch a new party come in and be given the, "help you in a minute" circus, watch them be seated and watch their order be taken...really? We were ready to order and staff members were standing around talking and on cellphones. We politely tried getting the server's attention and he completely ignored us. We asked firmly and he said, " be with you in a minute" to what we said, "goodbye."

We had a lovely dinner here last Saturday night.

Our server recommended a Gamay French wine and it was wonderful.

We started with a yummy roasted corn chowder. The bread they provide was also very good, and it looks like there's a bakery in the back.

We shared a stone fruit salad, Margherita pizza, and potato gnocchi. Everything was good, but the gem of the night was definitely the gnocchi. Get the gnocchi.

Our server was great and we loved her recommendations.

We crammed in with some friends on a saturday night, and were lucky to get a table after a little wait. We first hit the bar, and I was amused and impressed with the quirky house drinks. I had something with mango, lime and tabasco and enjoyed it quite a bit.

As for the dinner, it was hit and miss. The daily menu was confusingly laid out, and took the waiter's explanation to understand how to order. Some of us wanted the prix fixe menu, but were told everyone had to order prix fixe, or we all had to go ala carte.

The ambience was cute, and very hip. The lighting was nicely dim, but it was WARM out and the open air kitchen was blasting out heat. Since the whole restaurant is open (walls up, fresh air, no AC) the whole meal was a little sweaty.

We had some house made bread at the table and it was KILLER. The crust and dense fluffy insides of the sourdough were a surprise and delight. We also had some of the ham which was melt in your mouth. A really great start to the meal.

I ordered the tartare appetizer and it was absolutely fucking amazing. It could have been a portion 10 times the size, and I would have eaten it all. Seasoned as though it was a sausage (reminded me of peperoni) with a side of crispy dry seeds/pepper/crunchy bits and a little useless foam.

As for the main course, the cod was kind of gross. We had six people at the table and four ordered the cod. No one seemed to like it. The fish itself was cooked nicely, but ended up being very very soft and almost slightly underdone. The problem was what it came with. Limp thinly sliced celeriac root and some sort of blob of non descript butter sauce. There wasn't enough variety in flavors or textures, and the whole dish was served up in a little bowl making it feel more like a side then a main dish.

One of my friends had the hanger steak and it was plated and tasted great (so he claimed.)

I've had friends say this is the best restaurant in brooklyn. I get where they are coming from, because when it's good, it's really really good. Problem is, when it's bad, it's really bad. And a restaurant this good shouldn't have anything bad on the menu. My friend had the cold scallop and strawberry app and it was not good. I say they stick to meat, and stay away from seafood all together.

Isa is a...

...wonderfully wooden hipster hideaway along windy Wythe Ave.
...series of triangular architecture, from three-pointed cabinetry, angled ceilings, intersecting flooring, firewood nooks, and foldable chairs.
...open-air kitchen serving mostly Mediterranean fare by a friendly, laid-back staff.
...perfectly adequate, albeit mostly empty, Brooklyn brunch joint (that also takes the ever-coveted brunch reservation), seemingly undiscovered by the masses opting to instead wait for hours outside other, hotter Williamsburg addresses.
...spot to score a well-champagned Mimosa and Breakfast Pizza with fontina, pancetta, and perhaps one egg too many, unless you prefer a drippy, over-yolked affair (along with a pie you strangely slice yourself, despite the restaurant's affinity for everything triangular).

Isa isn't everything, but come brunch, it's enough. Isn't it?