The Restaurant Awards: Or, 10 Brooklyn Restaurants We Want to Talk About Right Now
[metaslider id=31816]
Best Restaurant Revamp: Red Hook Lobster Pound
Making significant changes to a much-loved restaurant is a tricky proposition, since you run the risk of alienating customers who’ve become inordinately attached to just about everything, from a go-to dish on the menu to a favorite, faded banquette. But on the other hand, we’re well past the era of establishments coasting by for 30 years on mere nostalgia; it’s become a real necessity for businesses to regularly nip, tuck and tweak, in order to provide regular fodder for easily diverted media types, as well as return customers. That’s why the seven-year-old Red Hook Lobster Pound actually went for a full-on facelift recently, taking time off during their regular winter lull for a massive “crustacean renovation.” In addition to outfitting the supersized space with a large bar, private tables (the original spot had communal benches) and maritime signal flags, owners Susan Povich and Ralph Gorham finally decided to apply for a beer, wine and liquor license as well—because what’s a lobster roll without an ice-cold Narragansett or blush-colored Cape Codder (an on-tap combo of vodka, cranberry and cucumber) to go with it? Other exciting additions include raw oysters, fried oysters, lobster fries, and lobster dip, actual tableside service (no more schlepping trays outside, to get from the to-go counter to the dining area), and a destination-worthy bathroom designed to look like a lighthouse; it’s decked out with curved, mirrored walls, a cloud-strewn, umbrella-topped ceiling, and a collection of plastic beach chairs—all backed by a seriously zen soundtrack featuring chirruping seagulls and rolling waves.
284 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook