Friday, May 6, 2011

Not Just Another Local Kosher Restaurant

My mother in law, who primarily resides in Oakhurst NJ, commutes once a week into Brooklyn to spend the day. Nothing fancy. A quick lunch, maybe run some errands & a chance to visit with the grandchildren. Out of respect for my sister in law we always choose a kosher place for lunch. Not that I necessarily have a problem with "going kosher", it's just that I'm so over the local kosher places & never really look forward to those meals. Until yesterday....

When we were discussing where we should eat I suggested we try Siena, a new restaurant that recently opened on Kings Highway replacing Burger Boyz.


Now, from the outside, this may look like another generic, local, kosher establishment but don't be fooled by this book's cover. And although places around here seem to open & close more frequently than pop-up shops, trust me when I tell you, this place is here to stay.

From the second I walked in I was very pleasantly surprised. From a designer's standpoint (hi, thats me) I felt the decor was very well executed. Black, white & gray floors tied in with black tile & wood paneled walls give you your first visual impression & provide for an excellent backdrop. The banquettes are upholstered in 2 different textures of the same red fabric giving you that much needed color pop. Vinyl for the seat bottoms (duh) & a cotton twill for the seat backs which gave a warmer & more cozy feel. One side of the place is lit with a row of glass pendant fixtures while the other side is flanked with shaded sconces. Pretty!
The only other part of the table settings that really stood out, for me, were the Chiliwich place-mats. Love that company!!

I personally feel that the dining chairs are way too cumbersome. Since they are only designed to seat one person I would've like to see something with more of a sleeker look. What do you think?


Now, theres nothing I love more then when a restaurant's kitchen staff takes pride in their food & beverage presentation. It just makes a good meal that much better. When our drinks arrived, my mother in law was quite pleased that her diet cola came with a slice of lime (not just you're typical boring ol' lemon). I, on the other hand, was more impressed that iced tea came with a mint sprig. Yum


Next up, the waiter served us a plate of bread along with a side of olive oil & some olive spread. Being that Im on a slow carb diet there would be no bread on my agenda but I decided to take a peek at the washing station anyway. Nice!
Located adjacent to although separate from the restroom itself (which has a sink as well). I took this picture from inside the actual bathroom. I don't know why but it just seemed a bit awkward to me to photograph the inside of bathroom. Especially being that this post, more or less, revolves around food. So you'll have to see for yourself. I assure you it is just as nice.



The Food:
We all ordered different frittatas. It seems to be a popular dish on their menu. I ordered the plain egg frittata which was plated with a small mescaline salad & a side of mixed vegetable quinoa. Delicious! I will add that I opted out of personally tasting the quinoa (diet #meh) but the in laws said it was great.

 *My frittata


*My sister in law's house salad.


Still not convinced?? Maybe this will sway you....


No your eyes are not deceiving you. That is indeed a fully stocked bar. I know, I know, I got excited when I made that discovery too.
So now take the chic ambiance, mix that with a great playlist & some cool people ... You have yourself the perfect party venue & its local - Howaya!!


I'd be lying if I said there were no downsides to the meal. There were a few, like when they brought out my sister in law's salad with her main dish. Or how they never brought my mother in law her soup so she ended up having to cancel it. The sides that came with the frittatas were not the same as what was printed on the menu but I honestly didn't mind that part. Also, I feel like you have to cut them some slack. It is a brand new business so it's expected for them to have some minor adjustments to make. No biggie.

Thats really it though. Everything else was really nice.

I would go back there again in a heartbeat & definitely recommend that you give it a try.




1 comment:

  1. wow this place actually looks really nice inside. love the wood paneling. cant believe theirs a fully stocked bar inside! i also think the outside actually stands out compared to other joints in the area. i was on kings highway today and it jumped out at me when passing by.
    good review ill check it out!

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