The team that prides its venue on the concept of ‘Happy Days, not Happy Hour’ is led by Philippe Oliver Bondon. You may know him from Rose Hill, Yacht Club St. Barth, MPD or Le Ti St Barth. He has teamed up with Stratis Morfogen who is a specialist in trendy Asian venues — Philippe Chow and Jue Lan Club. The latest creation from this duo is a downtown venue that is not what you would expect. First, let us clarify what we mean by downtown — the Financial District or FiDi as they call it these days. The neighborhood is changing and this team is helping to drive this shift with Brooklyn Chop House.
No, this is not what the name implies; a steakhouse from Brooklyn. While they have your classic steaks on the menu, it’s so much more. The group offers dumplings and sushi that are done in a way that you won’t find most places; especially not in the Financial District!
Philippe Oliver Bondon invited us down to visit the space on Friday evening; you could feel the energy as soon as you walked in. The music and noise level was perfect and you could smell the delicious flavors from the vast menu immediately. We were given a seat at the bar and lucky for us, it was the last one. The bartender fixed a yummy Old Fashioned off their cocktail menu and we asked for the highlights of the menu. This included the Pac Man Seafood dumplings which are exactly what they sound like. They were created in different colors that looked like the Pac Man characters; except filled with scallops, crab and lobster. Delicious! We also had the french onion soup dumplings which is something we rarely see and when we do, is a must order. Here, they were slightly more plump and juicy than the others. We rounded out our tour with the chicken lettuce wraps and chicken satay which were both on point. While we may have over-ordered and missed the opportunity to try the steak, we’ll certainly be back!
As hopping as the venue was for a date or a group dinner, we think it could be the perfect space for your next event. There is a private room and semi-private lounge that can accommodate you and your guests. With Winter around the corner, this venue is cozy and perfect to enjoy a cocktail and hearty meal.