Mondays are not the most popular night to go out for dinner, but you’d never guess that on the day before Tuesday at Buttermilk Channel in Carroll Gardens.
It might be their special $25 three-course prix-fixe menu (which is a great deal) or it just might be that this place is part of the latest craze of Southern comfort food in a classy American bistro setting. Regardless, the restaurant was hopping. We were quoted a 30 minute wait but were seated much sooner.
We were treated to complimentary popovers and enjoyed a snack of sweet potato croquettes. It felt like we were at somebody’s grandmother’s house. Maybe that’s what they were going for, but who’s grandmother? Mine never cooked fried chicken and duck meatloaf. But I sort of wish she had.
The dish that won over Time Out’s heart is a play on a Southern classic – chicken and waffles. Since they need to live up to their name (which was actually taken from a strait between Brooklyn and Governor’s Island), Buttermilk Channel dredges their chicken in buttermilk before frying it and serving it with cheddar waffles, cole slaw, and a ramekin full of maple balsamic.
The chicken was so dredged in batter that it lost its shape. Looking at the globs of brown breading, I wasn’t sure which piece was which. When I got into it, the skin was definitely crisp and flavorful, but I found it a little too much. But the chicken inside (when I finally found it) was warm and moist. The waffles had a nice subtle hint of sharp cheese, but they were almost cold by the time I tasted them. The best part to the dish was the light and sweet maple balsamic. I wish this place was called Maple Balsamic Channel. It doesn’t have the same ring to it, though.
The rest of the food was alright. Nothing that blew me away. I did find the prices to be quite reasonable and the atmosphere to be enjoyable. So I would come back, but if Monday nights are this busy, I can only imagine what the rest of the week brings.
Would Buttermilk Channel’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Cheddar Waffles make my Top 100 of the year? Even though they were slightly re-invented and had some good flavors, they only get a 6 out of 10 since the waffles were cold and the chicken got lost in the heavy batter.
