Sipping many alcoholic beverages at Brian Allonce’s Bar Exam show at PNC in the company of good friends can only mean one thing: a belligerent crowd of hungry people by the show’s end. That, and a good time. So over to El Almacen in Williamsburg we all headed.
It’s a small place – make a reservation. But the main point is that this is Argentinian cuisine in the heart of Hipsterland. And it’s pretty decent. The price point is a little high, but so is the quality of the food. Pictured above is an order of the Enchiladas (pulled chicken with tomatillo salsa)…it was pretty good, but I feel like the price justified the presentation of the dish rather than the flavor, as I’m sure there’s spots nearby on Grand Ave. that have just as tasty enchiladas for half the price. It was good though.
But what this place does very well is churrasco/grilled meats. Served on wooden planks, that aren’t planks so much as they are cross sections of tree trunks, various cuts of meat are grilled and seasoned perfectly. At times steaks can be on the tough side, but the flavor is on point. Side dishes are too small, though. No question about that.
Also tried the churros for dessert – they were miniature versions of a churro (of course, since all portions are on the small side here) served up with dulce de leche or warmed chocolate sauce. You can’t really go wrong with fried dough covered in sugar, but at the same time it wasn’t excessively impressive.
I probably won’t return as I know I can eat way cheaper in the area and just as well, but I could see this being a good go-to for a date or something.
El Almacen, 557 Driggs Ave., Brooklyn, NY
