About 2.5 miles from my front door is a very special fantasyland. A land where everyday new restaurants, boutiques, cafes, coffee shops and bars are opening up it feels like every moment. While at the same time down the street, 4-6 youngsters are attempting to squish themselves into a 2 bedroom ("convertible 3BR") apartment for the chance to live-in (and afford) the experience of living in this magical paradise filled with urban pleasure.
Williamsburg is a large neighborhood in Brooklyn that borders Greenpoint to the north, Bed-Stuy to the south, Bushwick to the east, and the East River to the west. Historically, Williamsburg has been home to many different cultures through the decades including Hasidic Jews, Italians, and Puerto Ricans. However, as the area gained popularity, in the past few years it has quickly become a very happening scene with rising rents and out of place high-rises. Williamsburg has become so popular that when folks find out I live in Brooklyn, they almost always assume it is in Williamsburg. This is because it is a place nowerdays that almost everyone has heard of in some form. It is a scene. It is a destination.
Along the Brooklyn waterfront from April to October, you will find 100+ food vendors, purveyors, and artisans selling their creations from 11am-6pm every Saturday (rain or shine). Smorgasburg is the brilliant brainchild of the Brooklyn Flea founders who took notice that the Flea had become a food destination in my neighborhood of Ft. Greene. 2011 was the inaugural season and drew in tens of thousands of hungry patrons in its 6 month run. I went to check it out on opening day last year and was quickly turned off by the chaos that was before me. Note to everyone: fighting for my food is not my style. Later on in the season, we gave Smorg a 2nd shot and had a nicer time. Yet, their still wasn't much natural flow. The food vendors were generally concentrated in 1 area of the vast outdoor space. This wasn't great because it didn't allow for movement, let alone a chance to taste much of anything due to the crowds. I digress, but that was last year...
Now in its 2nd year, Smorgasburg has made a few tweaks and cuts that we had heard about. This info lead us back towards the East River to give it another chance. So, on a gorgeous Spring afternoon in May, we took the 2.5 mile walk to the waterfront to see what yummy delights we could find.
Arriving a touch before noon, we entered the gated area with empty bellies and high hopes. As a local girl that loves all things food, I wanted this food fair to work. The idea of thousands of people coming together to support and enjoy local artisans and businesses is what this borough and economy are partially built on. Brooklyn is a community that I am so proud to be a part of and I love supporting it in anyway I can.
Divide and conquer is essentially what allows for the most items to be hunted gathered in the most efficient way. As you can see by this photo courtesy of the Smorgasburg site, it can get quite crowded.
THE FOOD:
First up, Doug went to grab some cold sesame noodles($6)from a Japanese food vendor...
While I true to self gravitated toward the grilled meats tent! This was bacon on a stick. We got three hearty bacon kebobs for $8.
After allowing for about 30 seconds of digestion, we took a spin along the back of the space. What a pleasant surprise it was to see that the vendors were all evenly distributed from front to back/side to side. Drink vendors, bakeries, and a plethora of other local artisans were all scattered about in what felt like a well thought out design.
During our stroll, I sampled a bunch of different Kale based snacks. The Krinkles were my fave, so I took a bag home for $5.
Next up was a stop for Doug who opted for the Kelvin Slush booth. This slushy drink was a mix of ginger and citrus ice with fresh raspberries mixed in. It hit the spot on this 80 degree afternoon. At $4 it was a deal.
I hate to give the 2012 Smorgasburg a rave review because my mind automatically thinks that you all will want to go. Yet, I feel I must do it proper justice and be honest and say that this place is amazing! I think that I would go broke if this was a destination on a weekly or monthly basis, but certainly I can say that I could see myself going another time or two before it closes in October. Smorgasburg has now exceeded my expectations that I had in my mind last year when it first opened and redeemed itself in a delicious manner. I look forward to it having a great place in the food culture that continues to evolve in Brooklyn.
Visit the site for further info:
http://www.brooklynflea.com/smorgasburg/
Happy Memorial Day weekend and happy eating!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Brooklyn, New York
No comments:
Post a Comment