How We Roll
What to eat between frames at Brooklyn Bowl
If eco-conscious hipsters, food-loving rock stars and Jeffrey Lebowski collaborated on a bar it would look a lot like Brooklyn Bowl.
Housed in a former iron foundry in Williamsburg, this ambitious 23,000-square-foot music venue, bowling alley and bar-restaurant is a fun house for grown-ups.
There's something unexpected around every corner, from the Coney Island-esque faux shooting gallery behind the bar (where 10 Brooklyn-made beers are on tap) to the one-way windows in the ladies room, which allow for prime spying over the lanes.
But the real surprise is the stellar, eclectic food created by the Blue Ribbon team. Their just-launched preview menu includes snacks like Cajun-spiced "rock 'n' roll fries" ($7) topped with provolone and white cheddar; Sloppy Joe and oyster po'boy sandwiches; and a half-rack of pork ribs painted with Brooklyn Lager barbecue sauce ($18).
The borough's hyper-competitive pizza scene will get a new contender when Brooklyn Bowl's full menu rolls out in August; it will include 18-inch French-bread pizzas topped with homemade mozzarella or pickled peppers and pulled pork.
But the restaurant's star protein doesn't oink. In addition to Blue Ribbon's signature fried chicken, Brooklyn Bowl chefs David Kornell and Matt Deliso will offer combination chicken platters and baskets of fried, barbecued and buffalo-style wings. Until then, order the ultimate fried-chicken dinner (pictured), a crispy half bird served with mashed potatoes, gravy and pork-belly collard greens ($18.50).
Then you can bowl--or dance--it all off.
Brooklyn Bowl, 61 Wythe Ave. (between N. 11th and N. 12th sts.); 718-963-3369 or brooklynbowl.com
