The team behind Williamsburg barstaurant Battery Harris have joined forces with musicians Eli Goldstein (Soul Clap), Philipp Jung (M.A.N.D.Y.), and Gadi Mizrahi (Wolf & Lamb) to open Black Flamingo, a Miami-esque restaurant and lounge they say they’ve “tailored to remove the BS that plagues burgeoning New York restaurants and nightclubs alike.” An ambitious, arguably Quixotic dream, but at the very least Black Flamingo is a reliable destination for vegetarians who want to go dancing in a retro basement club after eating their Latino-inspired fare.
Carnivores won’t feel like they’re making any great sacrifices here, either. Chef Soozee Nguyen knows how to hit the comfort food notes, and only an eater with insurmountable bloodlust will miss the meat in her dynamite Gojujang Popcorn Tofu taco with pickled carrot and daikon, black sesame seed, fried quail egg and scallion. Another fiery winner is found in the Miso and Lager braised tofu taco with pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, housemade habanero hot sauce, cilantro-chive aioli. And if you really want to line your stomach with something filling, try the tasty Corn, Scallion & Jalapeno Pancakes, served with cotija cheese and maple-jalapeno whipped butter. (There are also gluten-free and vegan variations on the menu.)
Black Flamingo is currently offering a $3 taco happy hour on Mondays through Fridays, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and that includes champagne by the glass for $3 as well as select $3 draught beer. But stick around to try a cocktail too; the Me, Myself, and I, made with Diplomatico Añejo rum, sweet vermouth, and Campari finds a perfect balance between bitter and sweet. They also offer a selection of vegan wines, which yes, is a thing.
Black Flamingo
blackflamingonyc.com
718-387-3337
168 Borinquen Place (and South 2nd) Brooklyn, NY