Mekelburg's Domino Launches Excellent New 'Mek At Night' Menu

Scott Lynch

Published Dec 12, 2018

Modified Dec 12, 2018

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L'Amuse Cracklin' ($12)

Scott Lynch / Gothamist

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Scott Lynch

Published Dec 12, 2018

Modified Dec 12, 2018

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Like most people who enjoy eating excellent food in a convivial setting, we've been huge fans of Daniel and Alicia Mekelburg's namesake Clinton Hill basement/back patio restaurant since it first opened in the summer of 2015. (The grocery store part of the operation has lots of good stuff too, but yikes those prices!) And before their Clinton Hill spot there was the Mekelburgs' roving, underground New York Bite Club supper club, to which I personally was never able to snag a seat, dammit, but it always sounded like it was both fun and delicious.

After facing a storm of controversy this summer following Daniel's sister being identified as a popular Islamaphobe, the couple expanded to a second restaurant/bar/grocery hybrid location in September. It's in the ground floor of the gigantic new square-doughnut luxury residence, 325 Kent, the first of four buildings in Williamsburg's Domino megaproject. Could the Mekelburgs pull off the ramshackle charm and semi-secret backroom vibe of the original in such an inherently sterile setting?

I needn't have worried. The Williamsburg Mekelburg's is every bit as inviting as the one in Clinton Hill. And though the basic layout, furnishings, and mechanics are the same at both spots—the drinking and dining room is located behind the grocery store; you order at the bar and grab a table wherever you can, and a someone will bring you your food—the Domino joint features many new, exclusive dishes. This includes the astonishingly good "Mek at Night" menu, which just launched last weekend and is now available every night starting at 8 p.m.

Last week the Mekelburgs invited me for a preview dinner showcasing most of the new dishes. As you might expect, they were all imaginative and smart, generous and decadent, everything executed with flair. The three new sandwiches are all pretty insane, led by the Croque Meksieur, a grilled affair bursting with fatty porchetta and chewy, charred gruyere, then smothered in bechamel sauce, and topped with cracklins, and... nutmeg, for a surprise twist ending.

The Surf and Turf is equally intense (and delicious), a crusty hero housing a row of rare wagyu roast beef and a row of plump panko-fried shrimp, interspersed with sliced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and pickles. A lively remoulade and lots of cracked black pepper complete the package. And for the first time there exists an actual MekelBurger! This dry-aged-beef beauty is blanketed in melted Land-o-Lakes American, with two sorts of onions—crisp-fried and caramelized—and tarragon mustard, all delivered on a King Hawaiian bun. Comes with near-perfect fries, too.

For the real medium-rollers among you, there's an entire new "Bougie Bites" section of the menu, starring a lovely Caviar Pie, an ample layer of roe atop creamy egg salad, chopped radish and onion, and dill cream. A ring of Everything Chips completes the party. This is a bit of splurge at $25, but it's also a lot of fun. The Creme Brielee is an ingenious take on a bread-and-cheese platter, the crock of warm brie topped with sugar and torched until crackling. And the Foie Gras Poire is a dish for the ages, a sweet and juicy poached pear, redolent with mulling spices, sandwiching a glorious slab of the liver, with a dark caramel drizzle, sea salt crystals, and crushed pistachios tossed on with abandon.

To start your meal, definitely get the L'Amuse Cracklin', a pair of toasted She Wolf baguettes covered with pistachio butter, melty slices of gouda, pickled goat horn peppers, basil pesto, and crisp chicharron. And to finish, absolutely save room for one of the best desserts I ate all year: the Mekelburgs' amazing Babka Menschkins, three-bite balls of their superb Cinnamon Babka soaked in sweet cream and rolled in cinnamon sugar, served warm with a crock of vanilla bean cream cheese for the schmear. Just incredible.

The Mek at Night menu is now available every night starting at 8 p.m., only at the Mekelburg's Domino location in Williamsburg, 319 Kent Avenue at the corner of South 3rd Street (929-457-6315; mekelburgs.com)

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mek at night

mekelburg's domino

williamsburg

original