Matt and I attended Split Thy Skull VIII at Mug’s Ale House in Williamburg this past Saturday. From 11am until close on Saturday and Sunday, they offered samplings of high alcohol beers (the lowest being 7% abv and the highest being 13.25%) for $3.50, 5 oz servings in little snifter glasses. We had attended their Belgium 2 Brooklyn beer fest in December, which I found more enjoyable because they had sour beers and I could drink a gallon of that stuff. At three pm, the bar was already three people deep. The good thing about it was that it was 90% beer nerds and beer nerds are very patient and there was not cutting or cursing or shoving that you get from regular booze hounds. There Matt’s coworker, Andy, met up with us.

We then sauntered over to Barcade, which is a green bar (solar powered). They have a nice selection of craft beers, a full bar and olde tyme video games. I suggested going there because I’ve been wanting to try the Dogfish Head vodka. Dogfish Head is an extreme American craft brewery that does crazy, delicious stuff like brew beers with a 20% abv or copy the recipe of the elixir found in King Midas’ tomb. And, apparently, they also distill their own liquor. Unfortunately, Barcade was out of it their vodka, so I decided to try their Jin, which was very herbally (pineapple mint, rosemary). It made an odd martini, but not unpleasant. And this is coming from someone who doesn’t drink gin. Now I’d like to ask a question for any bartender that may be reading: I’ve bartended before, but I find it odd how more often then not, when I order martini on the rocks the bartender mixes it in a shaker. Is this because of James Bond?

Barcade is on the same block as DuMont, which I’ve been wanting to eat at for a few weeks now. A 25 minute wait, so we sat in the garden out back with heat lamps. Matt and I enjoyed an apple hot toddy (figured I should enjoy at least one before it turns warm). DuMont is an extremely cute space. Their is the main dining area. Walk to the back and to the left and there’s a little hallway with a two-top (this could either be seen as really cute and romantic or alienated - depending who are you are eating with). Go around the corner and there is a smaller dining area (six tables), (nice) bathrooms and a garden with bar.

To start with, we shared the cheese plate (from Murray’s, very delicious, but not as delicious as the Murray’s dessert cheese plate I had at L’École - that was absolutely outstanding), DuMont salad (Danish blue, mixed greens, radish, pecans, haricot verts and bacon) and a creamy duck risotto. My only complaint is that they didn’t tell us the names of the cheeses - there was a blue, a firm mild cheese that I guessed to be a raw milk and a semi-soft mild cheese that I think was sheep’s milk.

Entrées: Andy got the DuMac and Cheese with gruyere, chedder, parmesean and bacon (the best mac and cheese I’ve ever tasted), Matt ordered the braised short ribs special with parsnip purée. I had the skate (was kinda disappointed there was no jelly bones in it, but that’s me and I like to eat fish eyes and bone marrow) with mashed potatoes, whole pitted green and black olives and whole cloves of roasted garlic. Great portion sizes (I hate large portions). I did get the itis though and was still full by the time I went to bed.

Espresso was on the bitter side and the creme brulée with fresh blueberries was good, but not great (I prefer when they use fresh vanilla pods).

Service was awesome. Professional and not annoying.

Summary: New American bistro with a great standard menu and a changing specials menu. Good for a hot date or fun outing with foodie friends. DuMont is, so far, the best restaurant I’ve been to in Brooklyn.

Overall grade: A

Cost: Moderate but worth the price. Actually, they could get away with charging a little more without alienating the local clientele. DuMont salad and cheese plate were $9 each. Mac and cheese was $12 and skate was $16. Cost of one beer, three appetizers, three entrees, one dessert and three espressos was $125 including 20% tip.

DuMont
432 Union Ave (between Metropolitan and Devoe)
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 486-7717
DuMont’s Website

Mugs Ale House
125 Bedford Avenue (corner of North 10th Street)
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 486-8232
Mugs’ Website

Barcade
388 Union Avenue (between Ainslie and Powers)
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 302-6464
Barcade’s Website

(Sorry that I don’t have any photos of Saturday’s events, so I just stuck in a photo of my dog, Pokey, because I know people like visuals and that dude’s pretty awesome.)