Mominette

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• Space & Atmosphere
  During the warmer months of the year, Mominette boasts a gorgeous back yard that virtually doubles their available seating and is a true pleasure to enjoy a meal in. The interior is ample and is reminiscent of a French cafe. Decoration is fairly minimal, a vintage photo or knick knack strewn here and there, but the majority of the wall space is occupied by interesting mirrors of various shapes and sizes that make the space feel a bit larger.
• Wait Staff
  The service has always been terrific here. It’s one of my neighborhood go-to restaurants so I’ve had plenty of opportunities to be let down and they haven’t. Kind, attentive, knowledgeable and with french accents are qualities that come to mind. My wife has also taken notice at how handsome they all are. Don’t worry though, dear reader, I keep my focus on the food.
• General Cost
  Brunch items average around $12, appetizers around $10 and entres around $20. It’s not going to be your cheap eats spot, but for the quality of food and flavor, the price is a great value and a perfect spot for a date.

The Mominette Experience

Tucked away just off of the veritable “Vegas Strip of Bushwick,” Knickerbocker Avenue, Mominette has the menu and feel of a classic French Bistro. The interior exudes a general feeling of some place from the past, a place from a different time and mindset, somewhere decidedly not here. The colors are muted. The walls are dressed with long mirrors and art of the French Noir persuasion. If it weren’t for the reggae music and the bearded and tattoo’d clientele, you might be able to get wrapped up in the daydream that you have momentarily left the country.

As you enter, there is a long row of fairly compact tables on the left and a good stretch of bar on the right. The seating is virtually doubled in the warmer seasons when they can open their gorgeous and thoughtfully designed backyard / garden area. Enjoying brunch in the late spring or early fall out in the garden can be a great way to ease into the weekend for even the most hungover patrons. In the summer evenings, little can help one endure the tolls of a workweek more than a quiet evening sitting amongst the smells of butter and rosemary and the quiet murmur of background conversation and street sounds.

While the menu does not stray far from the typical French classics, the consistent execution of delicious food from Chef Alan Bustillo’s kitchen outweighs any initially perceived lack of imagination. I have enjoyed delicious meals here for both brunch and dinner. Highlights of the brunch menu include a soul-satisfying Croque Madame and a simple yet elevated Duck Hash Confit. I tend to appreciate the more savory iterations of the brunch world while my wife and dining companion often dips her toe into the sweeter end of the pool. While I cannot personally attest to the flavor, I have on good authority that both the Pancake and the French Toast, each topped with fresh fruit and mint, do not tarnish the good reputation of the dishes they represent. And by the way, that was not a typo regarding the Pancake. It is literally one humungous pancake.

The Croque Madame is the perfect remedy to an unsettled stomach still reeling from the night before. Two pieces of hearty brioche are dunked into a béchamel and cooked like french toast. They are then used to assemble a decadent sandwich loaded with ham and gruyere cheese that is ultimately topped with a sunny side up egg and served with either a salad or frites. The Duck Hash Confit is a superlative example of both a hash and a duck confit. Scented with rosemary and loaded with butter and onions, the hash provides a sturdy and complementary base to the true star of the dish, the duck confit. Simultaneously tender and extremely crispy, the generous portion of duck makes this a memorable dish worth coming back for every weekend.

In the evening I would recommend beginning your meal with the Escargot. It is hard for me to imagine enjoying a French Bistro experience without a serving of some snails. While I was initially disappointed it was not the typical offering of snails soaked in individual vessels of garlic butter, I was blown away by the complex flavor and sheer tenderness of the escargot. Rich layers of wine, herbs and butter combine to produce a unique flavor that has acidic notes and depth. While you are waiting for your snails to arrive, try the Palo Santo cocktail for a unique experience. The cocktail is comprised of sage-infused gin, Drapo Rosso and Campari and is served with a glass filled with the smoke of burning sage. While it is not for those who don’t like the smell of sage or who will be affected by the little bit of smoke, the way in which the smoke interacts with the cocktail is really interesting and ultimately delicious. I had never tasted or seen anything like it before.

For your main course look no farther than Beef Bourguignon and the Grilled Pork Chop. Tender chunks of beef slow cooked in a flavorful red wine based braising liquid combine with pearl onions, mushrooms and Yukon gold potatoes in a true-to-the-classic preparation of Beef Bourguignon. Make sure that you order a side of mashed potatoes as you will want to enjoy every last drop of the stew. The Grilled Pork Chop dish takes advantage of the classic combination of savory pork and the sweeter notes of apple. Served with cabbage cooked with bacon and apple cider and red wine lentils and lardons, the pork chop is highlighted and not lost. Each bite vacillates between sweet and savory and leads to a balanced and satisfying plate of food.

In review, Mominette offers classic French dishes that are both comforting and elevated in terms of flavor and presentation. With a selection of interesting cocktails and appetizers, you can put together a good mix of classics and new dishes over the course of several visits without getting bored. If you live in Bushwick, Mominette can easily become a restaurant you visit once a week as explore their entire menu.

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