revuesday - St. Anselm

Though having a broken leg kind of sucks because it hurts a whole lot, I can't walk on it, people still don't give me seats on the subway (though folks on the bus are awfully friendly,) and I'm going to start setting off metal detectors, there are a few perks to being broken.  One of those perks is that I've been getting extra special treatment from my friends and family.  Not only have they been following me around to make sure I don't fall and break any more bones, they've also been fattening me up by taking me out to fancy, delicious suppers and making sure I get a bowl of ice cream before I go to bed every night.  My most recent restaurant field trip was taken with my mom and dad this past Saturday to Williamsburg's own St. Anselm.

Relatively new to the neighborhood, this restaurant exists on a stretch of Metropolitan Avenue that seems to get progressively cooler with each opening.  St. Anselm seems to be the neighborhood's quirky version of a steak house - traditional with a twist.  I'm not a huge steak eater but that by no means makes me any less of a carnivore.  Though beef may not be my thing (unless it's ground into a patty and slathered in cheese,) I love steaks of other sorts!  And though I'm afraid to partake in any booziness whilst on crutches, I also love a good bourbon or whiskey.  So I naturally selected the bourbon brined pork chop off of the menu.  The flavor was incredible and for such a large and thick cut of meat, was deliciously juicy and tender... so much so that I sucked all the meat off the bone.  Yup, I did that.

bourbon brined pork chop

The daddy-o indulged in an appetizer of grilled foie gras with figs, a smokey sweetness that melted in your mouth.  Though difficult to top that tiny morsel of yumminess, it was done with his lamb shoulder chop topped with mint butter.  Usually a tough cut of meat, this was cooked to perfection and didn't require any kind of overzealous chewing.  After an appetizer of iceberg wedge topped with warm bacon and bleu cheese dressing, Mom raved about the butcher's steak, a hanger steak with chopped garlic and butter.  Medium rare juices dripped out and were sopped up with perfect warm, crusty bread.

butcher's steak

Like a typical steak house, the meat came as is and sides had to be ordered separately.  Crispy smashed potatoes with truffle oil and anything but boring creamed spinach rounded out our meal.  I wish I could comment on the beer and wine selection but, like I previously mentioned, booze and crutches kinda scare me right now so I didn't partake in any of that.  But mom and dad seemed to enjoy the selection and since I've definitely thrown a few back at Spuyten Duyvil and Fette Sau (both run by the same awesome dude that is in charge of St. Anselm,) I can presume that everything was up to par and quite satisfying.

So yeah, the food was out of control delicious and satisfying and I recommend this spot to all of my meat lovin' friends.  Plus the atmosphere is great, like a rustic woodsy lodge where sexy lumberjacks might hang out.  And the open kitchen permits diners to watch their meals being prepared which is a neat concept that I always appreciate.  Also appreciated is the list of farms supplying the restaurant, both local and distant.  I love the whole farm-to-table concept and really hope that it continues because it promotes knowledgeable eating habits and community cuisine.  Next time you're in the hood, and in the mood for some meaty goodness, pop in to St. Anselm and hopefully you'll get a table and a great meal... well, you'll definitely get a great meal, but don't be surprised if you have to wait a bit for a table as this is quite the hot spot!

*I totally forgot my camera when we went out so these photos are courtesy of St. Anselm's facebook page... Like them!