I was just over at this Greenpoint gem, chatting with the chef-owner, Liza Queen. Now that the weather’s turned cold (and the greenmarket offerings are slimming), she’s been having a lot of fun with sturdier, heartier fare. And she’s got two big developments: First, they now accept reservations! That’s big news since waits were approaching 90 minutes on weekends. And second, they’ve finally gotten their liquor license. As of now, they’re serving wine (which will be, typical of Liza’s way of thinking, largely from small and organic vineyards); next week beer joins the fray. If you haven’t been there yet, I urge you to check it out for yourself—Liza and her crew do some pretty amazing things with relatively humble ingredients. Here’s last night’s menu, if you’re curious—it changes every day, but she tells me tonight’s will be similar:
Mains:
• Chicken stewed & smoked w/plum tomato, pasilla pepper & achiotte, with house flour tortilla, crema, & lime $13
• Oyster stew with slightly smoked cream, tarragon, dill, & watercress topped with Barat cheese crackers $14
• House cured corned beef braised with Guiness, capers, & horseradish with cabbage/potato pudding $14
• Spinach & ricotta ravioli with butternut squash puree, braised leeks & toasted chestnuts $13
Apps/Sides:
• Pearl onions caramelizes with duck stock, wine, butter, & parsley $5
• Mixed greens with Cato Corner blue cheese, smoked walnuts & pomegranate/shallot dressing $6
• Millicent’s irregular biscuits with wildflower honey & butter $4
• Sauteed cauliflower with pinenuts, ricotta, & a little bit of cranberry/quince relish $5
• Black-eye pea/poblano fritters with Hideaway hot sauce $5
Desserts:
• Pecan custard pie $5
• Apple pie $5
P.S.:
• Mulled cider $3
The Queen’s Hideaway is at 222 Franklin St., near Green St., Greenpoint, Brooklyn. 718.383.2355.