St. Anselm - Williamsburg

Got the bourbon-brined center-cut pork chop at St. Anselm recently, who I am glad to see has gotten a liquor license--and now the place is appropriate packed at night. The chop was cooked graciously, juices running through, and just slightly charred to add to taste. The color was pleasant at a very mild white pink and the texture was more tender than the usual pork chop. Presentation was awesome too, slap that meat on a plate and slide it in front of me: "Oh did you order this? Not like I care or anything."

I had come here last summer a few times sans-liquor license and got some small plates like pork cracklin' and specialty sausages, but it seems the place has filled into it's shoes since I last was there and has transformed into a meat haven of sorts. Lots of press going around on their steak cuts and Spuyten Duyvel lineage. The steaks are interesting to note they have a great butcher's steak for $15 that my friend got and relayed it was more than worth it; also a rib eye on the menu that I will be back for. Entrees in general were around the $13-$17 range, but some of the more sumptuous dishes far exceeded this.

355 Metropolitan Ave., New York, NY 11211, 718 384 5054