Battery Harris and Kings County Imperial

If you did not know that Brooklyn was booming then you have been living in a hole.  One of the things that I love about all the restaurants, the shops, the vibe is the edge and look of each spot.  It reminds me of that grit that downtown NYC used to have.  You can still find that edge down in the lower east side but certainly not in the west village.

We had a drink at Battery Harris before dinner.  Definitely a spot to return to when the weather gets warm.  Good place to grab a drink.  They have lots of cocktails, different beers and wine on tap.  Bar treats and food with a Caribbean bend.

Then we walked over to Kings County Imperial for dinner.  Great vibe, music and decor.  The ceilings are low and the seating is close.  There are two rooms.  The first has a bar across the back and the back room is mostly seating.  There is an intimacy to the place.  The food is Chinese.  The food is good not great but the vibe is fantastic.

We ordered everything to share.  We sat in a booth and had a circular lazy susan to make sharing easy.  Nice touch.  First thing out was mock eel.  This was my favorite dish.  Large shitake mushrooms that have been carved into long curly pieces and then fried up in a wok.  Super crispy yet soft at the same time.

Sesame noodles with just a hint of spice.

Pork soup dumplings were the special of the day.  Well made and good.

Moo-shoo smoked tea duck with pancakes on the side.  This was the weakest dish.  Just not that interesting.

Kung Po Chicken was good.  Just the right amount of spice, a really good sauce and roasted peanuts.

Steel pot beef was also good.  Almost like a crispy beef served with mushrooms, noodles and plenty of cilantro.

Simple fried rice for the side.

All and all it was good.  If I lived in the neighborhood I’d definitely come back to check out more of the dishes.  Fun to go with a group.  No reservations so keep that in mind.  I would bet that this place will do quite well.  Hip Chinese…you kinda can’t beat it.