A Tree Grows In Brooklyn….Girl
The bar at Brooklyn Girl provides a casual setting for dining.
The street has come back to life. Many years ago, when I first moved to San Diego, the area around the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Goldfinch Street teemed with restaurants. “The Baker In The Forest” was one of my favorites and was partially responsible for my decision to move south from Los Angeles.
Several years later, the street died. The restaurants went away, to be replaced by staid furniture stores and other shops that changed the upbeat spirit of the neighborhood. But now, things are changing back.
Several restaurants are now up and running, successfully meeting the culinary desires of their clientele with unique and tasty cuisine. It is thrilling to see the resurgence of business. Diners vote with their feet as well as their taste buds. The flow of customers proves that the new venues are doing things right.
One of the new and very popular restaurants is Brooklyn Girl, owned and operated by Victoria and Michael McGeath. If one has lived in San Diego for a number of years, one has undoubtedly already enjoyed McGeath hospitality at their earlier successes, Fio’s in the Gaslamp and Trattoria Acqua in La Jolla.
Brooklyn Girl Eatery is their newest enterprise. Why “Brooklyn Girl”? Guess where Victoria McGeath grew up.
The “eatery” in the name connotes a casual dining experience. The interior does feel hip, contemporary, eclectic and casual. It is comfortable, not stuffy. Lights enclosed within large birdcages give the interior a funky feel. And, in keeping with the title of Betty Smith’s famous novel, “A Tree Grows In Brooklyn,” a tree does grow in the heart of Brooklyn Girl. But this is not an ordinary tree. It actually consists of ribbons of electric lights to symbolize leaves.
Large contemporary drawings and paintings decorate the wall decorate the tops of walls in this high ceilinged room. I was told that many of them were done by staff. The feeling of the interior is sleek, modern and minimalist, almost Scandinavian in feeling.
There is a large rectangular bar in the center, with sitting for dining available. Two columns of high shelves hold bottles of wine to fill one wall, with a row of beers on tap filling the center. Brooklyn Girl is not only a popular eatery (as the name states) but also just a great place to meet friends for cocktails.
The lord of the kitchen is Colin Murray who put together a contemporary menu that is sure to please. There is something for everyone. When seated, things begin with an interesting touch — popcorn, relatively spicy to tantalize the palate. But it is a great starter to the array of unique tastes to follow.
The restaurant has a terrific wood fired oven where pizza comes out with full traditional flavor. “Victoria’s Choice” adds a touch of sweetness with black mission figs. “Micheal’s Choice” pizza, on the other hand, tends to the spicier with Italian sausage and pepperoni. And, if you like oysters and mussels, you’ve come to the right place.
The “range & sea” section of the menu free range duck, a whole free range chicken in the pot and wild salmon. Side dishes, called “Me Too”, include wood roasted cauliflower, sauteed mushrooms, and even potato latkes. The New Zealand lamb shank comes with cardamom house-made spaetzel.
One of the tasty starters is kale salad, all hearty, healthy and kale, topped with egg, bacon, and light dressing. It can be accompanied with duck or shrimp but it great all by itself. The brick chicken, pressed down, is a delicious meaty dish topped salad and surrounded by croutons.
There is a broad selection of foods and flavors and the wine list choices are excellent and reasonably priced. Service was superb. Our friendly server was very knowledgeable about the menu and the wines.
Brooklyn Girl serves lunch and dinner. Brunch is available on weekends, ordering from a special menu that includes several Eggs Benedict dishes, omelets, pancakes, and French toast.
Whether dining for brunch, lunch or dinner, the experience is bound to be fun and very enjoyable. It is popular so reservations are strongly recommended. Prices are moderate. On street parking is available as well as a valet during dinner.
Brooklyn Girl Eatery is located at 4033 Goldfinch Street, in Mission Hills. Call (619) 296-4600 for information and reservations.
Category: Business, Local News
