Camera in the Kitchen: Beast

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Beast, on the corner of Vanderbilt and Bergen Streets in Prospect Heights, serves a wide range of tapas and brunch plates with a Spanish flare. As befits the restaurant's bristling name, the first of two dining rooms is dark – almost medieval – and dotted with appropriately colorful creatures: monsters, gargoyles, and demons. The kitchen is open and separates the front from the back room; curious diners can usually observe a small army of toast and burgers on the grill.

Beast's brunch fare is full of refreshing options, with sauteed polenta earning a place on the menu just next to the rum-spiked caramelized apple french toast. "The standard" offers a choice of thick cut bacon, boar or chicken apple sausage with your eggs and greens, the latter of which develops a lovely smoky sweetness when grilled. The slightly-too-oily chorizo hash is saved by a delectable spicy chipotle-spiked hollandaise sauce, perfect soak-up material for the house's sourdough toast.

For an extra $3, the homemade bread basket (two lemon sour cream muffins and a brownie during our trip) is well worth it, especially if your entrees tend towards the savory. Small touches, like a smoky homemade ketchup, properly-dressed mixed greens, and attentive waiter service make a weekend morning here pleasant beyond the plates.

Beast is open for dinner daily and for brunch on weekends, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. 638 Bergen Street (at Vanderbilt). 718-399-6855.

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Comments (7) [rss]

Beast? Are you kidding me? Did they really name their restaurant Beast? I try to avoid restaurants with pretentious one-word names, like Hearth or Solace.

hey, jenchungsbra: what about lebernardin or unionsquarecafe?

damn, there goes the neighborhood spot.....

"And he, he himself, the Grinch, carved the roast beast." ~ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

I suppose, too, that there are many Beauty that frequents this place?

pretentious name or no, it's good food and reasonably priced, which is all I care about on those rare occasions when I can afford to go to a restaurant.

Beast makes a mean brunch...

...but some people will always find something to gripe about.

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