The Q at Parkside

(for those for whom the Parkside Q is their hometrain)

News and Nonsense from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Lefferts and environs, or more specifically a neighborhood once known as Melrose Park. Sometimes called Lefferts Gardens. Or Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Or PLG. Or North Flatbush. Or Caledonia (west of Ocean). Or West Pigtown. Across From Park Slope. Under Crown Heights. Near Drummer's Grove. The Side of the Park With the McDonalds. Jackie Robinson Town. Home of Lefferts Manor. West Wingate. Near Kings County Hospital. Or if you're coming from the airport in taxi, maybe just Flatbush is best.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Un-Bay-Leaf-Able!*

The Q's suspiciously French restaurant reviewer, M. Rue des de la Sonne, once again sent us a well-researched missive from the field. Bay Leaf is the third Indian restaurant to open in PLG in the past couple years, and according to de la Sonne, it's a keeper. Here's Rue...



The decor is more Kiev than Kalkutta, but our table, on a chilly February night, came with its own space-heater, so you know the place is legitimately subcontinental.  And although the menu offers a surprising number of pricing alternatives ("50% off Executive Lunch" "Catering to Private party, wedding and Corporate are welcome" "Lunch Box to Go $8.50" "Prix Fixe Menu $14.95"), set your mind at ease, and set yourself in the good hands of Rohman, the waiter.  He refuses to smile for the camera, but he is the sweetest man you're likely to encounter any day of the week.


And the food.  Oh, the food. 

The samosas are ideally crisp; the eggplant in the bhartha is thick and smokey and irresistible on the naan; the chicken in the chicken tikka masala is perfectly roasted, and the sauce is tangy and complex; the mango lassis are everything you need; except for the rice pudding, with cardamon, which you also need, it turns out.

To judge by the frequency with which their telephone rings, and the frequency with which their delivery dude is on and off his motor bike, the word is out about Bay Leaf.  And no wonder.  This was the best meal we've ever eaten in the neighborhood.

* pun courtesy of the reviewer...proprietor of blog takes no responsibility for it, though he wishes he could.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am a King of Tandoor guy, but the last two times I ordered from them, the quality seemed to have decreased. Has anybody else noticed this?

Anonymous said...

Yes! I have noticed the same decline in KOT quality. The last mushroom saag I ordered from them tasted like plastic - very strange. I still like them, I just don't order anything with spinach.

Anonymous said...

Basic information missing from the review:
561 Flatbush Ave
(between Beekman Pl & Maple St)
(718) 576-6937
www.bayleafbrooklyn.com
And a link to a middling collection of Yelp reviews:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bayleaf-brooklyn
Certainly make it unlikely I'll be ordering delivery from here anytime soon.

Anonymous said...

It does really help to provide the address for the businesses reviewed or written about on the Q. We know where this place is but a couple times I've wanted to check something out (like the balloon lady) and have had no clue where to find it. I'm really glad people like Bay Leaf and they're getting business but we ourselves much prefer Ghandi on Bedford near Parkside. Now called Agra. They changed the name.
Agra Classic Indian Restaurant
2032 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 11226
(718) 282-7012