A Taste of Char No. 4 with Zagat Smartbox

Oh, how I love the Smartbox. I had a wonderful time with them last year during the fun and exciting scavenger hunt they hosted, and I think that when it comes to gift ideas, they are a unique option. Now, Smartbox has given me yet another reason to love them even more, for they have launched the Zagat Smartbox ”Table for Two”.

The Zagat Smartbox retails for $99 and what you get is a gift card valid for a three-course dinner for two, and a city-specific catalog of 35-plus participating Zagat-rated restaurants from which to choose a dining experience. The recipient simply picks one of the packages offered in the catalog, reserves directly with the restaurant and presents the Smartbox gift card upon arrival.

In addition, the keep-sake catalog includes a Zagat rating of each restaurant for Food, Decor and Service, a description of the available menu selections and complimentary offers, and practical information about the establishment. In addition to New York City, the Zagat Smartbox is available in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, DC.

I had a chance to check out a Zagat Smartbox and chose Char No. 4 in Brooklyn.

Traveling out to Brooklyn, while the city is still covered in snow, and the weather is oh-so-frightful seems insane, I know. So, I asked Scott Gold, Bartender at Char No. 4 since it opened three years ago, why he thinks anyone outside of Brooklyn should.

“The biggest attraction of Char No. 4 is the extensive  collection of whiskey, primarily American whiskey,” he says. With over 150 bottles of American whiskey, plus another 150 international choices that are served here, this is definitely a huge draw, especially for the whiskey lover. What about the food?

Char No. 4 serves what Gold calls “refined Southern” that further compliments the whiskey. “Everything is made by hand, in house, from scratch. We cure and smoke our own bacon, make our own sausages, do our own pickling, do our own char curing. Everything is done ‘Old World’ style,” described Gold. ”The proof is in the pudding,” he added.

And that it is. I would say it was in all of the dishes we tasted in this family-friendly eatery that night. I will admit, I gasped a little at a $24 plate of chili. However, I went ahead and splurged because the smell of it filled our dining section and I just had to try it. It was full of flavor, with a slight kick to it, and very filling, served with jalapeño cornbread, made with pulled pork, making a strong case for every dime.

So in addition to the appetizer, the main course, and dessert we got for two people with the Zagat Smartcard, I went ahead and ordered some drinks, and extra dishes. The experience was definitely worth the trip from Washington Heights to Carroll Gardens, in the snow, with shady subway service. My drink of choice to warm me up after the long voyage was a Kentucky Royale made with sparkling wine, cassis, and garnished with a slice of orange.

Our appetizers included some great dishes. We recommend the Endive & frisée salad with honey-walnut goat cheese & a coriander-citrus vinaigrette and suggest you not miss the House cured lamb pastrami with coriander aioli, pickled onions & rye-caraway toast. Both dishes are light and taste incredibly fresh. Our server also said that we should come back for their Smoked half chicken with olive oil crushed potatoes & preserved lemon-tarragon sauce, which wasn’t available that evening due to delivery problems of food items caused by the weather.

As an entree, we ordered the the Grilled hanger steak with crispy rosemary-garlic potatoes & Char No. 4 steak sauce. The steak sauce is made in house and has a wonderful smokey flavor that I couldn’t get enough of. We also ordered the delicious Jambalaya with homemade andouille sausage, shrimp & manila clams.

We asked to try the Char No. 4 hot sauce. A in-house made Habanero sauce which had me wondering, why isn’t this stuff being bottled and sold to the masses? So, I asked Gold, “What’s the deal with the hot sauce?” He explained that it had something to do with logistics, licensing, and other annoying stuff that usually stands in between good food and the people. I hope that The Powers That Be at Char No. 4 do consider putting that magic hot sauce in a little bottle for the rest of us to enjoy. In the meantime, don’t be surprised if you hear of me trekking it out to Brooklyn, through rain, snow, or whatever Mother Nature brings in search of the comforting dishes of Char No. 4. Some times the food is just frickin worth it.

And if there’s a foodie in your life you’d like to gift this or a similar culinary experience to, make sure you check out the Zagat Smartbox, which can be purchased at major retailers including JC Penny, Meijer, Sam’s Club and online at Barnesandnoble.com, Amazon.com and Smartbox.com.

Or you can enter for a chance to win a Zagat Smarbox! We’re giving one reader a chance to win one Zagat Smartbox ”Table for Two” so that you can try Char No. 4 or an yone of the over 35 Zagat-rated restaurants listed in the Zagat Smartbox catalogue. You and a guest will have a chance to enjoy a three-course dinner for two in any one of the featured cities – Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, DC.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED

*Winner was selected via random selection through Random.org*

Disclosure: This review is based, in part, on a complimentary meal provided by Zagat Smartbox. I received no other compensation and no requirements that I express a particular point of view.

Tags: Date Night, family friendly, kid friendly, nyc restaurants
Posted in Good Eats | 16 Comments »