A First Draft at Dean Street

New York City has always been a town of high expectations. At first glance, Dean Street seems like it could be a perfectly respectable spot in the underserved Brooklyn neighborhood of Prospect Heights, not too far from my hood. However, when early reports revealed that Chef Nate Smith, formerly of The Spotted Pig was hired by owner John Longo as the new chef at Dean Street, I was immediately excited for the potential of a "Brooklyn Spotted Pig" (as some were prematurely calling it). Sorry, but even if you try to clamp down on the hype (or avoid it entirely), in the New York City dining scene, these comparisons are inevitable.

Seizing our opportunity, Steve, our friend Jonas and myself decided to check out Dean Street on only its second week in business.