Dinner (and Beer) at Beer Table

Perhaps more than any other restaurant in Park Slope, Beer Table neatly epitomizes the pleasures and the problems of the so-called "New Brooklyn" cuisine.

In the platonic ideal of New Brooklyn cookery, the dishes are kept simple, in order to best let the ingredients shine for themselves — think of Frankie's 457 Spuntino's killer cavatelli with brown butter, spicy sausage, and sage, or the grilled and braised pork at Applewood.

Here, though, the equation becomes problematic. At Beer Table, the ingredients are uniformly excellent, but the dishes, while striving for simplicity, take a wrong turn at bland.

The bulk of Beer Table's menu is structured around a $25 three-course prix fixe. The items not on the prix fixe barely merit mention: a jar of pickled sea beans had no flavor other than pickle, but was satisfyingly crunchy, while a platter of dehydrated apples, zucchini, and tomatoes ranged from sublime (each paper-thin slice of tomato boasted as much flavor as a whole fruit) to flavorless (sorry, zucchini).

The menu itself was a bit better. Though a starter of roasted beets with sour cream and smoked herring would have benefited from the beets or the sour cream being seasoned at all, the assertively smoked herring saved the dish. An appetizer of roasted cauliflower with chili flakes, pickled spring onion, and parsley, however, was easily the meal's highlight—it was tart and toothsome, with just the right touch of heat.

If only the entrees were as good. Caramelized bacon with roasted fingerling potatoes and chives was pleasantly fatty, as bacon tends to be, but again, not a whisper of seasoning could be detected.

Matters got worse with the "spicy" pork and beef meatloaf with roasted root vegetables. The loaf itself was almost completely flavorless, saved only by a side of sriracha. A meal at Beer Table leaves the diner constantly wondering whether the seasoning was, perhaps, all together forgotten.

Desserts were besieged by the same problems: toast topped with fresh ricotta and apple compote is a delicious combination, but, again, verging on bland. A dash of freshly ground black pepper could have taken it to the next level. A cinnamon and chocolate blondie was fine, but for $6, it should have tasted better than anything you can buy at Naidre's or Ozzy's.

Service, while conscientious, was oddly smug: a waiter seemed consistently judgemental, punctuating every choice by a tight-lipped "okay." It might have been a damper on the meal, had the food not already made it dim enough. The space itseld is cozy, if snug: high wooden tables with stools look lovely, but could be more comfortable.

But as the name implies, Beer Table puts a tremendous focus on the sudsy stuff and fortunately, in this area, the restaurant doesn't disappoint.

The beer selection is tremendously expensive (expect to pay at least $10 for a pint), but extraordinarily good. A Baladin Al-Iksir brewed with whisky grains was complex, yet delicate, and the oak smoke Shlenkerla was like a barbecue in liquid form.

When it opened in January 2008, Beer Table quickly gained acclaim as a dining destination. Of course, back then, the menu was limited to charcuterie and cheese, with full dinners being offered just once a week. Perhaps the sharp decline in food is due to overextension, perhaps overambition.

Either way, it is a pity. Beer Table is a lovely place to spend an evening drinking. If only it were a lovely place to eat as well.