I had to go on the pretty much most horrendous ever Sunday afternoon snack/cocktail meeting with my ex pseudo forty-year-old boyfriend. Rather than let him pick the place, I decided to stack the cards in my favor and meet at a revamped neighborhood favorite called Brinkley’s. The cast iron doors and school-room style front seating (no, literally they have old school chairs) created a hipster meets Hogwarts atmosphere. Combined with the local brew and reasonably priced wine, it was primo for post-yoga paper reading. Brinkley’s smartly added in beautiful waitstaff, a hot manager and a bartender with an accent because sometimes you need a little eye candy with your locally grown poultry.

So the whole rendezvous could not have been more awkward, and I was totally so embarrassed to be seen with a man who could be my father. Except my father is better looking. Then I decided the only way I could endure was to eat. So we shared a cheese plate, a salad with (I think) cauliflower, zucchini carbonara and striped bass. I was a bit skeptical of this because I’m honestly not a huge fan of zucchini; but it’s like the zucchini pasta! Hearty, filling, warm and appropriately seasonable. The bass was cooked to perfection.

Someone on Yelp said the drinks here were expensive, but obviously that person does not live in the world. An $8 glass of wine in Nolita is basically unheard of, and everything at Brinkley’s is local. Um, that means smaller carbon footprint. Duh.

At the end of our meal, I was so content I almost forgot about my dining partner who thought it a good opportunity to give me a belated Christmas present of wildly overpriced lingerie. I refrained from throwing up my delicious meal and went home…alone.

Brinkley’s 406 Broome Street @ Centre  212.680.5600  

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