Eat Like Pops: Gotham Market at The Ashland

Eatlikepops is a new venture of mine. I have been known to enjoy all kinds of cuisines from everywhere that I find myself. After years of folks suggesting that I do, I finally started an Instagram page dedicated to my foodie travels.

Today’s post is a review on the new Gotham Market at The Ashland. It’s one of the newest eateries in Brooklyn that is here just in time for the real turn up weather. Thanks to one of the managers on site Ms. Rosi Sellers, I was able to sample some of the cuisine and get a firsthand look at the stellar service that is provided at the market.

Now, the Gotham Market is comprised of 7 different vendors which provide patrons with just about any option one could conjure up in regards to their cravings.

The Crabby Shack – The Crabby Shack is becoming a more well renowned staple in Brooklyn with their flagship location being on Franklin Avenue. Here at Gotham Market, they have a pop up station geared to bring you the full shack experience minus the crab legs.

Mason Jar – Mason Jar proudly specializes in beer, bourbon, and barbecue. Calling that a triple threat can somehow be an understatement. They drive a hard bargain when it comes to giving patrons an array of options.

Bar Granger– The quintessential premium bar experience can be found here. Bar Granger sports one of the more varied cocktail menus in the borough that has something for everyone. I’ll have more on this later on in this post.

Apizza Regionale– This is strictly for the brick oven pizza lover. We all know how it can be when we have one of those fierce cravings for pizza. When you need your fix, and you happen to be close to the market, this would be the place to be.

Boqueria– Boqueria is the place to be for those with the taste for Spanish Cuisine, the market has you covered!

Egg @ The Bird – This is a vendor that is coming soon but will pride itself on providing folks with a genuine cafe experience. This place will be perfect for those on the move, or those looking to take a load off and enjoy a morning cup of Joe.

Flip Bird – This premium chicken vendor boasts one of the more creative menus at the market. As you’ll read below Flip Bird puts very cool spins on traditional chicken dishes.

During my visit to Gotham Market I was able to taste food from Flip Bird, and I was able to order a drink from Bar Granger. My experiences on my visit were refreshing and sets the market apart from many other places that I have been.

So first off allow me to tell you about the “Top Brass” from Bar Granger.

The Top Brass is a version of the first ever cocktail known as the Old Fashioned. There is no true cocktail menu that can be deemed complete without an option like this. This drink is made with Rittenhouse Rye, Abernathy, Carpano Antica, Burlesque Bitters, and an orange peel.

I found that this drink packed the punch that I needed but had the balance that the bitters is known to offer. I found it to be very enjoyable to sip on and would’ve only been better having this drink in concert with someone else. This drink is $12 and can be purchased for less during Bar Granger’s current happy hour on Mondays – Fridays 3pm-7pm.

Eating food from Flip Bird was equally as enjoyable.

I ordered the “Mr. Flip.” It consisted of pulled chicken, Haeissa honey, pickled cole slaw, Samba mayo, crispy skin, and bacon (add $2). As a side, the Mr. Flip comes with stir fried brown rice and broccoli.

Allow me to say that I am not a fan of cole slaw. I wanted the full Flip Bird experience, so I kept it on the dish. The pickled cole slaw might be the most important component to this sandwich. It expertly added flavor that complimented the honey. In my first bite I realized that I had made the best decision by keeping it on the dish. It was filling and satisfying. The nice touch was certainly the side of stir fried brown rice and broccoli, which in its own right was extremely tasty as well. This dish was $10 but without bacon you can still enjoy it for $8. But who would want to do anything in this world without bacon?

Gotham Market has made a huge splash on the scene and it hasn’t even been open yet for a full 3 months. What sets the market apart is that it isn’t your typical run of the mill food court. This market has a staff that assists with your orders and brings them to where ever you choose to sit. Staff cater to patrons needs and it’s evident that top notch customer service is paramount; it’s what they would like to hang their hats on.

Another thing that stood out to me was how happy the staff seemed to be working there. This energy adds to the dining experience immensely. Do yourself a favor, check out the Gotham Market sooner than later. Rather than doing yourself a favor, do your taste buds a favor this time.

If you have a suggestion for me to try, let me know on my Twitter @DamnPOPS, I can’t wait to eat it.

Eat Like Pops is a monthly column featuring food and drink galore.