CALATO Brooklyn Kitchen

I came upon this spot after running some errands and it was quite the pleasant surprise. The decor is incredibly trendy, though trendy is simply not what this neighborhood does. I'll be honest, the reason I went inside was purely superficial. Sunset Park is a rapidly changing neighborhood. It was only a matter of time before a trendy restaurant such as this, with their Edison bulbs and hand painted countertops, popped up amongst all the little Spanish eateries. Still, I was taken aback when I laid eyes on the tastefully painted mural in their dining room. "This kind of place in this neighborhood?" I thought. And in a moment, I was inside, asking for a table for one.

The tables were barren on this Friday night. "Maybe this neighborhood isn't ready for a place like this yet," I thought. But ultimately, I decided to dine here for tonight, and took the opportunity to ask the waitress about the business. Said waitress turned out to be the daughter of the owner, a career restaurant owner with successful ventures in Harlem and other parts of NY. This is the first business he decided to open in the neighborhood he calls home, trying to take advantage of the approaching gentrification.

The food itself would normally not be out of the ordinary, pesto crusted salmon, seared scallops on top of a butternut squash puree, a simple creme brulee. But alas, this is Sunset Park, where rice and beans is the norm and the closest thing to a puree would be a side of mashed potatoes. This is new to the area. To the average resident here, this is foreign. And you know what, this foreign, yet familiar food was very competently cooked. Sure, it's not as refined as what my trend loving-self is used to when dining out, but it was good, very good. Yes, the menu is kinda of a weird mishmash of different cuisines and at first glance you might ask yourself if it really works, but the menu is very much a reflection of the fast changing demographic in this neighborhood. It's ok that they're serving Penne Alla Vodka AND Empanadas on the same menu. It's what the neighborhood wants, or at least it's what they were lead to believe. Gentrification is polarizing subject, but it's hard not to root for a local who's trying so hard to adapt and jumpstart a successful business.

Upon finishing my meal, I notice a man in a chef jacket sitting by the window in this near empty restaurant, eating the same Pistachio crusted salmon that I had ordered earlier. I ask the waitress if that was her dad, and she delightfully replies "Yes!" Not noticing there was a bit of a language barrier, I thank him, and there would be no reply until her daughter prods him in Spanish. He gleefully thanks me in his heavy Ecuadorian accent and says "It's risky no?"

*EDIT*

The restaurant is under new ownership, and their menu has changed for the worse. Quite unfortunate . . .

Really delicious food! Highly recommened. And I'm tough to please (:

AMAZING FOOD! All is recommended

Perfect spot for breakfast. Food is great.
And coffee taste like it should. !!!!
Nice and cozy interior with open kitchen in center.

Ecuadorian-fusion. Cozy-modern family restaurant. Delicious spot.