Over the past two years coffee shops, hip restaurants, fancy grocery stores and numerous specialty wine stores have inundated Fort Greene. Among the changes, quieter places pop up almost unseen, like Catherine’s Caffé, which unless you look for its ‘60s-style stone facade, you could walk right by.
It’s not that the space is too small—it’s fairly large with over a dozen two-seater tables, a vast wood and glass pastry counter, a banquette in the window and garden area—but the restaurant doesn’t jump out at you. Go through the door, though, and the food will.
Open since the end of December, Catherine’s serves regular café fare including breakfast items like vanilla French toast ($7.50), omelets ($7.50 to $9) and basic bagels and pastries ($1.95-$2.50).There are also kids’ meals, hearty salads and almost 20 types of sandwiches. But, the real reason to eat here is Catherine’s Czechoslovakian menu items.
I immediately salivated over the thought of a bowl of goulash ($6), a classic Eastern European beef stew.The steaming pot came with a side of crispy sourdough baguettes slices, which melted as soon as they hit the hot, salty broth. Breaking the smooth, reddish surface of the goulash, I found a treasure of tender beef cubes lining the bottom of the bowl. As I bit in, the meat flaked off to mesh with the light bite of paprika, tiny bits of onion and refreshing parsley.
Some of the dishes on the menu weren’t as recognizable, like the Zapekane brambory ($8), which consists of roasted potatoes baked with egg, corn, broccoli and cauliflower and then topped with provolone cheese.There are variations of this dish like the brambory se masem ($12) and brambory se zeleninou ($10), which all share the potatoes and cheese in common but are filled with other meat and vegetable ingredients.
My companion and I opted for the chicken schnitzel ($10) and Devil’s Pancake ($11) instead.Though the latter doesn’t sound like it comes from the Czech Republic, once you bite in, it’s obvious this is no American dish.When the Devil’s Pancake came out, it looked like an omelet, though instead of eggs encasing the spicy shredded chicken and pepper stew, there was a large, bluish potato pancake.The moist pancake was fried to a light brown perfection on the outside, making it easy enough to cut with the side of the fork.
The chicken schnitzel wasn’t quite as impressive, but then again, schnitzel doesn’t usually work any gastronomic wonders. While historically a German dish, it’s popular in the Czech Republic as well, and this particular version proved tender, moist and not too oily.This plate came with a side of traditional Czech potato salad, which is mainly composed of peas, carrots, sweet pickles, onions and mayonnaise. It had a hint of mustard but overall lacked a strong flavor.
The international dining experience was heightened by the attentiveness of our Eastern European waitress, though the café itself proved fairly dull save for the soft illumination coming from the hanging Christmas lights wrapped around the wall. In order for this café to survive, it needs to add more personality to the décor. For example, a friendlier, decorated garden would make locals more prone to stop in. Also, while it’s open for the early morning coffee crowd, Catherine’s closes at 7, making it an impossibility for the Fort Greene dinner crowd.
At the end of the meal, my grudging companion and I ordered a chocolate Koblihy ($1.95), which looked like a Boston cream donut. I was stunned to find the flavor had no resemblance to the classic pastry; it was composed of a sweet bread filled with a thick custard and had a nice layer of non-sweet dark chocolate on top.
While Fort Greene doesn’t need another place to grab a cup of joe, Catherine’s does fill the need for a laidback, no frills brunch spot. Unlike the other eateries that line DeKalb, there isn’t a wait list—at least not yet—so you don’t have to waste your Sunday salivating, you can dig right in.
>Catherine’s Caffé
184 DeKalb Ave. (betw. Cumberland St. & Washington Park), Brooklyn
718-858-3712
