Sheep Station: My New Neighborhood Favorite

Restaurant Name: Sheep Station
Restaurant Location: 149 4th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn



It's been some time since I've walked into a new restaurant and wanted to order literally every item on the menu. So, discovering Sheep Station, an Australian pub in my neighborhood, was a refreshing change of pace.

Part bar and part purveyor of quality comfort food, Sheep Station is billed as a casual, welcoming Australian kitchen and bar. And it is, indeed, all of these things.

Occupying much more space than it initially appears, Sheep Station has its bar front-and-center, with a narrow row of charmingly rickety tables along the opposite wall. The two times I've been in here, most people seem to have congregated at the bar in a merry, noisy slouch of food and drink. Don't head here anticipating a quiet, romantic dinner -- the place is noisy.

They have an extensive list of draft beers as well as a respectable wine list (so both wine and beer drinkers will be content - not always an easy marriage). It appears that there is a larger room in the back, perhaps for private events (I've always eaten at Sheep Station fairly early or on a week-night and there's still been ample seating in the front).

So, on to what you really want to know: Sheep Station makes good grub. Imagine lots of meat--ranging from perfectly grilled lamb chops to a juicy burger adorned with pineapple and an egg (and written up recently in Saveur Magazine)--cooked just right (meaning: actually as you request) and served with thoughtful sides. Imagine tasty wine-poached mussels with a side of very well-executed frites. Imagine poutine that is neither too heavy nor too dainty. Imagine a series of great sandwiches, including a "chook" (chicken) sandwich with plenty of tender breast meat tossed with a curry aoili and guacamole and pillowed between two halves of a big, fluffy kaiser roll.

Now imagine that you could eat all this lovely food--along with a drink--in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere for about $20 bucks a person (most sandwiches and entrees range from about $10-15, with the lamb chops being the big splurge at $19 (well worth it).

I have to say, I'm glad I've discovered Sheep Station -- it's extremely rare in Park Slope to be treated to a restaurant that is of high quality AND has reasonable prices.

Bon Appetit!