Two Toms
It was an insanely windy Saturday in the city and although the sun was out it was not a day you wanted to stay outside too long. Mr. T and I were walking to a new bar in Park Slope and I almost got taken out by a flying construction sign! We met up with friends at the new bar Rock Shop and attempted to enjoy some beers on their beautiful rooftop patio. However the wind just got to be too much for us so we went over to Sheep Station for a few Coopers Sparkling before finally arriving at our dinner destination- Two Toms.
I have no idea how to even begin describing this place. Walking inside the décor was slightly reminiscent of a VFW with wood paneled walls and red tablecloths. I was a little taken aback at first but then the friendly waiter showed us to our table and his warm charming personality really put me at ease. Two Toms has no set menu- just the waiter (who also plays the role of host and busboy) who lists off the specials for that day. So after some serious decision making our appetizers began to arrive. First up the Baked Clams.
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Wow- these little buggers were delicious with a hefty seasoning of bread crumbs, oregano and oil. The sauce was so wonderful we used to the bread from the bread basket to soak up every last bite. Onto the Shrimp Cocktail.
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Certainly doesn’t look like any shrimp cocktail I’ve ever had before but who cares! The shrimp were plump and sweet with a fantastic cocktail sauce for dipping. Next the Antipasti Platter.
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This was a huge fail. First of all, the waiter said it would come with prosciutto but there was only ham and salami on the plate. The cheese wasn’t very tasty at all and almost half of the plate was taken over by the red peppers. We didn’t have to much time to be sad about the antipasti plate however because our next appetizer was the star of the entire meal in my opinion- the Eggplant Rollatini.
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Honestly I didn’t even want to order this dish at first because I don’t care for eggplant (unless its on a Defonte’s sub). But let me tell you- this is why it’s always good to try new things. The eggplant was covered in possibly the most delicious marinara sauce and ricotta cheese stuffing I have ever had! The ricotta was so fresh it must have been made in house that very day and the marinara was hearty, rich and oh so satisfying. It really blew me away. Never have I enjoyed an eggplant dish this much in my life.
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After demolishing the appetizers I was already feeling pretty full but there were still the entrees yet to come. First came an enormous pork chop about the size of my head! While I found the meat a tad bit overcooked the flavor was still all there. A nice crusty shell outside and topped with some sautéed peppers- this dish was gone in seconds.
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The Chicken Marsala on the other hand fell flat. The sauce was thin and watery and the dish needed more spicing for overall flavor.
But then much like the antipasti platter all was forgiven once the Rib Eye appeared. Another massive cut of meat even bigger than the pork chop and covered in a generous amount of fragrant caramelized onions. It was thick, red, fatty and everything delicious a Rib Eye should be.
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At the end of these dishes all of us were starting to feel the pain. I was so stuffed but so happy and quite frankly a little drunk. We had been there for about 2hours and the drinks were going down quickly. The reason? No wait!! At Two Toms you actually walk over to the little glass cooler and grab your own beer and carafes of wine as you go. How cool is that!
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When we left Two Toms the entire restaurant was packed with families who all seemed to know each other. Every time someone walked inside they would greet the waiter, talk to the chef, etc. Even though this was a very neighborhoody I didn’t feel out of place at all. Everyone had great jovial spirits and a warm friendly attitude. It was truly wonderful to see.
There were a few misses in the Two Toms meal but the hits were off the charts. Another great thing about Two Toms- the price. For all that food and who knows how much beer and wine it came to around $140 for four people total. That is a deal. I would definitely take the short trek out to Gowanus again for a meal at Two Toms.
Thanks for the heads up about this place Sean!
I have no idea how to even begin describing this place. Walking inside the décor was slightly reminiscent of a VFW with wood paneled walls and red tablecloths. I was a little taken aback at first but then the friendly waiter showed us to our table and his warm charming personality really put me at ease. Two Toms has no set menu- just the waiter (who also plays the role of host and busboy) who lists off the specials for that day. So after some serious decision making our appetizers began to arrive. First up the Baked Clams.
.jpg)
Wow- these little buggers were delicious with a hefty seasoning of bread crumbs, oregano and oil. The sauce was so wonderful we used to the bread from the bread basket to soak up every last bite. Onto the Shrimp Cocktail.
.jpg)
Certainly doesn’t look like any shrimp cocktail I’ve ever had before but who cares! The shrimp were plump and sweet with a fantastic cocktail sauce for dipping. Next the Antipasti Platter.
.jpg)
This was a huge fail. First of all, the waiter said it would come with prosciutto but there was only ham and salami on the plate. The cheese wasn’t very tasty at all and almost half of the plate was taken over by the red peppers. We didn’t have to much time to be sad about the antipasti plate however because our next appetizer was the star of the entire meal in my opinion- the Eggplant Rollatini.
.jpg)
Honestly I didn’t even want to order this dish at first because I don’t care for eggplant (unless its on a Defonte’s sub). But let me tell you- this is why it’s always good to try new things. The eggplant was covered in possibly the most delicious marinara sauce and ricotta cheese stuffing I have ever had! The ricotta was so fresh it must have been made in house that very day and the marinara was hearty, rich and oh so satisfying. It really blew me away. Never have I enjoyed an eggplant dish this much in my life.
.jpg)
After demolishing the appetizers I was already feeling pretty full but there were still the entrees yet to come. First came an enormous pork chop about the size of my head! While I found the meat a tad bit overcooked the flavor was still all there. A nice crusty shell outside and topped with some sautéed peppers- this dish was gone in seconds.
.jpg)
The Chicken Marsala on the other hand fell flat. The sauce was thin and watery and the dish needed more spicing for overall flavor.
But then much like the antipasti platter all was forgiven once the Rib Eye appeared. Another massive cut of meat even bigger than the pork chop and covered in a generous amount of fragrant caramelized onions. It was thick, red, fatty and everything delicious a Rib Eye should be.
.jpg)
At the end of these dishes all of us were starting to feel the pain. I was so stuffed but so happy and quite frankly a little drunk. We had been there for about 2hours and the drinks were going down quickly. The reason? No wait!! At Two Toms you actually walk over to the little glass cooler and grab your own beer and carafes of wine as you go. How cool is that!
.jpg)
When we left Two Toms the entire restaurant was packed with families who all seemed to know each other. Every time someone walked inside they would greet the waiter, talk to the chef, etc. Even though this was a very neighborhoody I didn’t feel out of place at all. Everyone had great jovial spirits and a warm friendly attitude. It was truly wonderful to see.
There were a few misses in the Two Toms meal but the hits were off the charts. Another great thing about Two Toms- the price. For all that food and who knows how much beer and wine it came to around $140 for four people total. That is a deal. I would definitely take the short trek out to Gowanus again for a meal at Two Toms.
Thanks for the heads up about this place Sean!
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