Bite Of The Day: By Land And Sea At Anchor And Plow

In the almost-a-month since Anchor and Plow debuted in the former Lola Bklyn space at 387 Myrtle Avenue, they have had a steady stream of returning regulars and new customers drawn by their Mediterranean-inspired, farm-to-sea-to-table menu, which combines a few Lola favorites — such as the Salmon Burger ($14), Moules Frites ($15), and Grilled Octopus ($13) — with new arrivals such as Black Ink Linguini ($19) and Bouillabaisse ($24).

We decided to try out the dinner menu on a recent weekday evening and started things off with the new Shrimp Al Ajillo ($13) as an appetizer, which turned out to be perfect for two or three people to share. Served in a circle bathed in garlicky tomato sauce sprinkled with spicy pepper and a bit of arugula leaves, the plump shrimp is a great start to any meal, kicking it all off with flavor and simplicity.

Another new menu item is the Grilled Rack of Lamb ($23), which is two large pieces served in a honey mustard & rosemary crust atop creamy-yet-chunky potato gratin with haricot vert and a light mustard shallot sauce on the side. Ordered medium rare, it was perfectly tender and pink in the middle, with just the right balance of flavors to keep it savory but fresh and interesting.

The potato gratin is a perfect side for this — a creamy and slightly cheesy mellowness to balance out the lamb’s pop of flavor. It also worked with every other dinner dish we ordered, showing its versatility.

The Grilled Salmon ($20) came recommended by the pleasant server and the flavor didn’t disappoint, although the portion size was a little lacking in the listed side of grilled fennel. The salmon, grilled with a hint of apricot and olive oil lemon, was melt-in-your-mouth tender and served atop something we’d never seen before — cooked salmon skin — but that was surprisingly tasty, kind of like a seafood version of pork rinds.

Back to the land side of the menu, we also tried out an American standard: Lemon Thyme Roasted Chicken ($19) with roasted root vegetables and lemon jus. There was plenty of meat to be had here and the vegetables had a pleasant mix of freshness in some and char on others. The dish overall could use some more jus/sauce, though, as the meat goes a bit dry without it.

Verdict: We’re delighted to have Anchor and Plow here and these few, minor notes aside, can’t wait to go back to try the bouillabaisse, grilled octopus, and grilled plum and fig salad. There’s also a shakshuka listed on their Brunch menu that sounds amazing. See you there!

ANCHOR AND PLOW
387 Myrtle Avenue
718-858-1484