Wattli: Ditmas Park’s New Hangout Spot

DITMAS PARK — When Arbor met Sally, Wattli was born.

Except, this short story isn’t about the welcoming of a new baby, but a new bar-eatery in Ditmas Park dubbed Wattli — a combination of the couples’ last names.

Partners in life and now in business, Arbor Watt, 47, and Sally Li, 46, first met 16 years ago while working at a downtown Manhattan bar. Now the two are proud owners of a 700 sq. ft. bar-eatery at 1505 Newkirk Avenue, replacing Edwards Insurance Brokerage.

“The neighborhood, specifically Newkirk, looked like it needed another spot,” said Watt.

Patrons can enjoy crispy wings or scallion pancakes as part of their “small plates” menu. The BBQ Chinese pork rice bowl and pan-seared pork chops are scattered among the rice bowls and noodles section of the menu.

They offer sandwiches too.

Choose from the smoked salmon, caper and mascarpone, BLT  or the crispy shrimp, pickles, sriracha, lettuce tomato panini, to start.

“We travel a lot and wanted to represent that in our menu,” said Li who also attributes the Asian influence to her Chinese background.

The space seats about 30, made possible by a wooden banquette accented with colorful, textured pillows. The artwork hanging above the seated area includes framed owl feathers the couple found (not plucked) in South Africa.

A mirror they picked up in Mexico hangs close by. Canvas drawings of elephants, “for good fortune” also sit amongst the troves of international keepsakes.

“My mother brought this cat to bring us luck,” pointing to a gold maneki-neko or “beckoning or lucky gold cat” at the end of the bar area.

Li insisted on highlights of red and gold to pop the grey walls, another ode to her Chinese origins.

More than a dozen silver, adjustable bar stools line the wood-panel bar. Group of six can enjoy a 6-seat extension that juts out about 6 feet from the bar area.

In the summer, owners will open the quaint outdoor patio that overlooks the Q train. But for now, you can peer at passersby from the window seating.

With only a week to survey, so far the wings and rice bowls seem to be the hot menu items, according to Watt. As for drinks, it’s the spicy coconut margarita that leads the pack of cocktail mixes.

Hours, for now, are from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Happy hour is daily (except weekends) from 4 pm to 7:00 pm. 1505 Newkirk Avenue, right off Newkirk Plaza subway station (B/Q). The new Ditmas Park business opened Saturday, March 23, 2019.