I am so excited to share that Park Slope is getting a fantastic chef-driven restaurant with the opening of LORE on a lovely corner of 7th Avenue & 15th Street. LORE, which opened February 7th, comes from chefs and partners Jay Kumar and John Kim, who believe food is culinary storytelling and are sharing a seasonal menu that highlights their diverse backgrounds.
"The future of food should be seen through the lens of community, with ingredients sourced from regional farms; flavors and techniques of diverse origin that are skillfully woven," said Kumar. "Brooklyn is truly a confluence of cultures, kept vital by storytellers and community leaders, many of whom hail from far-flung places around the globe. So many of these diverse traditions are both preserved and born around a dinner table with friends and neighbors."
Chef Jay Kumar is known for his namesake restaurant, Jay’s, in Basel, Switzerland, where he built a reputation for the depth and complexity of his progressive Indian cuisine. Chef John Kim was the opening Chef de Cuisine of the Equinox Hotel as well as Electric Lemon. John also helmed the kitchen at The Finch as Chef de Cuisine, where under his tenure of two years maintained a Michelin star. John grew up cooking alongside his mother and keeping in touch with his Korean culture, an aspect of his upbringing that inspired him to pursue a career in hospitality.
Their diverse backgrounds come into play on LORE's lovely menu, where you'll find small plates and snacks like radishes with spiced honey and cultured butter, dosas with red lentil dal and coconut chutney, and smoked trout with pickled cipollini, onion puree, breadcrumbs and trout roe. Entrees also stretch from India and America: hanger steak with masala butter; butter chicken with cashew cream, tomato, cardamom and spiced kalazira rice; and sea bream with hot red chutney, mint yogurt, and malabar spices. Because it's a corner spot with a gorgeous bar in Brooklyn, naturally there'a also a magnificent burger with aged white cheddar, kirby pickles and a heap of fries, perfect for a solo night with a pint or a cocktail.
Cocktails are carefully crafted as you might expect, but they're also thoughtfully named for musicians and poets with quotes to inspire you while you sip. The Cohen (Dance Me to the End of Love) is a mix of mezcal, campari, cynar, meleti, and bitters. The Frost (but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep): gin, lime, mezcal and bok choy. The Hafiz (all the hemispheres in heaven are sitting around chatting): rye, sesame, orgeat, bitters.
Cheers, and looking forward to seeing you there!
LORE is taking reservations on RESY.
Monday - Saturday: 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Sunday: 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM