Buttermilk Channel

This New American restaurant has been drawing crowds to a quiet corner at the south end of Carroll Gardens since 2008. Its success seems due to the strategic balance it’s struck to please the widest possible neighborhood demographic: an upscale menu that’s refined enough for special occasions and a welcoming dining room that feels family-friendly and casual enough for a weeknight drop-in. The offerings are best summed up as comfort food with premium execution: Mussels are served steamed in a savory broth of beer, green olives, and garlic, with crusty grilled bread to sop up the excess. The fantastic fried chicken is juicy inside, with a thick, crisp breading, and comes served atop half a fluffy buttermilk waffle and alongside refreshingly vinegary savoy-cabbage slaw. The menu is spotted with nods to the neighborhood, with fresh linguini from Caputo’s on the Monday night prix fixe and hot sausage from Esposito’s in a scramble at the super-popular weekend brunch. And if you can manage another bite after your entrée, the decadent desserts, like a rum-spiked banana pudding topped with a handful of caramel popcorn, are definitely worth your time.