Flies in the Buttermilk - Buttermilk Channel - 524 Court St., Brooklyn

I made my bi-annual sojourn to Brooklyn last night to try Buttermilk Channel, one of several restaurants in the borough that have been billed as "must tries".  I am admittedly a tough sell, skeptical that the growing restaurant scene in Brooklyn and the other boroughs is superseding Manhattan in creativity, innovation and sheer prolificacy (don't worry, it's a word, I looked it up). While I wasn't thoroughly disappointed by BMC, it didn't make me a borough convert either. The ambience is somehow stark, despite warm lighting and country, farmhouse decor. The service was attentive and friendly, but the food was uneven. The chef knows how to season, although not subtly, and while my pork shoulder was tasty and had a great, crispy crust, it was ultimately a bad cut of meat, leaving it difficult to discern even an ounce of meat among the fat and sinew. There were other disappointments too: my friend's fried chicken and waffles, in her experienced words, tasted "reheated" and "fast-foodish". On the other hand, the duck meatloaf, also ordered at our table, did not get enough attention. I found it a perfect meaty density, but still juicy and succulent (which is difficult to achieve in a meatloaf) with just the right amount of savory herbs. Overall, Buttermilk Channel is worth a try, but I couldn't help but think that it was a only reasonable facsimile for the Market Tables, Little Owls and even Irving Mills of Manhattan. I am a tough sell, but BMC will not, unfortunately, shake me from my bi-annual Brooklyn schedule.