Semilla means “seed” in Spanish. It used to be a pop-up restaurant that now has its permanent home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. There are only 18 bar stools around horseshoe shaped counter that runs in the middle of the restaurant. The place is small; I cannot say it is inviting or cozy. It is simple and it has its own style; however, there is no privacy or intimacy here. You sit closely to other people and the waitresses walk back and forth in the middle of the counter serving and helping guests.

Nice and quiet Spanish music is being played in the background which was plus. Small kitchen that is at the back of the main counter is partially open so you can watch chef Chez Jose at work. You come here for food, period. Unfortunately we experienced that in a bad way, since we witnessed the chef yelling at one of the cooks and budding heads with one of the waitresses. It was almost awkward to be a witness of it.

They only serve chef’s tasting menu, which are 10 small courses. This is vegetable-forward place, where meat and proteins play side dish role and vegetables are the highlights of each dish. The menu changes on regular basis, depending on the season and what is best available that day. I can imagine that some signature dishes repeat and are served on a regular basis.

That night we were served the following dishes:

- Lentil Cracker with Sunchoke, Trout roe and sorrel – this one bite snack was packed with flavors. Home made crunchy cracker with sunchoke and green foam was an interesting start.

- Rutabago Spring Roll with Orange Reduction – everyone has had a spring roll, well you have not had this one. The filling was delicious and soft, orange reduction, which you dip the spring roll in, gave a nice kick to this snack.

- Cabbage Sandwich, Buckwheat groats – I liked this combination of crispy cabbage leaves served as bread slices in a regular sandwich with strong buckwheat after taste

- Rutabage and Cippolini Onion with Salt Cod and Lovage – this dish did not even look like food. Beautifully placed round pieces of Rutabage on a bed of salt cod cream like layer was tasty, delicate with a pinch of salty fish flavor

- Beets, Beef and Bone Marrow – simply perfection. Thin slices of beef wrapped in perfectly cooked beets, that were still crunchy, covered with bone marrow foam for the extra flavor

- Anson Mill’s Blue Barley and Golden Flax Sourdough, Cowbella butter and buttermilk – although I come from the country that is known for the best bread, this one was special. They make it in house from scratch. It is soft, warm with distinctive flavor; the butter with the buttermilk is a perfect match. Very dangerous combo.

- Cabbage, Beans, Pork Fat – This was Spanish influenced and looking dish, the least exciting but still very tasty and well executed.

- Roasted Butternut Squash, Serrano Cream, Chickpeas and Preserved Berries –I thought it was a dessert, but it was the opposite. Spicy Serrano cream was a bit overpowering the squash, but since the squash was topped with preserved berries the mix of all the ingredients surprisingly work

- Colza Oil ice cream, Meyer Lemon – this beauty was served with freezing cold spoons to ensure you have the full ice cream experience. This was hands down best ice-cream I have ever had, the creamy texture and a flavor I have never experienced that is sweet and earthy at the same time. I was speechless after the first spoon

- Blood Orange Granita with Poppy seed and Yogurt – Now I am a poppy seed lady, poppy seeds cake is our traditional cake and ingredient we use at every holiday, so I know a lot about the preparation and what you can do with poppy seeds. The cake was sweet, in a good way, because after combining it with slightly sour yogurt it became a different type of dessert. I think the seeds should have been grinded so the cake has softer texture.

It is tough to choose one dish that it the best this week. Everything delivered and did not disappoint. All dishes were beautifully plated and all flavors complemented each other in a way most likely you have not experienced. But if I really have to choose I choose Colza oil ice cream. Mostly, because the flavor and the texture were perfection, absolutely the highest standard and quality of ice cream you can get.

I also need to mention Semilla has great selection of wines and beers, I highly recommend to try anything they offer.

The only reason why this restaurant is not getting maximum plates is chef’s attitude that unfortunately affected everyone since the kitchen is open. It killed the atmosphere but luckily not the food and at the end of the day you come here for food experience and not a romantic dinner.

Cuisine: Modern Spanish/Vegetarian

Avg price per person: $75 tasting menu only

Attire: Casual

Overall Rating: 4 plates