New York

The Farm is the neighborhood's most reliable spot for a complex, satisfying meal that doesn't feel fussy. Service is uniformly excellent, and the bar is well-stocked. I take exception to many aspects of the previous NFT review (what's up with the snideness about Ditmas Park and Kensington on this site in general?). But I do agree that the place is a great reflection of the age diversity of the neighborhood. Couples in their late sixties dine alongside families and young artists, so that The Farm never has the self-consciously sceney/hipster vibe of otherwise similar spots in some other Brooklyn neighborhoods. And as time has passed, and the restaurant has settled in and established a nice rhythm and developed a character of its own, the use of local produce and grass-fed beef, etc., is a little more understated, so that the commitment to organic and green foods is taken for granted rather than ostentatious.

Photo:  Courtesy of The Farm

I wouldn't be so silly as to rue the purported undoing of the rickety Dodgers lotus land Pete Hamill says looked like an Edward Hopper painting, smelled of peanuts and bestowed upon its inhabitants eternal life. And I've never been the kind of man to turn down a lady's offer (be that lady a waitress) of diver scallops, sweet corn soup and airy, citified elegance amongst my 99 cent stores. But something does unnerve me about sleek restaurants with "agrarian appellations" popping up in residential neighborhoods. But, really, who am I kidding? My desire to eat tasty food will always triumph over undue, half-baked nostalgia. The clientele--families with young children, young people with themselves, graceful ancients--is relaxed and expected, considering the demographics of the neighborhood. I particularly enjoyed the free plastic animals. I don't remember in what capacity I was given one, but I was thankful.

Photo:  Rebecca Katherine Hirsch

Here's what others have said about this Radar:

Average rating:   (5=Excellent, 1=Really Awful)

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Submitted on: 10/27/2008 3:47 PM By: Rob Tallia Rated: Comment: R--If you're unnerved by Farm on Adderley, then I'd say that pretty much anything can unnerve you. Seems pretty homey and straightforward to me...

Submitted on: 10/27/2008 7:58 PM By: Rebecca Katherine Hirsch Rated: Comment: R.T--It could be argued that my purported distaste is simply a plot device. If I don't have an enemy, I don't have a purpose.