Le Crocodile

Washing-Up

Le Crocodile Wythe Hotel

BROOKLYN

Words: Kristofer Thomas Photography: © Read McKendree

IN A BITE Operator: Golden Age Hospitality Interior Design: Loveisenough Head Chefs: Jake Leiber and Aidan O’Neal www.lecrocodile.com

Having kickstarted a wave of stylish Brooklyn openings in 2012, Wythe Hotel is now seeking to reinstate its F&B offer with the introduction of Le Crocodile, a new ground floor brasserie styled on the touchstones of old-world hospitality.

Designed by Loren Daye of New York-based studio Loveisenough, in collaboration with Golden Age Hospitality restaurateur Jon Neidich, Le Crocodile takes the form of an elongated dining room defined by exposed red brick walls and towering original windows from the hotel’s former life as a waterfront factory. Inspired by the traditional coffee houses of Vienna, the space is bright by day and softly lit by night, with globe lights and custom fixtures hanging above burgundy leather booths and dark walnut tables. Timber wall panelling and a marble bar complete the look, with an expansive run of mirrors mounted to reflect the scene.

“We thought a lot about what makes a great room with play of scale, sightlines, good acoustics, layering of light, hidden moments and architecture to anchor yourself to,” Daye explains. “Because we had such an incredible scale and existing height in the building to start, we decided to let the eye rest and played with a contrast of ideas and concepts instead.”

Chefs Jake Leiber and Aidan O’Neal of Brooklyn hotspot Chez Ma Tante serve up a local take on French classics, having previously been drafted by Neidich to oversee the lighter food offer at the hotel’s rooftop bar, Lemon’s.

In defining the new concept, the trio travelled across Europe to experience old-world venues and sample various cuisines. The resulting menu includes highlights such as boudin blanc sausage with shellfish bisque and aioli; steak frite au poivre; and escargots with parsley and pernod, while the dessert menu features French favourites of tarte tatin, profiteroles, tarte au citron and madeleines.

Neidich and Golden Age Hospitality – the group behind Manhattan cocktail bar Slowly Shirley and American bistro Acme – took over Wythe Hotel’s F&B programme in early 2019, with Le Crocodile marking the culmination of a 12-month refurbishment programme.