Bowl & Blade is the brainchild of Adin Langille, a multitalented chef who has worked for the likes of the Michelin starred Indian resto Junoon in the Flat Iron District–as well as created and executed numerous projects for luxury restauranteurs Alain Ducasse, Charlie Palmer and David Burke. For his first restaurant (as a co-owner with Junoon’s Rajesh Bhardwaj and Stephen Macrina), Langille decided to keep things simple–he wanted a vintage Brooklyn storefront where customers order creative Poke bowls that come with two add-ons for $12-$14. Everything is farm-to-table fresh, organic and non-GMO–and Langille estimates that 90 per cent of what is served is gluten-free. Because space is limited, produce, poultry and fish are delivered three to four times per week and served immediately. Customers order at the faux-ivy-covered counter and the generously portioned bowls are created in an amazing five minutes or less. There are a few handmade wooden high seats and the entire front of the eatery is glass–which makes it an optimal spot for people watching while you eat.
There are eight basic bowls to choose from and they are all totally unique–only a chef who has worked with and mastered numerous kinds of cuisines could create this level of variety. My favorite is the East Medi bowl made with a Falafel Waffle as pictured above. Langille knocks one out of the ballpark with his delightfully herbal and fluffy Falafel Waffle. If you adore the taste of cilantro and love tahini sauce, this combo will undoubtedly rock your world. Included in the basic East Medi are olives, cucumbers, red onions, chick peas and red onion.
You know that even though I adored the East Medi topped with the Falafel Waffle, I had to go for the K-Town Que bowl topped with Sous Vide Chicken Breast. Langille knocked one out of the ballpark again! The K-Town Que features kimchi, soybeans, scallion, green beans, pickled onion and Korean gochujang BBQ sauce, which has a slight kick. I added in some pickled jalapeño for some further fire just because that is how I roll. The Sous Vide Chicken Breast is ultra moist and tender; Verlasso Salmon is also recommended for this particular bowl.
I almost forgot to add that you get to a add a complimentary starch or greens to your bowl (which the Bowl & Blade menu refers to as “bases”) and they are Sushi Rice, Short Grain Brown Rice, Quinoa, Organic Baby Kale, Seasonal Veggie Noodles and Mixed Greens. I have to say that the greens I had in my bowl were truly unique–they were a mixture of some wild greens that I had not had before and some were on the spicy side. Every bowl gets two add-ons as mentioned before–standard add-ons include pickled ginger, pumpkin seeds, crispy Peruvian corn and pickled jalapeño while premium add-ons (for an additional two dollars) include avocado, tobiko caviar and wakame seaweed salad.
Bowl & Blade does not stop at great Poke bowls; they take pride in making organic fresh frozen yogurt every day. There are fun toppings including tropical fresh fruit and Nutella drizzle. Pictured above is the Tropic Blunder which is your choice of yogurt flavor (plain or twisted), topped with mango, pineapple, coconut, passion fruit purée and granola. The day I went vanilla and rhubarb were the flavors of the day but Langille promises some outrageous ones in the future. A small frozen yogurt runs $5, a large size costs $8 and there are legions of local kids pouring in to get some after school. 
Bowl & Blade also serves wonderful iced coffee and tea drinks including a lovely Hibiscus Punch (pictured above) that has become their top-selling beverage. Bowl & Blade just opened on Easter and had a huge line down the block almost immediately as they are a unique entity even in a diverse foodie neighborhood like Park Slope, Brooklyn. They just started having delivery via Uber Eats and Caviar so you can get delivery within a couple of miles of their location at 169 5th Avenue. If this location continues to be a runaway success, Bowl & Blade will undoubtedly be opening a Manhattan shop. For more info (including the complete menu), go to www.bowlandblade.com. Once you go to Bowl & Blade, you’ll find yourself returning every few days to try a new bowl combination!
