For my birthday, I took myself out to lunch to a French restaurant in Williamsburg – Le Crocodile. For the locals, it’s in the Wythe Hotel, across the street from Brooklyn Bowl. Since it’s a restaurant hotel, and French, they serve breakfast, lunch, après-midi, dinner, and weekend brunch. Being a Wednesday afternoon, the place was quiet. Three people at the bar and maybe two or three two-tops with people. The bartender was attentive and friendly enough without feeling intrusive.

I was hungry and it looked like I over-ordered when all the plates were sitting in front of me but I ate just about all of it. There were so many things I wanted to try – like the scallops (especially when two women sat down next to me and ordered them and I saw them swimming in the sudachi and satsuma tangerine) or endive salad with egg and anchovy or frisee salad with poached egg and smoked eel – but that is the problem when you eat alone and do not have friends with you to share.

I started with the Coqueta (tequila, lime, cucumber, basil, aloe, habanero). I would have preferred a bit more heat or maybe made with the mezcal instead (the bartender only offered me tequila and asked if that was all right).

The dishes came out as they were ready (the bartender asked my preference), so at one point I had three dishes in front of me at once. It was okay though because I used the salad as a palate cleanser between courses.

First was the Jonah crab with avocado and yuzu kosho. The crackers did not have much taste, which gave the salad a chance to shine. The taste was very bright and citrusy from the yuzu kosho. The avocado was mashed. There was not a lot of crab taste, which would be one comment on the dish.

Most of the salad is hiding under the crackers.

The crocodile reveals itself when you finish the dish.

The Bibb lettuce and radish salade was served with a house dressing – again very light and bright. And the plate of food was as big as my head.

The country pâté with foie gras and pistachio is served with a nice crusty sourdough. On the side are cornichons and golden raisins with a few pickled onions. The liver taste is more subtle with this type of pâté and you cannot spread it easily on the bread. I broke the baguette slices into small pieces and added a chunk of pâté and then topped with the raisins and the occasional onion to create a small bite. I missed the heavier taste of a smooth pâté and did not think I got enough of the fat and meat taste that I like from other types of pâté.

I finished with the duck leg confit with carrot rapee and cornichon. The duck was perfect – especially the crackling skin. The carrot rapee was, again, bright and a nice complement to the duck. I did not eat much of it because at this time I was so full but any other time I would have eaten everything on the plate. The cornichons were cut into very small pieces, so they could not serve as the balance to the fatty tender duck as intended.

All in all, I thought the food was very good but the flavors were more subtle than I have gotten used to with so many “ethnic” choices around me. It was not good enough for me to travel to Williamsburg. If the restaurant was in a closer neighborhood, I would probably go back and try more of the dishes